The Business

Topics include FuboTV's lawsuit against major media companies in sports streaming, Sony's struggles with Marvel films, and filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov discussing his documentary on war-torn Ukraine. The importance of documenting tragedies and the challenges of reporting in conflict zones are highlighted.

Christopher Nolan and Kai Bird discuss adapting 'American Prometheus' into a blockbuster hit. Disney's battle with shareholders and the predicted end of 'peak TV' are explored. The decline in Hollywood content and the journey of 'American Prometheus' are discussed. J. Robert Oppenheimer's passion for New Mexico and quantum physics is explored. The process of adapting the book into a film and the discussion on nuclear weapons and non-proliferation efforts are highlighted.

Writer-director Ed Zwick shares lessons from his decades in Hollywood, including stories from the making of 'Glory' and his near direction of 'Shakespeare in Love'. The podcast also discusses surprises from Disney's Q1 earnings call and the potential impact of a new sports streaming app. They explore challenges faced in Hollywood, lack of originality, and means of production and storytelling in filmmaking.

Exploring the potential sale of Paramount, the Netflix-WWE deal, and allegations surrounding UFC and WWE. Discussion on the controversy and eligibility of Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars. Highlighting the impact of the documentary branch on Best Documentary Feature nominations.

Filmmaker Matthew Heineman discusses directing 'American Symphony' and shares stories of filming Jon Batiste's journey as a musician and husband during his wife's battle with leukemia. The podcast also explores Netflix's shifting priorities, the challenges of financing and making documentary films, and the process of capturing the artistic process in 'American Symphony'.

Kim Masters and Matt Belloni look into the Tom Cruise-Warner Bros. deal and what that means for his projects at Paramount.  Plus, Masters speaks to Jon Batiste about being the subject of American Symphony. The musician explains how the documentary was originally conceived to follow his composition and performance of a symphony, but following his wife’s recurrence of leukemia, the project evolved into an intimate portrait of the couple coping with a life-threatening illness. Batiste shares how director Matthew Heineman spent eight months with the couple, resulting in over 1500 hours of footage, a premiere at Telluride, and distribution by Netflix.

Noah Hawley, creator of Fargo, talks about writing 51 hours of television based on the Coen Brothers film. He also teases his upcoming FX series based on the Alien franchise. The podcast also covers layoffs at Amazon and discussions on various TV shows, ads on Amazon Prime Video, and Paramount's potential plan to take control of the company. They explore the inspiration behind Fargo's latest season and the role of AI in the entertainment industry.

Gary Oldman, star of Apple TV+’s spy thriller series Slow Horses, discusses briefly reuniting with Christopher Nolan in Oppenheimer, working around being typecast in over-the-top roles, and considering stepping away from acting after Slow Horses wraps. Also, the Disney proxy fight continues, involving CEO Bob Iger, activist shareholder Nelson Peltz, former Marvel chairman and CEO Ike Perlmutter, and former Disney exec Jay Rasulo.

The podcast discusses the future plans and predictions for major entertainment companies in 2024, including mergers and joint ventures. It explores Netflix's challenges in terms of password sharing and competition from local players. The rivalry between Netflix and Apple is explored, along with the disappointment and tension in CAA Equity. Predictions are made for the domestic box office, discussing its decline and the challenges of comparing profitability between theaters and streaming platforms.

Hollywood's rollercoaster year is explored, including strikes, box office surprises, and struggles for studios and execs. The use of AI and guild concerns are discussed, along with the success of 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer'. A critically acclaimed movie's marketing strategy and Apple's financial considerations are analyzed. Apple and Amazon's strategies in entertainment are explored, and the struggles of TV shows and executive changes are highlighted.