The Town with Matthew Belloni

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Bob Iger’s first earnings report as new CEO of Disney, including a first look at his strategy to turn the company around. They talk about his decision to split the company into three silos (entertainment, parks, and ESPN) and his openness to off-loading Hulu. They predict whether or not Disney will sell Hulu and ESPN and, if so, to whom.Click here for a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing ...'Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by writer director Aline Brosh McKenna, writer of hits like ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and ‘27 Dresses,’ to talk about why the comedy/rom-com genre is in a weird place right now, why movies of this genre are not in theaters anymore, whether a rom-com can still break new movie stars, the state of the business for writers in Hollywood, and her new Netflix movie ‘Your Place or Mine’ with Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher.Click here for a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing ...'Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Aline Brosh McKennaProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by New York Magazine features writer Reeves Wiedeman to discuss his latest piece, about the complicated state of documentaries right now. Reeves talks about how the true crime genre and the celebrity-produced documentary space have dominated the market for buyers, leaving little room for more traditional works of art and journalism to poke through. They discuss the ease with which these glorified reality TV or public-relations exercises can be made, why streamers continue to spend more and more on acquiring these projects, and whether or not this bubble will burst.Click here for a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing ...'Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Reeves WiedemanProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the latest casualty of the streaming wars, Showtime, which was effectively killed last week when its owner, Paramount Global, rebranded the network to Paramount+ with Showtime. The network is drastically changing its linear strategy and has announced a slate of 'Yellowstone'-like spin-off shows of its biggest Showtime hits, like 'Billions' and 'Dexter.' Matt and Lucas dissect if this is a smart business move, if this is actually a sign of a new beginning for Showtime, and who might be next on the streaming-wars chopping block.Click here for a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing.'Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit to discuss DC’s latest press event revealing what the future of the DC universe will look like. They discuss James Gunn’s bold new vision, how this changes the trajectory for DC and Warner Bros. Discovery, James Gunn’s trashing of the previous DC regime, the biggest winners and losers of the announcement, and whether or not DC can catch Marvel.Click here for a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, 'What I’m Hearing ...'Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Borys KitProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Ben Winston, executive producer of the 2023 Grammy Awards, to talk about why the Grammys are the most difficult awards show to produce, the messy transition from cable to streaming for live events, the end of 'The Late Late Show with James Corden,' and if it’s possible for a nightly late-night talk show to succeed on streaming.Click here for a 20% discount to Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter 'What I’m Hearing.'Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Ben WinstonProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss NBC’s typically struggling streaming service, Peacock, and its strong start to 2023. With shows like 'Yellowstone' and movies like ‘Nope,’ Peacock saw a 40 percent increase in subscribers in Q4 of 2022. Matt and Lucas discuss why Peacock may be long for the streaming world, what Comcast should do with its stake in Hulu, and how long Peacock can lose money before pulling the plug.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from Sundance, Matt is joined by Michael Barker, the copresident and cofounder of Sony Pictures Classics, to discuss Sony’s ability to discover Oscar-level movies at film festivals and whether the business of making money off of small movies is doomed to extinction. Michael details how Sony Classics has pivoted to survive, his pitch to filmmakers these days, and how to take a Sundance film all the way to the Oscars.Click here for 20% off Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter ‘What I’m Hearing’.Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Michael BarkerProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Sloss, an entertainment dealmaker and media advisor with Cinetic Media, shares insights from Sundance. He discusses the festival’s return and the shifts in film acquisition, particularly the rise of streaming platforms. Sloss expresses concerns about independent scripted dramas and the future of arthouse films in a rapidly changing market. He elaborates on the complexities of investing in first-time filmmakers and the delicate balance between streaming and theatrical releases today, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Matt is joined by Dani Weinstein, a veteran communications executive and marketer, to break down the savvy marketing campaign behind Andrea Riseborough’s surprise Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in the movie ‘To Leslie.’ Dani has been in the trenches of Oscar campaigns for years and helps detail how Riseborough’s unique campaign contributed to a nomination. They discuss how social media has changed the modern Oscar campaign and speculate if Riseborough’s nomination playbook has forever changed the strategy of the Oscar campaign.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Dani WeinsteinProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices