The Town with Matthew Belloni
The Ringer
Puck founding partner Matthew Belloni takes you inside Hollywood, using exclusive reporting and insight to explain the backstories on everything from Marvel movies to streaming wars. Multiple times each week, Matt is joined by major executives, dealmakers, and journalists, to discuss what is getting made and why, who is winning and losing, and what people in show business are actually talking about.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 21, 2022 • 31min
‘Don’t Worry Darling’ and How Controversy Impacts the Box Office
Matt is joined by David Herrin, founder of film research firm The Quorum, to discuss Olivia Wilde’s upcoming film, ‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ and whether the media frenzy and off-screen controversy will affect its performance at the box office. They also look back on past films wrapped up in controversy and determine whether publicity leads to success or failure.Sign up for Matt’s Hollywood newsletter at 20% off HERE.Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: David HerrinProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Craig Horlbeck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 19, 2022 • 32min
Did a $200M Direct-to-Streaming Movie Ever Make Sense?
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how much money streaming services should spend on movies that skip a theatrical release and go directly to their streaming platform. They speculate over a streaming service’s return on investment for for a $200 million movie and question whether that business model is sustainable.Sign up for Matt’s Hollywood newsletter at 20% off HEREEmail us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 16, 2022 • 27min
Is TV Saving or Killing College Football?
Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis to discuss the recent conference realignment in college football—where television ratings reign supreme and storied traditions are rapidly disappearing—and whether this new normal is sustainable in a consolidating college football television universe.Sign up for Matt’s Hollywood newsletter at 20% off HERE Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Bryan CurtisProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 13, 2022 • 29min
HBO’s Reassertion, Quinta Brunson’s Breakout, and More Emmy Takeaways
Matt and Craig recap the 2022 Emmy Awards as well as Matt’s experience from inside the event and the after-parties. They give out their own awards for the winner of the night, the biggest snub, and the best and worst moment of the night, discuss who has the brightest future after Monday night's results, and more.Host: Matt BelloniProducer: Craig Horlbeck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 12, 2022 • 31min
A Status Check on Disney and CEO Bob Chapek
Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to discuss the current standing of Bob Chapek after the latest D23 Expo, which featured several announcements including new movie trailers, released footage, theme park updates, and new projects on the horizon at Disney. Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Lucas ShawProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 8, 2022 • 31min
The Summer Box Office Reckoning
Matt is joined by Forbes’ Scott Mendelson to judge their box office predictions for the most highly anticipated blockbusters of the summer. They discuss the surprise hits, flops, and everything in between, and provide takeaways for each franchise.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Scott MendelsonProduce: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 6, 2022 • 34min
The Biggest Threat to YouTube’s World Domination
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Mark Bergen to discuss his newest book on YouTube’s path to domination over the past 20 years. They discuss whether Tiktok or any other digital platform can dethrone YouTube, the company's long and winding path to paying its creators, and its relationship with traditional Hollywood.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Mark BergenProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 2, 2022 • 27min
Florence Pugh or Pete Davidson? Buying or Selling Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Under 30, Part 2
Matt is joined by Deadline senior reporter Justin Kroll for Part 2 of the Young Hollywood Stock Exchange, where they buy or sell on the biggest stars under 30 in Hollywood.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Justin KrollProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 1, 2022 • 31min
Chalamet or Holland? Buying or Selling Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Under 30
Matt is joined by Deadline senior reporter Justin Kroll to decide whether they are buying or selling the movie-star potential of the biggest actors under 30 years old in Hollywood.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: Justin KrollProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 31, 2022 • 30min
The Troubled Coexistence of Movie Theaters and Streaming
Matt is joined by John Fithian, the CEO and president of the National Association of Theater Owners, to discuss the current state of the theater business, its messy relationship with movie studios, and what the next year looks like for moviegoing.Host: Matt BelloniGuest: John FithianProducer: Craig HorlbeckTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
