Could Hollywood Actually De-Monopolize?
The episode examines recent antitrust actions affecting major media and entertainment conglomerates, focusing on the blocked $6.2 billion Nexstar‑Tegna TV‑station merger and the jury verdict that Live Nation’s Ticketmaster operates as a monopoly. Host Matt Belony and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw discuss how these rulings signal a shift toward state‑level challenges to large media deals, the implications for local news diversity, and the broader debate over what constitutes the relevant market in today’s digital‑first landscape. They also touch on the pending $110 billion Paramount‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger and how political dynamics, especially between federal and state regulators, influence outcomes. Throughout, the conversation highlights the tension between traditional broadcast power and the rise of tech platforms that dominate content distribution.
Jon Favreau on the Future of Star Wars, AI, and New Filmmaking Technology
In this episode, host Matt Bellany chats with director Jon Favreau at CinemaCon about the transition of "The Mandalorian" from a streaming hit to a theatrical Star Wars film, the blend of practical sets and cutting‑edge tech like the Volume and...
The 3 Biggest Stories in Music: Bieber’s Payday, Ye’s Comeback, and $64B for Universal Music Group
The episode breaks down three headline music‑industry stories: Bill Ackman’s $60 billion bid to take Universal Music Group private, Kanye West’s (Ye) tumultuous comeback tour and its fallout with the UK government, and Justin Bieber’s $10 million Coachella set amid rumors about catalog...
The ‘Lorne’ Director on Two Years of Exclusive ‘SNL’ Access
In this episode of The Town, Oscar‑winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville discusses his new film Lorne, which offers unprecedented two‑year access to Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels and the inner workings of the show. Neville reveals how the documentary...
The A-List Filmmakers Evangelizing Movie Theaters
The episode previews CinemaCon and focuses on Cinema United’s new Filmmaker Council, led by Jerry Bruckheimer and Emma Thomas, with members like Ryan Coogler, Brad Bird, Jason Reitman, and Celine Song. CEO Michael O'Leary explains the council’s role in championing...
Does the Surprise Writers Guild Deal Mean Labor Peace in Hollywood?
In this episode of The Town, host Matt Bellany and labor lawyer Jonathan Handel break down the surprise four‑year Writers Guild of America (WGA) agreement that was reached ahead of schedule. The deal secures a health‑plan bailout, wage hikes, better...
Are Movies Actually Getting Longer? We Found Out.
In this episode of The Town, hosts Matt Bellany and Craig explore whether movies are actually getting longer, referencing research by Stephen Follows that shows the overall average runtime has stayed around 102 minutes, but wide-release films (those grossing over...
Why Hollywood Needs Books More Than Ever
In this episode of The Town, UTA media‑rights partner Jason Richman explains why Hollywood is turning to books like never before, noting that studios now see popular titles as the safest path to theatrical audiences amid a post‑superhero landscape. He...
Netflix’s Price Hike and Opening Day Debut. Plus, HBO's ‘Harry Potter’ and the Millennial Nostalgia Era.
The episode breaks down Netflix’s recent price hikes across its ad‑free and ad‑supported tiers, examining how the moves fit into a broader strategy to push users toward the cheaper, ad‑supported plan and boost ad revenue. Hosts discuss the competitive streaming...
Can D.C. Save Hollywood? Senator Adam Schiff on Bringing Production Home.
In this episode, Senator Adam Schiff discusses a proposed federal tax credit aimed at halting the exodus of film and TV production from Los Angeles. He explains that a 15% baseline credit, stacked on top of state incentives, would make...
Sora Is Dead: What Does That Mean for Disney? Plus, ‘The Bachelorette’ Scandal.
The episode examines the abrupt shutdown of OpenAI's video‑generation app Sora and its fallout for Disney, which had invested $1 billion and secured rights to 200 of its characters. Host Matt Bellany and tech reporter Alex Heath discuss why OpenAI reprioritized...
Gosling, MBJ, Timmy, and the Biggest Movie Stars Under 50 Power Ranking
In this episode of The Town, hosts Matt Bellany and Lucas Shaw dissect the current hierarchy of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars under 50, using box‑office draw as the sole metric. They debate the merits of Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Gosling, Timothée Chalamet,...
Secrets to Commercial Filmmaking With 'The Housemaid' Director Paul Feig
In this episode, host Matt Bellany talks with director Paul Feig about the unexpected blockbuster success of his thriller The Housemaid, which turned a modest $35 million budget into nearly $400 million worldwide. Feig explains his data‑driven, audience‑first process—rigorous test screenings, real‑time...
How to De-Age the Oscars with Amelia Dimoldenberg
In this bonus episode of The Town, host Matt Bellany talks with Amelia Dimoldenberg, the official social‑media ambassador and red‑carpet correspondent for the Oscars, about how the Academy is trying to make the ceremony relevant to Gen Z and younger...
How to Chart a Career Path in Modern Hollywood, With Rachel Sennott
In this episode of The Town, host Matt Bellany chats with multi‑talented actor‑writer‑producer Rachel Sennott about carving a career path in today’s Hollywood. Rachel recounts how she broke out of NYU’s siloed acting program by collaborating with film students, building...