Podcast · 189 episodes
The Town with Matthew Belloni, page 5
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 5
Jeff Probst on What It Takes to Produce ‘Survivor’Behind-the-scenes look at Survivor’s 50th season, focused on Jeff Probst’s role as host/executive producer/showrunner and how the show stays fresh.11 Feb 2026 · 39 min · 14 chapters
Netflix in the Senate Hot Seat, and Disney’s Demographic ProblemU.S. Senate antitrust hearing on Netflix’s $83B plan to buy Warner Bros.11 Feb 2026 · 34 min · 18 chapters
The Behind-the-Scenes Jockeying for $10M Super Bowl AdsHow Super Bowl ad slots are priced and sold, including NBC’s reported $10M+ 30-second spots, plus what drives viewership and ad strategy across broadcasters and streaming.5 Feb 2026 · 33 min · 12 chapters
What Disney’s CEO Choice Reveals About Its Next ChapterDisney’s CEO succession—Josh DeMauro (Experiences) replacing Bob Iger March 18—what it signals about Disney’s next decade and whether Disney should restructure and invest more in games/streaming.4 Feb 2026 · 34 min · 14 chapters
Netflix's Growth, Peacock's Struggles, and the New Streaming HierarchyThe Town discusses the latest streaming hierarchy using early-2026 data and end-of-2025 viewing stats.3 Feb 2026 · 38 min · 14 chapters
How a YouTuber Took His Self-Financed Movie Wide Without a StudioMarkiplier (Mark Fischbach) explains how he self-financed and self-distributed the indie horror film Iron Lung to reach a wide theatrical release without a traditional studio, and discusses broader…30 Jan 2026 · 32 min · 15 chapters
The Life of a ‘White Lotus’ Producer, and the ‘Jury Duty’ Sequel RevealedA conversation with White Lotus producer David Bernad about the realities of being a working TV producer—especially producing Mike White’s director-driven shows—and how Jury Duty’s sequel was created…29 Jan 2026 · 36 min · 16 chapters
Sundance ’26 Bidding Wars and ‘Melania’ Box Office ProspectsSundance ’26 dealmaking—whether streamer dominance has faded, why all-night bidding wars are mostly gone (with a delayed exception), and how “streaming tax” compares to theatrical value.26 Jan 2026 · 32 min · 17 chapters
Oscar Noms ‘26! Five Big Takeaways and Industry Narratives.The 2026 Oscar nominations and five industry narratives, focusing on Best Picture contenders, campaigning strategy, and what the slate signals about Hollywood (including studio consolidation and…22 Jan 2026 · 38 min · 14 chapters
The Last Sundance (in Park City) and Why Boulder?The Sundance Film Festival’s final year in Park City and its move to Boulder next year, framed as “the last Sundance (in Park City) and why Boulder?” The episode also covers festival attendance…21 Jan 2026 · 32 min · 11 chapters
The 2026 Box Office DraftThe Town’s “2026 Box Office Draft” (from The Ringer/Puck), where Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw each draft seven 2026 releases, estimating worldwide box office minus production budgets (marketing…19 Jan 2026 · 38 min · 19 chapters
Actors vs. Studios, and the Existential AI War, With SAG-AFTRA Lead NegotiatorSAG-AFTRA’s upcoming actors’ contract negotiations (starting Feb 9, deadline June 30) amid AI disruption, synthetic performances, deepfakes, and Hollywood labor/industry pressures, including the…15 Jan 2026 · 42 min · 18 chapters
'Zootopia 2,' China, AI, and the Battle for Originals With the Head of Disney AnimationJared Bush (Disney Animation’s chief creative officer) discusses Zootopia 2’s global success—especially in China—plus Disney Animation’s approach to originals, AI’s role in animation, and how Disney…14 Jan 2026 · 37 min · 16 chapters
The Shameless Golden Globes, and Paramount Takes Warner Bros. to CourtThe episode covers two threads: Golden Globes “absurdities” and the ongoing Paramount vs. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) takeover fight.12 Jan 2026 · 34 min · 9 chapters
Is Hollywood Broken? A Savvy Investor’s View of 2026.2026 Hollywood deal-making and media industry shifts—especially streaming consolidation, creator economy economics, M&A, and the rise of free ad-supported services.10 Jan 2026 · 37 min · 18 chapters
The 2025 Box Office Year in Review: Sydney and Timmy, Superheroes vs. Horror, and Studio Power Rankings2025 domestic box office year-in-review, why totals underperformed, studio grades, and predictions for 2026; plus quick horror/superhero check-ins and awards-season Golden Globes ratings debate.7 Jan 2026 · 47 min · 20 chapters
2026 Burning Questions: Another Strike? Is 'Avengers: Doomsday' Doomed? And David Ellison’s Movie Taste.2026 “burning questions” for Hollywood and media—whether another writers/actors strike happens (AI as the core issue), how NFL rights costs will reshape entertainment budgets, whether David…5 Jan 2026 · 31 min · 13 chapters
Who Won (and Lost) the Year in Streaming?Year-end streaming roundup focused on subscriber/share shifts, biggest U.S.31 Dec 2025 · 36 min · 12 chapters
The End-of-Year Exec Survey: Next Disney CEO, Where to Sell Your Movie, and Worst Media ExecThe Town (Dec 29) covers (1) Hollywood/music exec predictions via a Bloomberg survey of ~700 executives and (2) the Christmas box office.29 Dec 2025 · 31 min · 17 chapters
The Townies, Part 2: Who Won the Year in Hollywood?The Townies, Part 2: Who Won the Year in Hollywood? is a comedic awards-style wrap-up of major 2025 entertainment industry moves.23 Dec 2025 · 44 min · 18 chapters
The Townies: Hollywood’s Best and Worst of 2025A “Townies” awards episode reviewing Hollywood’s best and worst moments in 2025, spanning studio deals, box-office outcomes, AI disruption, backlash, and marketing/press tactics.22 Dec 2025 · 49 min · 23 chapters
Paramount Isn’t Giving up Warner Bros. to Netflix Just YetParamount’s hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery is rejected; Paramount responds while Netflix’s $83B studio/HBO Max deal is accepted. The episode centers on the “Warner vs. Paramount vs.18 Dec 2025 · 37 min · 12 chapters
A Warner Bros. Antitrust Debate With Senator Elizabeth Warren, and the Oscars Go to... YouTubeThe episode of The Town centers on two entertainment-industry developments: Senator Elizabeth Warren’s antitrust objections to proposed Warner Bros.17 Dec 2025 · 36 min · 7 chapters
Why Iger Gave OpenAI the Keys to Disney’s VaultDisney CEO Bob Iger’s decision to invest $1B in OpenAI and sign a three-year deal to add 200+ Disney characters to OpenAI’s Sora AI video platform, amid controversy over copyright guardrails after…16 Dec 2025 · 33 min · 13 chapters