The Town with Matthew Belloni
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 will touch on what is getting made and why, who is winning and losing, and what people
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Society & Culture
Which Streaming Shows Hit and Bombed in 2024?
Matt is joined by the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a ...
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Dec 13 2024 37m
Chapter 1 26 mins
Matt is joined by the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming exec, to sort through the mirky waters of streaming data and find out which streaming tv shows were actually hits, which were major flops, which were underrated successes, and which were bigger bombs than anyone thoughtChapter 2 8 mins
Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Kraven the Hunter’
Which Movies Actually Popped (and Flopped) on Streaming in 2024?
Matt is joined by the Entertainment Strategy Guy to ...
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Dec 13 2024 34m
Chapter 1 25 mins
Matt is joined by the Entertainment Strategy Guy to help find out which TV shows were the most important to their streaming service in 2024 before revealing which movies actually performed well on streaming and which largely disappointed. He runs through the biggest movie releases of the year on streaming and reveals just how successful or disappointing they wereChapter 2 8 mins
Matt and Craig finish the show by tasting the famous Tom Cruise coconut bundt cake
Winners and Losers of 2024 in Streaming
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to recap th...
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Dec 9 2024 33m
Chapter 1 24 mins
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to recap the year in streaming and nominate their clear winners and losers as well as some under-the-radar services that deserve more love or criticismChapter 2 7 mins
Matt finishes the show by recapping the Best Picture nominations for the 2025 Golden Globes and predicting who he thinks will take home the top award for Best Motion Picture–Drama and Best Motion Picture–Musical or Comedy
ESPN on Disney+, Cable’s Spinoff Moment, and Who Would Buy CNN?
Matt is joined by LightShed Media analyst Rich Green...
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Dec 7 2024 34m
Chapter 1 24 mins
Matt is joined by LightShed Media analyst Rich Greenfield to talk about SpinCo, Comcast’s new spinoff company of cable and digital networks, and look at potential ramifications of the spinoff. They also discuss the implications this has on other media companies like Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and Disney, then get into the coming game of musical chairs in the TV network businessChapter 2 6 mins
Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the second annual NBA Cup tournament
Equal Pay, Equal Stake: A Filmmaking Experiment
Matt is joined by filmmakers Clint Bentley and Greg ...
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Dec 6 2024 33m
Chapter 1 22 mins
Matt is joined by filmmakers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar to talk about their unique payment model behind their latest film, ‘Sing Sing.' They discuss how they managed to pay everyone on set, from lead actor to production assistant, the exact same amount of money while offering everyone who worked on the film equity in the film and still make everyone happyChapter 2 8 mins
Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the potential for a Best Picture nomination for a particular film. Matt also reveals that he has finally got his hands on the famous Tom Cruise coconut cake
Does Disney Have Its Movie Mojo Back?
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to recap a ...
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Dec 2 2024 33m
Chapter 1 14 mins
Box Office Analysis and Industry TrendsChapter 2 11 mins
Disney's Film DivisionChapter 3 4 mins
Movie Draft Competition AnalysisChapter 4 1 min
Moana Sequel Release Timing
‘Dune’ Director Denis Villeneuve on Plans for Part 3, ‘Star Wars’ Interest, and Art Vs. Commerce
Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by director De...
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Nov 27 2024 42m
Chapter 1 29 mins
Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by director Denis Villeneuve to discuss how he learns from past films, what he learned from his latest film ('Dune: Part Two'), and whether he will return to direct the third part. Denis also talks about his love for the original 'Star Wars' and whether he would ever consider directing one of his own, his thoughts on the current state of the industry, and how he balances art vs. commerce in moviemakingChapter 2 11 mins
Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Moana 2’
The Young Movie Star Draft
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to conduct ...
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Nov 25 2024 42m
Chapter 1 11 mins
Young Movie Star Draft AnalysisChapter 2 9 mins
Predicting Future Hollywood StarsChapter 3 7 mins
Emerging Hollywood Stars AnalysisChapter 4 10 mins
Predicting Future Hollywood Stars Discussion
‘Anora’ Actress Mikey Madison. Plus, ‘Wicked’ Vs. ‘Gladiator II’!
Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by actress Mik...
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Nov 22 2024 27m
Chapter 1 16 mins
Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by actress Mikey Madison to talk about her new movie ‘Anora’, working for director Sean Baker, how she was cast in Quentin Tarantino’s film ‘Once Upon a Time In … Hollywood,’ why she wants a Hollywood mentor, and moreChapter 2 8 mins
Matt then finishes the show with an opening box office prediction for ‘Wicked: Part One’ and ‘Gladiator II’
Secrets of the NBA-TNT Divorce Settlement With Bill Simmons
Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Bill Simmons to talk ...
