The Town with Matthew Belloni Paramount’s New Team, Fantastic Four’s Nosedive, YouTubers in Theaters, and Peacock’s Future
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Aug 5, 2025 
Lucas Shaw, a Bloomberg reporter specializing in the entertainment industry, joins to discuss Paramount's new executive team and the surprising nosedive of 'The Fantastic Four' despite favorable reviews. They delve into Peacock’s ongoing struggles with subscriber growth and its pivot toward sports programming. The conversation also touches on YouTube stars Dude Perfect venturing into theaters, highlighting the challenges of traditional cinema in attracting digital audiences, and predicts the future of Netflix's potential hits.
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Paramount's New Leadership Approach
- David Ellison's new Paramount leadership cleans house with no legacy CBS/Viacom leaders remaining.
- This marks a shift to a fresh approach aiming for "transformation" with emphasis on technical collaboration and storytelling.
Marvel's Box Office Challenges
- Marvel's Fantastic Four shows a sharp 66% drop in week two despite good reviews, signaling fanbase fatigue.
- Average moviegoers seem disengaged from Marvel theatrics, increasing concern about Marvel's box office dominance.
Peacock's Sports-Centric Struggle
- Peacock streaming stagnates at 41 million US subscribers with losses but now mostly sports-focused.
- Streaming service struggles to sustain engagement beyond sports hits like Love Island and aims for profitability by cutting content.