Podcast · 189 episodes
The Town with Matthew Belloni, page 3
by The Ringer · English
Puck founding partner Matthew Belloni takes you inside Hollywood, using exclusive reporting and insight to explain the backstories on everything from Marvel movies to streaming wars. Multiple times each week, Matt is joined by major executives, dealmakers, and journalists, to discuss what is getting made and why, who is winning and losing, and what people in show business are actually talking about.
All episodes, page 3
The Right and Wrong Lessons From ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’The Town episode discusses a box-office “passing of the torch” moment: low-budget horror Backrooms (made for $10M by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, based on a 4chan meme and YouTube videos) opened to $81M…2 Jun 2026 · 34 min · 15 chapters
Peter Chernin on ‘Backrooms’ and Where the Smart Money Is Going in HollywoodPeter Chernin discusses how “Backrooms” (a low-budget horror thriller) got made and what it signals about where “smart money” is going in Hollywood—creator talent, global media scale,…29 May 2026 · 45 min · 21 chapters
IMAX Suitors and Why Netflix Put Fincher in TheatersThe Town episode discusses IMAX’s potential sale and what it means for movie exhibition, plus Netflix’s decision to book David Fincher’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel (Cliff Booth) in IMAX…27 May 2026 · 34 min · 12 chapters
Spencer Pratt, Karen Bass, and Why California Politicians Suddenly Love HollywoodHow California governor and Los Angeles mayor candidates have suddenly embraced Hollywood—mainly due to declining film/TV production and job losses—plus the political rise of Spencer Pratt and what…21 May 2026 · 40 min · 16 chapters
Hollywood’s Inevitable Pivot to Vertical Video Is HereVertical video’s rise as a distinct “third audiovisual language” and Hollywood’s pivot toward it, including monetization, genres, and who’s buying/producing originals.20 May 2026 · 35 min · 16 chapters
The Hollywood Jealousy Draft: What Each Studio Would Steal From Its RivalsThe Town episode “The Hollywood Jealousy Draft” is a game where Matt Belloni and guest Lucas Shaw (Bloomberg) draft one “steal” each major entertainment company would take from rivals, with no cost…19 May 2026 · 37 min · 16 chapters
Who Won (and Lost) TV’s Annual Billion-Dollar Cash GrabThe TV upfronts’ shift from selling seasonal ad inventory to promoting entire streaming/broadcast ecosystems, plus who “won” and “lost” TV’s billion-dollar ad push; it also covers NFL streaming…14 May 2026 · 38 min · 14 chapters
What Makes Good TV Writers (and Execs), With David E. KelleyDavid E. Kelley discusses what makes “good TV” writing and TV executives, focusing on writer-room discipline, respecting audiences, delegating craft, and how modern streaming networks meddle more…13 May 2026 · 36 min · 15 chapters
Disney vs. Trump in the D’Amaro Era Looks DifferentDisney’s new CEO Josh DeMauro era and whether Disney is shifting from prior de-escalation toward a tougher stance against Trump-era government pressure, specifically the FCC’s review of ABC’s The…11 May 2026 · 32 min · 15 chapters
A Sit-Down With Blake Lively’s Lead LitigatorThe Town episode centers on the “Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni” dispute tied to It Ends With Us.8 May 2026 · 35 min · 12 chapters
SubwayTakes, Tiktok Vs. YouTube, and New Late-Night TV With Kareem RahmaKareem Rahma discusses his pivot from behind-the-scenes media work (Vice editor/executive; New York Times growth editor; co-founding a podcast company) to front-facing creator TV, building Subway…6 May 2026 · 34 min · 17 chapters
Hell Has Frozen Over: Netflix To Release Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’ Exclusively in TheatersThe Town episode discusses Netflix’s decision to expand Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew from an IMAX-only, two-week theatrical window to a worldwide wide theatrical release in all…4 May 2026 · 32 min · 8 chapters
The 2026 Summer Blockbuster Confidence RankingThe Ringer’s “The Town” ranks 13 anticipated 2026 summer releases by box-office confidence (1 = least likely to exceed expectations; 13 = most). They also pick a wild-card sleeper.30 Apr 2026 · 42 min · 17 chapters
'Michael’s' Big Win, the Reshoot Drama, and Sequel Hurdles with Lionsgate’s Film HeadThe episode celebrates Lionsgate’s success with Michael (opening weekend $218M worldwide) and explains how the film survived a major legal-driven third-act rewrite/reshoot.29 Apr 2026 · 46 min · 19 chapters
Peacock’s Battle for Survival and the Catch 22 of StreamingThe Town episode discusses Peacock’s “battle for survival” amid massive streaming losses and the “catch-22” of needing sports to grow while sports rights are extremely expensive.27 Apr 2026 · 32 min · 13 chapters
WarnerMount One Step Closer and the Bizarre ‘Michael’ BackstoryShareholders greenlit Paramount’s Ellison-family purchase of Warner Bros.23 Apr 2026 · 34 min · 11 chapters
What Scares Hollywood’s Top Producers the Most About the State of MoviesLive panel at CinemaCon about what scares top Hollywood producers most about the current movie business, focusing on theatrical exhibition, release windows, marketing, and studio…22 Apr 2026 · 40 min · 16 chapters
Could Hollywood Actually De-Monopolize?Antitrust rulings in TV and live entertainment, and how they could affect Hollywood’s pending Paramount–Warner Bros.20 Apr 2026 · 35 min · 10 chapters
Nolan, Spielberg, Ellison, Cruise(!), and the CinemaCon Studio Power RankingCraig and Matt Belloni recap CinemaCon (post-COVID attendance, box office up 20%+) and rank studio presentations by “goods” (footage/material), star power, and presentation execution.18 Apr 2026 · 1 h · 22 chapters
Jon Favreau on the Future of Star Wars, AI, and New Filmmaking TechnologyJon Favreau discusses making Mandalorian and Grogu cinematic for IMAX after using the “volume” for Disney+; how game-engine tools (Unreal Engine) and previs reduce production windows and costs; and…17 Apr 2026 · 40 min · 16 chapters
The 3 Biggest Stories in Music: Bieber’s Payday, Ye’s Comeback, and $64B for Universal Music GroupA music-industry check-in covering (1) Bill Ackman/Pershing Square’s proposed $60B bid for Universal Music Group (UMG), (2) Kanye “Ye” attempting a comeback after anti-Semitic controversy and a UK…14 Apr 2026 · 32 min · 15 chapters
The ‘Lorne’ Director on Two Years of Exclusive ‘SNL’ AccessMorgan Neville discusses his documentary Lorne, which follows Lorne Michaels with “unfettered access” to 11 SNL show weeks over two years, including never-before-seen backstage moments and meetings…9 Apr 2026 · 40 min · 17 chapters
The A-List Filmmakers Evangelizing Movie TheatersCinemaCon preview on The Town focused on movie-theater advocacy, theatrical windows, and the current box-office outlook; includes discussion of Paramount’s Warner/Netflix-era consolidation concerns,…8 Apr 2026 · 36 min · 14 chapters
Does the Surprise Writers Guild Deal Mean Labor Peace in Hollywood?The episode discusses the WGA’s surprise tentative deal with Hollywood studios and whether it signals labor peace.7 Apr 2026 · 36 min · 13 chapters