The Town with Matthew Belloni

Latest Episodes:

The WarnerMount PR War and the 'Dune 3' Ticket Crash Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Rob Bonta canceling the scheduled talks between Paramount and California over the Warner Bros. merger, the strategy behind this cancellation, and whether California is overplaying its hand. They also discuss the 'Dune 3' ticketing debacle that outraged fans after ticketing apps for IMAX 70 mm showings of 'Dune: Part Three' crashed (02:11). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about a celebrity starting their own talk show (25:05).

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES.

Nominated for 7 Emmy Awards, ALL HER FAULT is streaming on Peacock.

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

Mailbag! Marvel’s Future, Johnny Depp’s Comeback, L.A.’s Recession, and Awkward Celeb Interactions. Aug 22, 2026

Show notes

(00:00) Matt opens up the summer mailbag to answer listener questions about Marvel’s future after 'Avengers: Doomsday,' the X-Men casting, Netflix’s need to lure big filmmakers, whether Johnny Depp’s comeback will work, why Meghan and Harry’s failed in Hollywood, worries that L.A. could become the next Detroit, and Matt's and Craig’s most awkward celebrity interactions.

Host: Matt Belloni

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES.

Nominated for 7 Emmy Awards, ALL HER FAULT is streaming on Peacock.

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

The Business Secrets Behind the ‘Love Island’ Juggernaut Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by David George, the CEO of ITV America, to dive into the massive success of 'Love Island,' how it became one of the biggest brands in unscripted TV, why they sold the show to Peacock, the market for selling reality shows nowadays, how much the show is really worth, sharing Fiji hotels with ‘Survivor,’ and more (02:31). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for 'Insidious: Out of the Further' (30:36).

Host: Matt Belloni

Gust: David George

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES.

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show. For Your Emmy Consideration in Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).

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

What Will It Take to End the Paramount–Warner Bros. Standoff? Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Paramount’s threat to leave California if it doesn’t get a settlement, the discourse’s effect on David Ellison’s ability to get a deal done, how an extended delay could negatively impact Hollywood, and what needs to happen to get this deal done (02:01). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about a new Disneyland attraction (31:57).

Host: Matt Belloni

Gust: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES.

For more information visit Hulu.com/FYC

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

Where Have All the Action Heroes Gone? With 'John Wick' Producer Basil Iwanyk Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by producer Basil Iwanyk (John Wick, The Town, Sicario, The Expendables) to discuss the struggling state of the action movie market in America, why most studios have abandoned the original action movie business, casting an action star, and more (02:28). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The End of Oak Street’ (32:05).

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Basil Iwanyk

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES.

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show. For Your Emmy Consideration in Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded).

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

Why Can’t We Build More IMAX Theaters? With CEO Rich Gelfond Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond to discuss the massive summer at the box office, 'The Odyssey' being the highest grossing IMAX movie of all time, IMAX being openly for sale, why there aren't more true 70mm IMAX theaters, if there will be more, Infinity Vision, the cost of shooting a movie entirely in IMAX, and more (02:12). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about whether or not Paramount would move its headquarters out of California (31:46).

Host: Matt Belloni

Gust: Rich Gelfond

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES.

For more information visit Hulu.com/FYC

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

Fox Stands Up to the NFL, a Big Change to TV Ownership, and Ellison Commits to 30 Movies Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss why Fox is refusing to renegotiate their media rights deal with the NFL until their current deal expires after the 2029 season, the impact of the FCC repealing the local television ownership cap, and David Ellison’s contractual pledge with theater owners to release at least 30 movies per year under WarnerMount (02:30). We finish the show by announcing a slate of live events for The Town this fall (31:18).

Host: Matt Belloni

Gust: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Get your tickets to ELECTION introduced by Matt Belloni on Friday, August 21st here: https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/the-town-presents-election-08-21-2026/

Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES.

The Dog Stars only in theaters and IMAX August 28.

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

The Case for Disney Exiting the Streaming Wars Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall to make the case for why Disney should exit the streaming business and focus only on producing and licensing its content. Steven digs into why Disney is well-positioned to leave streaming, the strength of its IP, and what Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro had to say about Steven’s idea (02:24). Matt finishes the show with another weekend box office prediction for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ (24:13).

Host: Matt Belloni

Gust: Steven Cahall

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES.

This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify

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

Can the Paramount-WBD Merger Survive a Trial, Midterms, and a $650 Million Clock? Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to discuss the March 2027 trial date that has been set for the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery antitrust case and what it means for the likelihood of this merger going through. They highlight the $650 million per quarter ticking fee Paramount has to pay in the meantime, how the November midterm elections could play a factor, who has the best leverage, whether Netflix could end up back in the mix, David Ellison’s New York Times column, and the other major legal issues at play (02:03). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Season 4 of 'Ted Lasso' (30:08).

Host: Matt Belloni

Gust: Eriq Gardner

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES.

This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify

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

Why Spider-Man Broke Records, and Why Peacock Partnered With YouTube Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to catch up with the biggest news around town, including a record-breaking opening weekend for 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' WarnerMount trial-date jockeying, and YouTube’s new deal with Peacock (02:24). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about a ‘Barbie’ sequel (31:03).

Host: Matt Belloni

Gust: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES.

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