The Town with Matthew Belloni

The Ringer

  • 50 minutes 17 seconds
    Tom, Leo, Gosling (!), and the CinemaCon Studio Power Ranking

    Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins of ‘The Big Picture’ podcast to recap their recent trip to Las Vegas for CinemaCon and discuss which studio presentations were the most impressive, concerning, and confusing.


    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: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    4 April 2025, 10:22 pm
  • 32 minutes 42 seconds
    Agents, Managers, and the Shifting Power Dynamics of Representation

    Matt is joined by Brillstein Entertainment Partners CEO Jon Liebman to discuss the difference between a manager and an agent and how that has changed over the past 20 years. Jon gives his thoughts on CAA's lawsuit against Range Media Partners, the impact of private equity’s foray into the representation world, how the end of packaging agreements has affected the representation business, and the changing of the guard at WME and UTA (03:12). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘A Minecraft Movie’ (26:26).


    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: Jon Liebman


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    3 April 2025, 8:00 am
  • 53 minutes 45 seconds
    Four Industry Experts Debate Hollywood’s Moviegoing Crisis

    Live from CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Matt is joined by Regal CEO Eduardo Acuna, 'F1' director Joseph Kosinski, Universal global distribution chairman Peter Levinsohn, and Neon CEO Tom Quinn to answer some of the most difficult questions about the state of the theatrical business, including movies leaving theaters too soon, streaming’s impact on people’s perception of movies, and what needs to happen to get people back into movie theaters.


    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: Eduardo Acuna, Joseph Kosinski, Peter Levinsohn, and Tom Quinn


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    2 April 2025, 4:53 am
  • 37 minutes 21 seconds
    Amazon’s Studio Head Firing and the Prime Video 7-Year Report Card

    Matt is joined by The Entertainment Strategy Guy to look back on the Jen Salke era at Amazon MGM Studios and dissect their television and movie strategy, what performed, what didn’t, and what lessons should be taken as they usher in a new era at the company (02:54). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on who will replace Jen Salke as the head of Amazon MGM Studios (27:24).


    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: Entertainment Strategy Guy


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    28 March 2025, 11:48 pm
  • 33 minutes 27 seconds
    Why YouTubers Are Having a Hollywood Moment

    Matt is joined by Dude Perfect CEO Andrew Yaffe to talk about the state of the creator economy and why popular YouTube stars are starting to partner with streamers. He outlines how a popular YouTube channel makes its money, the limitations of YouTube, the benefit of partnering with traditional Hollywood studios, and why Hollywood is growing more interested in YouTube stars (03:31). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for the newest Jason Statham film, ‘A Working Man’ (26:08).


    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: Andrew Yaffe


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    27 March 2025, 9:05 pm
  • 33 minutes 28 seconds
    The Most Important Movie for Each Studio in 2025

    Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look at the upcoming theatrical slate for each of the major movie studios and determine which movie matters the most for the strategy of each company (02:17). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on where the newly available Jason Bourne franchise will land next (25:40).


    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

    24 March 2025, 10:31 pm
  • 36 minutes 51 seconds
    Apple’s Hollywood Identity Crisis: Who Do They Want to Be?

    Matt is joined by Puck’s Julia Alexander to discuss Apple’s current strategy in Hollywood—or lack thereof—the popularity of ‘Severance,’ a jump in Apple TV+ subscribers, and why now is an important time for Apple Studios to decide who it wants to be (03:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the director of the next James Bond film (28:03).


    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 Alexander


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    22 March 2025, 12:51 am
  • 33 minutes 28 seconds
    Trump 2.0: Should Hollywood Be Panicking?

    Matt is joined by Axios senior media reporter and CNN analyst Sara Fischer to talk about the unexpected uncertainty in Hollywood under Donald Trump 2.0, and how the current administration's actions could affect every corner of the entertainment business (02:12). Matt finishes the show with two opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Snow White’ and ‘Alto Knights’ (24:40).


    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: Sara Fischer


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    20 March 2025, 1:37 am
  • 33 minutes 26 seconds
    The Four Hottest Topics Around Town: ‘Mickey 17’, Warner Bros., Trump, and Apple TV+

    Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the hottest narratives around town and give their optimistic and pessimistic views of each. These narratives include: Hollywood is catering its content to Trump’s audience, movies like ‘Mickey 17’ leaving theaters so quickly are killing theatrical films (01:41), Warner Bros. is doomed as a movie studio, and Apple TV+ is quietly becoming a hitmaker (15:35).


    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

    18 March 2025, 2:26 am
  • 42 minutes 4 seconds
    Lively Vs. Baldoni and the Legal Stakes With Baldoni’s Lawyer

    Matt is joined by entertainment lawyer and litigator Bryan Freedman to discuss the key legal issues surrounding actor Justin Baldoni’s lawsuits against ‘It Ends With Us’ costar Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, her PR team, and ‘The New York Times,’ as well as Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni. Matt questions Bryan about the non-disparaging agreement between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, the issue of regulating behavior on set, and the growing influence social media has in the PR world (03:12).


    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: Bryan Freedman


    Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez

    Theme Song: Devon Renaldo

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

    13 March 2025, 8:00 am
  • 32 minutes 47 seconds
    Is Netflix Spending its $18 Billion Content Budget Correctly?

    Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to parse Netflix’s latest data dump and look at what is and is not working for the streamer. Big-budget live-action movies, sitcoms, reality shows, crime documentaries, foreign films and TV all contribute to Netflix’s enormous slate of content, but which of them are working the most? Is Netflix in need of a Taylor Sheridan-like universe? Do they need $200M live-action movies? How much do they need live events like the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight? Should they get into podcasting? (02:56). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Amazon’s commitment to release 12-14 movies in theaters in 2026 (23:54).


    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

    12 March 2025, 8:00 am
  • More Episodes? Get the App