The Town with Matthew Belloni

Latest Episodes:

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ and How Controversy Impacts the Box Office Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by David Herrin, founder of film research firm The Quorum, to discuss Olivia Wilde’s upcoming film, ‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ and whether the media frenzy and off-screen controversy will affect its performance at the box office. They also look back on past films wrapped up in controversy and determine whether publicity leads to success or failure.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: David Herrin

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Craig Horlbeck

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Did a $200M Direct-to-Streaming Movie Ever Make Sense? Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how much money streaming services should spend on movies that skip a theatrical release and go directly to their streaming platform. They speculate over a streaming service’s return on investment for for a $200 million movie and question whether that business model is sustainable.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producer: Craig Horbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Is TV Saving or Killing College Football? Sep 16, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis to discuss the recent conference realignment in college football—where television ratings reign supreme and storied traditions are rapidly disappearing—and whether this new normal is sustainable in a consolidating college football television universe.

Email us comments, questions, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Bryan Curtis

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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HBO’s Reassertion, Quinta Brunson’s Breakout, and More Emmy Takeaways Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

Matt and Craig recap the 2022 Emmy Awards as well as Matt’s experience from inside the event and the after-parties. They give out their own awards for the winner of the night, the biggest snub, and the best and worst moment of the night, discuss who has the brightest future after Monday night's results, and more.

Host: Matt Belloni

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

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A Status Check on Disney and CEO Bob Chapek Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to discuss the current standing of Bob Chapek after the latest D23 Expo, which featured several announcements including new movie trailers, released footage, theme park updates, and new projects on the horizon at Disney.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Lucas Shaw

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The Summer Box Office Reckoning Sep 08, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Forbes’ Scott Mendelson to judge their box office predictions for the most highly anticipated blockbusters of the summer. They discuss the surprise hits, flops, and everything in between, and provide takeaways for each franchise.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Scott Mendelson

Produce: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The Biggest Threat to YouTube’s World Domination Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Mark Bergen to discuss his newest book on YouTube’s path to domination over the past 20 years. They discuss whether Tiktok or any other digital platform can dethrone YouTube, the company's long and winding path to paying its creators, and its relationship with traditional Hollywood.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Mark Bergen

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Florence Pugh or Pete Davidson? Buying or Selling Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Under 30, Part 2 Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Deadline senior reporter Justin Kroll for Part 2 of the Young Hollywood Stock Exchange, where they buy or sell on the biggest stars under 30 in Hollywood.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Justin Kroll

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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Chalamet or Holland? Buying or Selling Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Under 30 Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by Deadline senior reporter Justin Kroll to decide whether they are buying or selling the movie-star potential of the biggest actors under 30 years old in Hollywood.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: Justin Kroll

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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The Troubled Coexistence of Movie Theaters and Streaming Aug 31, 2022

Show notes

Matt is joined by John Fithian, the CEO and president of the National Association of Theater Owners, to discuss the current state of the theater business, its messy relationship with movie studios, and what the next year looks like for moviegoing.

Host: Matt Belloni

Guest: John Fithian

Producer: Craig Horlbeck

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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