Podcast · 189 episodes
The Town with Matthew Belloni, page 6
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 6
Ariana in Wicked and How to Cast a Billion-Dollar MovieThe episode explains how casting works for major studio “tentpole” films, focusing on the new Oscars category for Achievement in Casting and the inside process behind Wicked’s billion-dollar casting.11 Dec 2025 · 35 min · 14 chapters
The Ellison Empire Strikes Back: Paramount Goes HostileA “hostile” counterbid for Warner Bros. Discovery by David Ellison’s Paramount, arguing its $30-per-share all-cash offer is better than Netflix’s $27.75 bid and may face fewer regulatory hurdles.9 Dec 2025 · 36 min · 12 chapters
Netflix Buys Warner Bros. Emergency Pod!!!The episode is an emergency discussion of Netflix’s reported acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (studio + film/TV library and HBO Max).6 Dec 2025 · 41 min · 14 chapters
Is Film School Still Worth It? With a Top Dean.Debate whether film school is still worth it amid a shrinking, hyper-competitive Hollywood; includes advice from a film-school dean on what students should look for and how to use programs…5 Dec 2025 · 35 min · 12 chapters
Why the NFL (and Everything Else) Keeps Breaking Ratings RecordsThe episode argues that record-breaking NFL and other live-event ratings this fall are driven by Nielsen measurement changes plus genuine audience behavior shifts.4 Dec 2025 · 32 min · 14 chapters
Would Netflix Really Embrace Theaters to Buy Warner Bros.?The Warner Bros. Discovery sale auction and whether Netflix would change its business model—specifically, a leaked Netflix pledge to keep releasing movies in theaters despite Netflix’s usual “not our…2 Dec 2025 · 37 min · 11 chapters
Commercial Vs. Arthouse, Going Marvel, and Notes From Spielberg With ‘Hamnet’ Director Chloé ZhaoChloé Zhao discusses her filmmaking influences and process, including the “commercial vs.28 Nov 2025 · 30 min · 12 chapters
Part 2: James Cameron on ‘Avatar 4’ and ‘5,’ Movie Biz Fears, 3D, Netflix, and AliensPart 2 of a conversation with filmmaker James Cameron about Avatar 4 and 5 business decisions, Hollywood’s economics, 3D filmmaking, streaming vs theatrical, and related industry controversies…24 Nov 2025 · 38 min · 22 chapters
Part 1: James Cameron on Avatar Misconceptions, AI’s Skynet Moment, and His Elon Musk FriendshipJames Cameron discusses Avatar Fire and Ash (delivered to Disney), correcting misconceptions that Avatar is “just CGI/AI,” and explains how performance capture and actor-centric directing drive the…24 Nov 2025 · 39 min · 16 chapters
Did Hollywood Ever Have a Chance Against YouTube?Tom Freston (Tom Preston) discusses whether legacy TV/media companies like Viacom could have beaten YouTube’s rise, and what that means for Paramount/MTV today, including AI-content and platform…20 Nov 2025 · 32 min · 15 chapters
The Brewing Backlash to Hollywood ConsolidationThe Town episode “The Brewing Backlash to Hollywood Consolidation” focuses on the proposed sale of Warner Bros. Discovery and the antitrust backlash to Hollywood consolidation.19 Nov 2025 · 37 min · 12 chapters
The Fall Box Office Crisis: A Phase, a Fluke, or the Future?The Town episode argues that the current fall box-office slump is driven less by “windowing” alone and more by a lack of truly commercial, audience-friendly mid-budget/specialty movies, compounded by…17 Nov 2025 · 33 min · 14 chapters
Why Anime Is Becoming Undeniable in HollywoodThe episode argues that anime is becoming “undeniable” in Hollywood because global streaming access and younger audiences are driving big viewership and box office.14 Nov 2025 · 32 min · 9 chapters
Tubi Takes on YouTube, and a Michael Jackson Movie UpdateTubi’s profitability in free ad-supported streaming; creator partnerships to grow engagement; Super Bowl and Thanksgiving sports as cultural moments; and a separate segment updating a Michael Jackson…12 Nov 2025 · 36 min · 12 chapters
YouTube vs. Disney: Who Needs Whom More?A prolonged Disney vs. YouTube TV carriage blackout (10th day) and what it reveals about leverage between big tech distributors and content owners; plus a brief Warner Bros.10 Nov 2025 · 31 min · 11 chapters
Mailbag! 'Star Wars' and Soderbergh, the Best Home for Warner Bros., and Netflix vs. Theaters.A mailbag/town-hall episode covering (1) Steven Soderbergh’s rejected Star Wars script about Ben Solo, (2) whether Netflix or Paramount should buy Warner Bros.5 Nov 2025 · 32 min · 13 chapters
The 2025 Movie Franchise DraftThe Ringer/Puck “2025 Movie Franchise Draft” has hosts and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw build competing “top five movie franchises + one TV franchise” teams, then let listeners vote on social media.3 Nov 2025 · 41 min · 14 chapters
Will Big Tech and AI Save or Kill Hollywood?Macro view of whether Big Tech/AI will “save or kill” Hollywood, using parallels to past market bubbles and focusing on media consolidation deals.30 Oct 2025 · 35 min · 12 chapters
The Risks and Rewards of Self-Distributing Movies, With Black Bear’s Teddy SchwarzmanBlack Bear’s Teddy Schwartzman explains why the company is launching U.S. theatrical distribution and how it plans to profit from “small” director-driven films despite a tough market.29 Oct 2025 · 32 min · 14 chapters
Savvy or Desperate? NBCU Poaches Taylor Sheridan From Paramount.The episode centers on Taylor Sheridan’s exit from Paramount and NBCUniversal’s “poach,” plus what it signals for streaming competition and upcoming M&A.27 Oct 2025 · 32 min · 11 chapters
Do Standing Ovations at Film Festivals Mean Anything? The Town Investigates.The Town investigates whether film-festival standing ovations signal film quality or popularity.23 Oct 2025 · 35 min · 19 chapters
Warner Bros. Is Officially for Sale. It's Paramount vs. ... Whom?Warner Bros. Discovery is officially up for sale after the board rejected a $23–$24/share Paramount Skydance bid; discussion centers on likely buyers, deal structure (sell all vs.22 Oct 2025 · 37 min · 13 chapters
Netflix Adds Podcasts and Makes a Deal With AMC Theatres. Why?The Town episode discusses Netflix’s new video-podcast push via Spotify and The Ringer, and Netflix’s thawing relationship with AMC Theatres, plus a quick sports-rights add-on about Apple’s F1 deal.20 Oct 2025 · 35 min · 14 chapters
Is the “Netflix of AI” App a Friend or Foe to Hollywood?The episode debates whether Fable’s “Netflix of AI” app, Showrunner, is a friend or foe to Hollywood.16 Oct 2025 · 35 min · 12 chapters