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Nov 20 2024 42m
Chapter 1 13 mins
NBA Media Rights Settlement DiscussionChapter 2 5 mins
Future of Media Companies in StreamingChapter 3 11 mins
Transition in Sports Media LandscapeChapter 4 7 mins
Future of Cable Television NetworksChapter 5 44 sec
Controversial Content in Media Platforms
Disney’s Streaming Turnaround and Netflix’s Boxing Debut
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to talk abo...
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Nov 19 2024 33m
Chapter 1 21 mins
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to talk about Disney reaching profitability in streaming, how Bob Iger managed to turn the company around in his two years since returning as CEO, and whether this is the beginning of a larger turnaround for Disney. Later, they discuss Netflix’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing event, the glitchy live broadcast, what this means for Netflix in general, and its upcoming NFL games on ChristmasChapter 2 8 mins
Matt finishes the show by predicting how recently announced Oscars host Conan O’Brien will affect the ratings of the 2025 Academy Awards
Digital TV Giants: Amazon, Google, and … Roku?
Matt is joined by Charlie Collier, the president of ...
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Nov 15 2024 33m
Chapter 1 23 mins
Matt is joined by Charlie Collier, the president of Roku Media, to talk about the most under-discussed streaming player in Hollywood, how it differentiates itself from other companies, and how they compete with tech giants Amazon and Google. He also discusses what he learned running AMC and Fox’s broadcast network and how the industry has changed, then makes the case for the return of ad-supported television on streamingChapter 2 7 mins
Matt finishes the show by commenting on John Krasinski as People’s Sexiest Man Alive and explains how ‘People Magazine’ chooses its winners
Martha Stewart and When a Celeb Disavows Their Doc—With the Director!
Matt is joined by R.J. Cutler, director of the Netfl...
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Nov 13 2024 33m
Chapter 1 23 mins
Matt is joined by R.J. Cutler, director of the Netflix documentary ‘Martha,’ as well as the upcoming film ‘Elton John: Never Too Late,’ to talk about Martha Stewart’s disapproval of the film, directors maintaining creative control over their projects, and the inherent and necessary struggle of collaborating with a major celebrity on a documentaryChapter 2 7 mins
Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for the new Christmas movie ‘Red One’
Netflix’s Greta Gerwig Situation, a Buried Clint Eastwood Movie, and Streaming’s Good Week
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss ...
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Nov 11 2024 33m
Chapter 1 10 mins
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the latest Warner Bros. Discovery earnings and if streaming has finally turned a corner in becoming a viable businessChapter 2 6 mins
Then they dig into Netflix recently granting Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia movie IMAX theaters and if this marks the beginning of a new trend for NetflixChapter 3 6 mins
Finally, they get into why a seemingly great Clint Eastwood movie, 'Juror has been buried by its studio, Warner Bros. DiscoveryChapter 4 7 mins
Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of the ‘Mission Impossible’ franchise
Winners and Losers of Hollywood Under Trump 2.0
Matt is joined by Axios media reporter Sara Fischer ...
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Nov 8 2024 34m
Chapter 1 24 mins
Matt is joined by Axios media reporter Sara Fischer to discuss the Hollywood business implications of the second Trump presidency. They get into the possibility for more M&A, specifically Warner Bros. Discovery and LIV-PGA, whether Trump will go after big tech, the future of TikTok in the United States, and the future of content moderationChapter 2 7 mins
Matt finishes the show with a prediction related to the latest announcement that a new ‘Star Wars’ trilogy is in the works
How Much Money a Hit TV Show Can Make (and How It’s Changed)
Matt is joined by John Mass, president of Content Pa...
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Nov 6 2024 43m
Chapter 1 32 mins
Matt is joined by John Mass, president of Content Partners, to talk about how making money in TV has changed in the last 10 to 15 years. John walks us through how a TV show is financed, how the market has changed because of the streaming model, and how it has upended the way participants make money. They also talk about the bygone days of producers owning shows, the heyday of the syndication era, and if a correction is comingChapter 2 8 mins
Matt finishes the episode with a prediction about the upcoming battle between ‘Wicked: Part One’ and ‘Gladiator 2’
The Existential Crisis of the Cable Juggernauts
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss ...
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Nov 4 2024 33m
Chapter 1 23 mins
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Comcast's exploration of spinning off its cable assets into a separate company, which could potentially mark the wider restructuring of its NBCUniversal division. They talk about how legacy media companies are struggling with how to handle their linear television business, what a division of assets might look like for Comcast, and whether a streaming partner makes sense for NBC and PeacockChapter 2 7 mins
Matt finishes the show with a ratings prediction for the 2024 presidential election
Is There a Right Way to Use AI to Make Movies?
