The Town with Matthew Belloni

Latest Episodes:

ESPN Jumps Into Bed With the NFL. What About Everyone Else? Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for tickets!⁠

Matt is joined by Huddle Up’s Joe Pompliano to break down why the NFL is acquiring a 10 percent stake in ESPN in exchange for NFL Network and other media assets. They discuss the complicated details of this deal and what's in it for both sides, including how this will affect ESPN's NFL offerings and its upcoming stand-alone streaming service (02:42). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Freakier Friday’ and ‘Weapons’ (27:06).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Joe Pompliano

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Paramount’s New Team, Fantastic Four’s Nosedive, YouTubers in Theaters, and Peacock’s Future Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for tickets! ⁠

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss a wide range of topics from around town this week, including David Ellison’s new Paramount executive hierarchy, the Week 2 nosedive taken by 'The Fantastic Four' despite its good reviews, Peacock's stagnation and reliance on sports, YouTube stars Dude Perfect releasing their own documentary in movie theaters, and more (01:51). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the Netflix viewership numbers for 'Happy Gilmore 2’ and the future of the IP (26:33).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Why It’s Harder Than Ever to Make a Studio Comedy, With Seth MacFarlane Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for tickets!

Matt is joined by Seth MacFarlane to discuss how the new ‘The Naked Gun’ got green-lit, the lost art of joke-driven comedy, how to push the envelope in 2025, and why it's harder than ever for even someone like him to get a studio comedy made (01:49).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Seth MacFarlane

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Why IMAX Is Becoming Bigger Than the Movie Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. ⁠⁠⁠Click here for tickets!

Matt is joined by Richard Gelfond, the CEO of IMAX, to discuss the influence of the IMAX brand and its growing popularity among moviegoers. They talk about how the marketing has changed for IMAX movies, selling tickets to Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ on IMAX a year in advance, and whether other theater chains could create their own premium large-format competitor (02:38). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The Naked Gun’ (26:49).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Richard Gelfond

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Paramount Now Belongs to David Ellison. What Will He Do With It? Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to discuss the possible changes coming to Paramount now that Skydance and its CEO, David Ellison, are officially taking over. Just how much will the new media mogul influence the movies, shows, and news under the Paramount umbrella (02:17)? Matt, Lucas, and Craig finish the show with a prediction about ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ (26:59).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The F-You ‘South Park’ Episode and the Precarious State of Comedy in 2025 Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. ⁠⁠Click here for tickets!

Matt is joined by Mosaic’s Michael Lasker to talk about the explosive new 'South Park' episode, the buzz around town, and how Matt Stone and Trey Parker continue to push the envelope and get away with it (02:38). Later, Michael explains what the market is like for comedy right now, what is being sold, what studios are looking for, why theatrical comedies are struggling, the pullback on sitcoms, and whether there is reason for optimism (07:29).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Michael Lasker

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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‘Fantastic Four’ Pressure, Marvel’s Next Steps, and Kevin Feige’s Future Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. Tickets go live today at 10 a.m. PT. ⁠Click here for tickets!
Matt is joined by Wall Street Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz to discuss how much pressure is on ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ for the next era of the MCU to succeed. They discuss some of the changes Marvel has made to combat superhero fatigue, Kevin Feige’s future, and whether Marvel or DC is better positioned to win the rest of the decade (02:50). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (28:52).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Ben Fritz
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Colbert’s Next Home, and Netflix Earnings Flexes and Anxieties Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what's next for Stephen Colbert, and whether Netflix could ever produce a successful late-night show. Then, they dissect Netflix's latest earnings report and highlight its strengths and weaknesses, including why the stock fell despite strong financial earnings, how concerning is its stagnation in the share of viewing metric, its use of AI in ‘The Eternaut’, and more (02:42). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of Fox amid Donald Trump’s latest lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal (25:12).

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Colbert Is Cancelled. Is the Late-Night Dam Bursting? Jul 19, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by veteran late-night executive and producer Nick Bernstein to discuss CBS’s decision to cancel ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’—despite being the number one late night show on TV—and debate whether or not there was any political involvement, as Skydance is still looking for the FCC’s approval in a merger with CBS's parent company, Paramount Global. They also dive into the declining economics in all of late night, the CBS head George Cheeks’s other possible motives for firing Colbert at this moment, the future of late night, and more (03:07). Matt finishes the show with an opening-weekend box office prediction for ‘Smurfs’ and ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (29:44).

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The 2025 Emmy Nomination Awards: Winners, Snubs, and Thirstiest Campaigns Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Rebecca Ford, senior correspondent at Vanity Fair, to cohost The Town’s first Emmy Nomination Awards, the first awards show dedicated to nominations for an awards show. Matt and Rebecca give out awards like Biggest Winner, Sneaky Loser, Most Embarrassing Nomination for the Academy, Thirstiest Campaign, the “Enough Already” Award, Best Breakout Nomination, and more (01:45). Matt and Rebecca finish the show with predictions for Best Comedy Series, Best Drama Series, and Best Limited Series (23:37).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Rebecca Ford

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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