The Town with Matthew Belloni

Latest Episodes:

Winners and Losers of Hollywood Under Trump 2.0 Nov 08, 2024

Show notes

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 moderation (02:31). Matt finishes the show with a prediction related to the latest announcement that a new ‘Star Wars’ trilogy is in the works (26:57).

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

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Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Sara Fischer

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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How Much Money a Hit TV Show Can Make (and How It’s Changed) Nov 06, 2024

Show notes

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 coming (02:29). Matt finishes the episode with a prediction about the upcoming battle between ‘Wicked: Part One’ and ‘Gladiator 2’ (34:38).

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

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Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: John Mass

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The Existential Crisis of the Cable Juggernauts Nov 04, 2024

Show notes

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 Peacock (02:43). Matt finishes the show with a ratings prediction for the 2024 presidential election (26:05).

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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Is There a Right Way to Use AI to Make Movies? Oct 31, 2024

Show notes

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 creative (02:27). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for Robert Zemeckis’s newest film, ‘Here,’ starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright (24:44).

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

Guests: Tobias Queisser

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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FX’s John Landgraf on Resisting the Algorithm, Green-lighting ‘Shogun’, and ‘The Bear’ S3 Oct 29, 2024

Show notes

Live from NeueHouse in L.A. Matt is joined by Lucas Shaw and FX CEO John Landgraf for the second half of their conversation about the state of television. They discuss his curation process at FX, how Disney has changed FX, how ‘Shogun’ came together, and what happened with Season 3 of ‘The Bear.’ They also talk about HBO's recent struggles, the importance of process and the problem with the decentralized power at streaming services (01:34).

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

Guests: Lucas Shaw and John Landgraf

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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FX Chief John Landgraf on Silicon Valley’s Effect on Hollywood Oct 28, 2024

Show notes

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 2024 (02:55). 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 (17:48).

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 and John Landgraf

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The Post-Pandemic Life of a Hustling Screenwriter Oct 25, 2024

Show notes

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 forward (02:31). Matt finishes the show with opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Venom 3: The Last Dance’ and ‘Conclave’. (21:30).

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: Bruce Eric Kaplan

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Netflix: Unstoppable or Overvalued? Oct 21, 2024

Show notes

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 growth (02:46). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about World Series ratings (29:06).

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: Lucas Shaw

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The New Era of ‘SNL,’ 50th Plans, and ‘Saturday Night’ Oct 17, 2024

Show notes

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’ (02:25). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Smile 2’ (30:26).

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: James Andrew Miller

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The Secret Recipe For an Indie Horror Hit Oct 15, 2024

Show notes

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 trend (02:28). Later, Matt makes a prediction about the future of Legendary Pictures (23:08).

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: Chris McGurk

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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