Matt is joined by Tobias Queisser, the CEO of Cinely...
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Oct 31 2024 32m
Chapter 1 22 mins
Matt is joined by Tobias Queisser, the CEO of Cinelytic, to make the case for AI as a tool and not the enemy in Hollywood. He explains how AI can help studios green-light the right movies and help financiers invest in the right projects. He explains how his predictive models work and why AI should not be seen as a villain when it is used on the business side and not for creativeChapter 2 7 mins
Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for Robert Zemeckis’s newest film, ‘Here,’ starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright
FX’s John Landgraf on Resisting the Algorithm, Green-lighting ‘Shogun’, and ‘The Bear’ S3
Live from NeueHouse in L.A. Matt is joined by Lucas ...
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Oct 29 2024 35m
Chapter 1 12 mins
Future of FX With John LandgrafChapter 2 4 mins
Decision-Making in Television ProductionChapter 3 6 mins
The Impact of Quality TelevisionChapter 4 9 mins
Television and Cultural ChangeChapter 5 32 sec
Thanking John Landgraf and Guests
FX Chief John Landgraf on Silicon Valley’s Effect on Hollywood
Live from NeueHouse in L.A., Matt is first joined by...
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Oct 28 2024 39m
Chapter 1 14 mins
Live from NeueHouse in L.A., Matt is first joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to revisit their movie studio power rankings and update their list of which studios and streamers are the preferred homes for movie projects in 2024Chapter 2 21 mins
Then, Matt and Lucas are joined by FX chairman John Landgraf for Part 1 of their conversation about the state of television. They talk about the reason for the oversaturated television market, how the streaming model has affected the quality of shows being made, and what Silicon Valley is doing to the entertainment industry at large
The Post-Pandemic Life of a Hustling Screenwriter
Matt is joined by writer Bruce Eric Kaplan ('Girls',...
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Oct 25 2024 34m
Chapter 1 18 mins
Matt is joined by writer Bruce Eric Kaplan ('Girls', 'Seinfeld', 'Six Feet Under') to discuss the life of a TV writer and how it has changed over the years, particularly coming out of the pandemic. Bruce talks about his new book chronicling his time during the pandemic as a struggling screenwriter, joining Season 2 of the hit Netflix show ‘Nobody Wants This’, the bursting of the peak TV bubble, the psychology of the working writer, and if there is room for optimism moving forwardChapter 2 12 mins
Matt finishes the show with opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Venom 3: The Last Dance’ and ‘Conclave’
Netflix: Unstoppable or Overvalued?
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to first ta...
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Oct 21 2024 37m
Chapter 1 26 mins
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to first talk about Disney’s report that it would name a new chief executive in “early 2026.” Then they offer their takeaways from Netflix’s latest earning report by looking at the streamer’s five pressure points: advertising, the threat of bundling, theaters, compensation, and growthChapter 2 8 mins
Matt finishes the show with a prediction about World Series ratings
The New Era of ‘SNL,’ 50th Anniversary Plans, and ‘Saturday Night’
Matt is joined by ‘SNL’ expert, author, and journali...
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Oct 17 2024 37m
Chapter 1 28 mins
Matt is joined by ‘SNL’ expert, author, and journalist James Andrew Miller to assess the state of ‘SNL’ and go through some lightning-round questions about the current season, the 50th anniversary show, upcoming ‘SNL’ documentaries, and the movie ‘Saturday Night’Chapter 2 6 mins
Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Smile 2’
The Secret Recipe For an Indie Horror Hit
Matt is joined by Cineverse CEO Chris McGurk to talk...
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Oct 15 2024 33m
Chapter 1 20 mins
Matt is joined by Cineverse CEO Chris McGurk to talk about the rise of independently financed horror movies and how to turn a low-budget film into a bona fide hit. They talk about the indie horror marketing playbook and whether the recent boom in low-budget horror is a fluke or a trendChapter 2 10 mins
Later, Matt makes a prediction about the future of Legendary Pictures
The Hollywood Stock Market: Travis Kelce, J.Lo, DC Studios, Prime Video, Todd Phillips, and More!
Live from Bloomberg’s Screentime event in Los Angele...
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Oct 11 2024 35m
Chapter 1 4 mins
Truthless PodcastChapter 2 12 mins
Media Industry AnalysisChapter 3 8 mins
DC, Pluto TV, Krasinski FutureChapter 4 8 mins
Entertainment Industry Trends and PredictionsChapter 5 52 sec
Live Podcast Recording Appreciation