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The Ringer

The Town with Matthew Belloni

Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw use the disappointing box office performance for A24’s sports drama ‘The Smashing Machine’ with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to examine the current state of A24, the difficulty of living up to its sky-high valuation, and the natural life cycle of a growing indie movie studio (03:04). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the new cast of 'SNL' (25:20). 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 'Smashing Machine’ Bomb and A24’s Big-Budget Burden

Matt is joined by SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland to discuss OpenAI’s new app, Sora 2, an AI video tool and video-sharing app, and the problems it presents for Hollywood. They discuss how this product can threaten the legitimacy of image and likeness rights and infringe on intellectual property and why Hollywood isn't suing OpenAI immediately. They dive into what is allowed to be used to train AI models vs. what is allowed to be posted on apps like Sora, the opt-in vs. opt-out system, how actors can protect themselves, and what's really at stake here (03:15). They also discuss Tilly Norwood, the so-called “AI actress” that sparked outrage over the last week (28:23). 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: Duncan Crabtree-Ireland Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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Sora 2, AI Actors, and How Hollywood Can Fight Back

Matt is joined by Entertainment 360 literary manager/producer Geoff Shaevitz to discuss why spec-script sales have taken off in Hollywood over the past year. Geoff speculates on what kick-started this trend, why buyers are moving away from fully packaged deals, which genres are selling, which studios are buying, and whether the original-script boom is here to stay (02:50). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the opening weekend box offices for ‘Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl’ and ‘The Smashing Machine’ (25:15). 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 BelloniGuest: Geoff Shaevitz Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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The Return of the Spec Script—Is There Hope for Original Screenplays in Hollywood?

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the weekend box office performance of ‘One Battle After Another’: Was the film a flop or a hit? With Warner Bros.' film slate done for the year, Matt and Lucas discuss the studio's performance this year and how it could affect chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, as well as the studio as a whole, amid a potential sale to David Ellison (02:58). They also discuss President Trump’s renewed threats of imposing tariffs on films made outside the United States (22:59). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on what will happen with AI actress Tilly Norwood (25:26). 

 

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: Lucas Shaw 

 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez 

Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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One Box Office Battle After Another for PTA

Matt is joined by Scott Purdy, a media strategy leader at KPMG, to discuss their illuminating new study outlining how much the major networks are spending on content and, more importantly, where. They discuss why these companies need to start spending their money differently and how user-generated content might soon become more powerful than the traditional content models (02:36). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film, ‘One Battle After Another’ (25:28). 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: Scott Purdy Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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Where the Money Is Spent in Hollywood and How It's Changing

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to discuss the return of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and unpack what could happen next. They talk about why Brendan Carr and the FCC may not be as powerful as they might seem, whether affiliate stations can preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ indefinitely, and whether Disney could leverage its power by withholding its most valuable content—like the NFL and college football—from these affiliate networks (02:47). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the postponement of the Apple TV+ show ‘The Savant’ (25:43). 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: Eriq Gardner Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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Kimmel Is Back, But Disney vs. Trump Is Just Beginning

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the announcement that Jimmy Kimmel will be returning to ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ this Tuesday night, and the various ramifications that could follow. They talk about how Disney has handled this situation, the possibility of ABC affiliates refusing to air the show, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner's criticism of current CEO Bob Iger, and how this affects Iger’s legacy (02:47). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the season-long ratings for the 2025 NFL season (27:22). 

 

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 
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Kimmel’s Return, Disney’s Decision, and Iger’s Legacy

Matt is joined by journalist Bill Carter to discuss the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after portions of Kimmel’s monologue on Monday night sparked outrage among several ABC affiliate groups as well as FCC chairman Brendan Carr. They discuss Disney’s decision to pull Kimmel off the air, why certain affiliate groups might be motivated to side with Carr, what leverage the FCC has in this situation, Trump's online celebration and call-outs for other late-night hosts to be canceled, and where this all goes from here (03:49). 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: Bill Carter Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Jimmy Kimmel vs. the FCC: Can Disney Escape This Mess?

Matt is joined by Rotten Tomatoes awards editor Jacqueline Coley to reveal how the Rotten Tomatoes rating system works, the reasoning behind its binary grading system, whether the system favors certain movies, why the Tomatometer scores have increased over the past 10 years, and why Rotten Tomatoes is so popular in the current online movie criticism landscape (02:39). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Him’ and ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ (31:38). 

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: Jacqueline Coley Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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Is the Rotten Tomatoes Formula Fresh or Rotten?

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw and LightShed’s Rich Greenfield to discuss the report that David Ellison is interested in making a majority-cash bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Matt, Lucas, and Rich discuss why Ellison is doing this now after just acquiring Paramount, whether a merger like this is even possible, the ramifications of the continued consolidation in Hollywood, how valuable Warner Bros. is to Ellison, and what else Ellison could buy (02:50). Later, Lucas and Matt recap the 2025 Emmy Awards, highlighting their winners and losers and, most importantly, which after-party had the best food (25:43). 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 Rich Greenfield Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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David Ellison Bought Paramount. Now He Wants Warner Bros. Plus, the 2025 Emmys Recap.

Matt is joined by comedian Mike Birbiglia to talk about how the goal of the modern stand-up comedian has changed over the past decade. They discuss whether stand-up alone is no longer enough and how necessary shoulder programming like podcasting and social media is for building a following. They also talk about Netflix's influence on stand-up and whether comedians want to make movies and TV anymore (02:30). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on which movies from the Cannes Film Festival will generate Oscar buzz (30:22).

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: Mike Birbiglia

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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The New Path to Stand-Up Fame and Fortune With Mike Birbiglia

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