The Business

Kim Masters and Matt Beloni discuss Hollywood’s second quarter earnings reports. Disney turned an early profit for streaming service ESPN+, but amusement park attendance still worried Wall Street. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery cites struggling TV business for $9 Billion loss.  Plus, Kim Masters speaks with filmmaker Greg Kwedar about his new film “Sing Sing.” Everyone involved in the production was paid the same daily rate, a model that Kwedar hopes could bring more parity to film sets. The movie stars Colman Domingo as an wrongly-convicted man staging a play inside the real Sing Sing. Much of the cast includes formerly incarcerated actors who play versions of themselves.

Jordan Klepper, a comedic force from The Daily Show, dives into the surreal landscape of political satire. He shares experiences from MAGA rallies, where he now travels with heightened security, reflecting on the dangers of modern journalism. Klepper discusses the evolution of late-night television and the need for accountability in political commentary. He also analyzes the shift in Apple TV+'s strategy amid stiff competition while revealing the challenges of producing impactful content in this chaotic climate.

The podcast discusses the delay of 'Euphoria' season three, the challenges facing the television industry, the impact of Emmy nominations, the success of 'Shogun' adaptation, and the evolving landscape of streaming services in Hollywood.

The 2024 Emmy nominations are here, with lots of record-breaking nods and surprises to unpack — along with the strategy behind Disney’s acquisition of FX. What does the success of Shōgun and The Bear say about streaming? And does a new Bank of America report on Warner Bros. Discovery suggest… “unbundling”? Kim Masters and Matt Belloni break it down.  Plus, in honor of Shōgun’s 25(!) Emmy nominations, Masters revisits her conversation with creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo. The series made history this week with its Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama, becoming only the second non-English show ever considered. The husband-and-wife creative team talk about how they’ve been granted more control writing for television over feature films, and explain why FX took the risk on their very expensive, and heavily subtitled, period epic.

Kim Masters and Matt Belloni discuss the Paramount-Skydance merger. They also look at CNN’s digital future after the company lays off 100 employees, and weigh in on Kevin Costner’s sad “Horizon” rollout.  Plus, Masters speaks to Muta’Ali, director of the HBO documentary “MoviePass, MovieCrash.” The filmmaker talks about his desire to center the story of the company’s two Black founders, while detailing the complex business dealings that led to MoviePass’s meteoric rise and fall.  

Award-winning 'Hacks' showrunners Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs discuss lead actress Jean Smart's commitment during personal tragedy. Paramount saga sees new developments as Barry Diller emerges as potential buyer. Insights into comedy evolution, pitching a show, and casting challenges in creating critically acclaimed series.

Kim Masters and Matt Belloni discuss the tentative deal reached by the major Hollywood studios and IATSE, the union representing below-the-line workers. They also break down NBC’s effort to boost streaming numbers with Olympics recaps from an A.I.-generated version of sports broadcaster Al Michaels. Plus, Masters speaks to Lance Oppenheim, director of the new HBO docu-series Ren Faire, about honing his intimate, uniquely collaborative style of filmmaking, and his interest in subjects who become “entombed” by their own fantasies. The filmmaker also talks about how he cold emailed his way into director Darren Aronofsky’s inner circle. 

Legendary filmmakers Rob Reiner and Albert Brooks chat about their early years in the industry and the ever-changing entertainment landscape. They discuss the challenges of securing funding for a documentary project, the impact of technology on audience engagement, and the evolving Hollywood dynamics. The conversation also touches on reevaluating past content in films and the excitement of making sequels to iconic movies.

Kim Masters and Matt Belloni examine the complicated situation developing at Paramount as controlling shareholder Shari Redstone determines the future of the company.  Plus, Eric Deggans speaks to comedian and Chappelle’s Show co-creator Neal Brennan about his Netflix standup special, Crazy Good. Brennan talks about what he and friends Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock have taught each other about their craft over the years, and he argues that people shouldn’t always care what comedians have to say.

Paramount's Chris Aronson discusses the future of movie theaters amidst streaming competition. The podcast also explores insights on Donald Trump from an ex-'Apprentice' producer and NBA deal speculations at Warner Bros. Discovery.