The Town with Matthew Belloni

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the looming WGA strike on the day of its negotiation deadline, and how a likely strike will affect the industry. They break down what the writers are fighting for, why this is a terrible time for most studios to negotiate a deal, which studios are best suited to endure a prolonged strike, and whether a strike could actually benefit the industry long term. They close the show by making a prediction on the length of the strike.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetownEmail us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Ray Subers, the senior vice president of theatrical strategy at National Research Group, to discuss an eye-opening study making the rounds among industry executives that highlights a troubling reality for Hollywood: The supply of new movie stars is declining alongside the box office. They talk about the importance of casting, which stars are most likely to get someone to see a movie in theaters, and why that list is only getting older. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction on what will be one of the biggest movies of 2024.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: http://puck.news/thetown.Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Ray SubersProducers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Ben Winston, executive producer of 'The Late Late Show With James Corden' and the 2023 Grammys, to talk about the end of Corden’s show—which concludes its eight-year run this week—and Winston makes his case for why the late show format should still exist as we transition into the digital age of television. They discuss misperceptions about how his show makes money for Paramount Global, why these shows need to air on broadcast TV rather than online, whether or not a new late show can be successful, and much more. Matt finishes the show by making a prediction for the upcoming movie ‘Barbie’ after attending CinemaCon.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetownEmail us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Ben WinstonProducers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell stepping down after an investigation into a complaint that he had an inappropriate relationship with a woman at the company. They discuss why this comes at a crucial time for Comcast and NBCUniversal and whether this impacts the ultimate fate of the company, the possibility for a merger, candidates for the next CEO, and more. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction about Tucker Carlson’s future after Fox News.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetownEmail us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by LightShed Partners media analyst Rich Greenfield to discuss the state of Netflix one year after the Great Netflix Correction plummeted the streaming giant's stock and thrust the streaming world into chaos. They break down the changes Netflix has undergone since its stock crash, including clamping down on password sharing, introducing an advertising tier, reducing its yearly output of movies, and whether any of these changes will be a difference-maker for Netflix. Matt finishes the show by making a prediction for the opening weekend of ‘Evil Dead Rise’.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetownEmail us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Rich GreenfieldProducer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner, who is on the ground in Wilmington, Delaware, to discuss Fox’s $787 million settlement agreement with Dominion Voting Systems, which is the largest defamation settlement in U.S. history. They discuss the precedent set by this case, why the settlement happened when it did, Fox’s lack of public apology, and how this will affect Fox’s coverage of the 2024 election, if at all. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about MLB ratings in the new pitch clock era.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Eriq GardnerProducer: 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 what constitutes a hit nowadays in Hollywood. Is Ben Affleck’s ‘Air’ a hit despite its disappointing box office performance? Amazon would argue yes. If a movie’s destiny is to have a short theatrical window before moving to streaming, how are we able to determine if it was successful? With streamers putting more and more movies in theaters before moving them to their respective streaming platforms, declaring something a hit is becoming increasingly difficult due to each company's constantly shifting metrics for success.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown 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 Vanity Fair special correspondent Gabriel Sherman to discuss his latest story on Rupert Murdoch, where this empire stands now, and how this 'Succession'-like story will end. The past year has been tumultuous within Fox News and the family of the 92-year-old conservative media mogul. Matt and Gabriel discuss the complicated succession plan, the family’s obsession with ‘Succession’, Rupert’s recent divorce from Jerry Hall, a broken engagement to Ann Lesley Smith, and the state of Rupert’s health. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the opening weekend for Universal’s ‘Renfield’.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Gabriel ShermanProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by First Amendment litigator Doug Mirell to discuss the $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit between Fox and Dominion and the massive implications of the upcoming trial. They talk about why the Murdochs have not settled the case, what to expect in the upcoming trial, what Rupert Murdoch should be asked on the stand, whether the damages have a shot of nearing $1.6 billion, and how this trial will play out. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction about the subscription price of the newly announced Max streaming service.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.comHost: Matt BelloniGuest: Doug MirellProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This past weekend marked the one-year anniversary of the $43 billion transaction that brought together Warner Media and Discovery to create Warner Bros. Discovery. So today Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to assess how the company has performed in its first year under new CEO David Zaslav. They discuss the company’s shift to emphasize theater releases, its upcoming rebranding of HBO Max, the new CNN under Chris Licht, and its future in sports.For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown 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