The Town with Matthew Belloni

Latest Episodes:

'Superman,' Marvel vs. DC, and the Studio Head Hot Seat Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the strong opening weekend for 'Superman,' talk about whether this movie is enough to kick-start a DC reboot, and revisit Marvel’s post-'Avengers' strategy as they look ahead to ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ and beyond. Later, they discuss the impressive and timely run of box office successes from the Warner Bros. movie studio and take a look at which studio heads are on the hot seat as we near the end of summer (02:15). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about AMC Theatres (23:10).

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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News and Deal Buzz From Inside Sun Valley’s Billionaire Summer Camp Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by CNBC senior media and tech correspondent Julia Boorstin live from Sun Valley 2025 to discuss what we can expect from this year's summer camp for billionaires. Julia gives us the latest buzz on potential mergers, behind-the-scenes conversations about AI, the NFL's global plans, Linda Yaccarino leaving Twitter, and more (02:19). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the newly announced HBO sketch comedy show from Larry David and Barack Obama’s Higher Ground (26:17).

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: Julia Boorstin

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

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After a Historic Hollywood Tax Break, Is Moviemaking Coming Back to California? Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Joe Chianese of Entertainment Partners to unpack the new California tax bill, which will significantly expand the state's film and TV tax incentive, making California one of the most competitive states in the country for film and TV production. Joe helps us dig into the bill, what it actually means for film and TV productions, who benefits the most, who doesn’t, why this bill finally passed now, and whether this will spark a return to power for California in the film and TV production space (02:51). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Superman’ (25:27).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Joe Chianese

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

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Why the Paramount-Skydance Merger is "F*cking Up ‘South Park’" Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the standoff between ‘South Park’ creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker and Paramount amid the looming merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. They break down the details of this public fight, why the new season of ‘South Park’ is delayed, and how the Trump-Paramount settlement could affect this situation (03:23). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Jesse Eisenberg potentially returning for the sequel of ‘The Social Network’ (26:23).

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

Bribe? Surrender? Both? Unpacking the Trump-Paramount Settlement. Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter to discuss Paramount reaching an agreement with President Donald Trump to settle his lawsuit with ‘60 Minutes’ for $16 million. They discuss the curious timing of the settlement amid the looming Paramount-Skydance merger, whether the FCC will approve this merger, the potential of a follow-up bribery investigation, how this will affect the Paramount and CBS brand, and the long-term political and journalistic implications of this agreement.

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Brian Stelter

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

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

Jason Blum Opens Up About the 'M3GAN 2.0' Flop, the Blumhouse Slump, and Bouncing Back Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum to discuss why his new film, ‘M3GAN 2.0’, significantly underperformed in its opening weekend, making only $10M domestically, Blumhouse’s recent slump, what he has learned from this year, the state of the horror genre, and the highs and lows of moviemaking (02:20). Matt finishes the show with an opening-weekend box office prediction for ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ (28:03).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Jason Blum

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

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

Apple’s ‘F1’ Win and Big Tech’s Streaming vs. Theaters Debate Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the opening weekend box office performance of ‘F1,’ whether it should be considered a hit, and what this means for Apple’s interest in releasing movies in theaters. They also look at the rest of the tech streamers and discuss who is best positioned to release movies theatrically and, more importantly, who is most interested in doing so. Later, they discuss the disappointing opening weekend of 'Megan 2.0' and what this means for Blumhouse (02:20). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about what the most viewed show will be on Netflix this week (23:42).

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 Case for Netflix Pillaging YouTube Creators Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Wells Fargo media analyst Steven Cahall to talk about the possibility of Netflix going after YouTube content creators, its possible venture into short-form content, and the effects on Hollywood if this were to happen. They discuss how much (if at all) YouTube would hurt if Netflix took its top creators, the appeal for creators to make that jump, the different type of content that would be produced, and reasons why Netflix hasn't already done this (02:47). Matt finishes off the show with a weekend box office prediction for ‘F1’ and ‘M3GAN 2.0’ (26:16).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Steven Cahall

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

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

Marvel’s Decline, Hollywood Vs. AI, and the Most Under-Covered Stories of 2025 So Far Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look back at the first half of 2025 and highlight the stories they believe were most under-covered (01:22).

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

Tales From the Test-Screening Trenches Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

Matt is joined by Kevin Goetz, the CEO of Screen Engine/ASI, to discuss the world of test screenings. They dive into the importance of these test screenings, which filmmakers utilize the screenings (and which refuse), lessons learned while testing ‘Sinners,’ how Kevin interprets the audience data, and the responsibility of communicating that data to the filmmakers (02:35). Matt finishes the show with opening weekend box office predictions for ‘28 Years Later’ and Pixar’s ‘Elio’ (27:15).

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Kevin Goetz

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

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

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