Who's to Blame for the ESPN Blackout?
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the contentious TV carriage dispute between Disney and DirecTV, leaving millions of customers unable to watch the U.S. Open, college football, and potentially 'Monday Night Football' starting next week. They unpack the details of this battle, debate who has more leverage, and predict who will win (03:20). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of the Donald Trump origin story movie, ‘The Apprentice’ (25:31). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3 Sep 202432min
Should Someone Step In to Save Warner Bros. Discovery?
Matt is joined by media analyst Steven Cahall to talk about Warner Bros. Discovery, which continues to struggle despite its slew of amazing assets, and why a change in leadership or strategy has not been demanded by activist investors. They discuss WBD’s reliance on linear television, how it lost its NBA rights, and what it should be doing to turn things around (03:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the Golden Globes after it was announced that comedian Nikki Glaser will host the event (27:12). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Steven Cahall Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
29 Aug 202432min
Summer Box Office Winners, Losers, and Head-Scratchers
Matt welcomes back Puck’s Scott Mendelson to judge their early May box office predictions for this summer's most anticipated blockbusters, including ‘The Fall Guy,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Twisters,’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’ They also declare the official winners and losers of the summer and look ahead to the most anticipated movie of the fall, ‘Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice’ (02:19). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Scott Mendelson Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
27 Aug 202441min
The Billionaire Battle for Paramount and the Return of 'Ted Lasso'
Matt is joined by Puck’s William D. Cohan to discuss the never-ending battle for control of Paramount, which has been further complicated by an 11th-hour offer for Paramount from billionaire Edgar Bronfman Jr. Matt and Bill explain who Bronfman is, simplify the complicated details of his pitch, and decide whether Bronfman's or David Ellison’s deal is better (03:33). Matt finishes the show by breaking some news about the return of the hit Apple TV+ show ‘Ted Lasso’ and making a prediction about its lead character in Season 4 (23:49). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: William D. Cohan Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
26 Aug 202432min
Are Expensive Showrunner Deals Worth It?
Matt is joined by Lesley Goldberg, former TV editor of The Hollywood Reporter, to look at the most costly showrunner deals of the peak TV era and determine which were the best and worst deals for the respective studios. They discuss the nine-figure deals that led to zero new shows, and the biggest underperformers of Hollywood’s hyperinflated peak TV era (02:44). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lesley Goldberg Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
23 Aug 202435min
The Arms Race Behind Where Movies Shoot
Matt is joined by Joe Chianese, SVP of Incentives at Entertainment Partners, to talk about where movies are being shot these days, how tax incentives play a role, what a city or country offers to a production, and why California is no longer the filming mecca it once was (02:36). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Travis Kelce’s potential movie career (27:00). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Joe Chianese Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
21 Aug 202435min
A New Setback in Hollywood's Cable Crisis
Matt is joined by CNBC media and sports reporter Alex Sherman to talk about the delayed launch of Venu, the planned sports streaming venture by ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, after a federal judge granted FuboTV's motion for a preliminary injunction. They discuss why this happened, whether this is bad for consumers, and offer up their winners and losers of this ruling (03:26). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the ratings of the Democratic National Convention (26:43). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Alex Sherman Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
19 Aug 202432min
The Legacy of the Infamous Sony Hack, 10 Years Later
Matt is joined by podcaster and journalist Brian Raftery to talk about the 10-year anniversary of the infamous Sony hack, how it changed the perception of Hollywood, how it affected the way villains are portrayed in movies, if North Korea was really to blame, and if this could this happen again (03:08). Matt finishes the show with an opening-weekend box office prediction for ‘Alien: Romulus’ (27:31). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Brian Raftery Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
15 Aug 202433min
