On today’s episode, Variety’s Gene Maddaus talks about the rapid growth of microdrama production activity in L.A. and other areas of the U.S. SAG-AFTRA wants to have a say. And Elsa Keslassy discusses the themes and takeaways from her dogged coverage of the American Film Market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 18, 2025•18 min
On today’s episode, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Brent Lang breaks down Paramount’s stumble with “The Running Man” and Lionsgate’s magic with “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.” And Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski talks about the intersection of moviegoing and fandom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 17, 2025•17 min
Maya Rogers on expanding iconic brand Tetris for today's audiences and new partnerships with Red Bull, Amazon, Netflix and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 14, 2025•21 min
On today’s episode, Los Angeles TV legend Pat Harvey reflects on changes in news and in Southern California over her long tenure as she is honored by the National Association of Black Journalists Los Angeles. And we’ll take a look at the work of Variety’s Angelique Jackson as she is recognized by NABJLA with its excellence in entertainment media honor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 13, 2025•18 min
On today’s episode, in our Cover Story segment, Variety’s Daniel D’Addario steps into the ring to capture the backstory of “The Smashing Machine” and Dwayne Johnson’s metamorphosis. Marc Malkin has a Just for Variety Red Carpet Rundown with George Clooney. And Todd Longwell makes the business case for business managers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 12, 2025•17 min
On today’s episode, Variety’s Matt Donnelly discusses the swirl in the industry around Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery and the future of film and television. And Marc Malkin brings us a Red Carpet Rundown with Catherine Zeta-Jones. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 11, 2025•15 min
On today’s episode, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin breaks down the weekend box office and the surprising strength of “Predator: Badlands.” And Jordan Moreau details his profile of “The Running Man” writer-director Edgar Wright. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 10, 2025•19 min
Wonder Project CEO Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten discusses the launch last month of the company's subscription streaming platform with Amazon and how it reinforces the indie studio's content brand. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 07, 2025•21 min
On today's episode, actor Sean Astin discusses the recent Jimmy Kimmel drama, the Tilly Norwood flap, Bryan Cranston vs. OpenAI's Sora 2, the rise of microdrama as a mainstream format and more in Astin's first extended interview since he was elected president of SAG-AFTRA in September. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 06, 2025•18 min
On today’s episode, in our Cover Story segment, Tatiana Siegel details Variety’s investigative report that asks a straightforward question: What Does David Ellison Want? And Chris Willman explains why he has fallen for a certain concert venue near Palm Springs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 05, 2025•19 min
On today’s episode, Variety’s Todd Spangler weighs in on the collision of AI and Big Tech jobs as layoff notices fly. And Jennifer Maas discusses the growth of indie streamer Dropout. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 04, 2025•16 min
On today’s episode, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin unpacks what went wrong after the year’s worst weekend at the box office. Cynthia Littleton reflects on the power wielded by new king of L.A. Sports, Mark Walter. And Marc Malkin has a Just for Variety Red Carpet Rundown with Cindy Crawford and Kaia Gerber. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 03, 2025•17 min
Ten industry insiders reflect on the upheaval of producing news and topical shows during the harsh early months of COVID. 'The idea that America would essentially shut down was just shocking,' says ABC News' Chris Dinan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 31, 2025•1 hr 17 min
On today's episode, Naveen Sarma, managing director of S&P Global and sector lead for U.S. media and telecom, unpacks his recent report on the second half of the year, which has some good news and some concerning news for Hollywood and related sectors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 30, 2025•16 min
On today's episode, Variety's Haley Kluge and Jennifer Dorn discuss how they produce Variety’s amazing Power of Women visuals year after year. And Marc Malkin brings us updates on "disgusting" things happening on Season 2 of “The Pitt” in a Red Carpet Rundown with stars Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 29, 2025•18 min
On today’s episode, Variety reporter Ethan Shanfeld discusses the unusual place in pop culture that Sean "Diddy" Combs now occupies and what may await him upon his release from prison in May 2028. And Variety's Marc Malkin has fun with Hilary Duff in a Red Carpet Rundown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 28, 2025•12 min
On today’s episode, Variety's Rebecca Rubin explains why “Chainsaw Man” topped “Deliver Me From Nowhere” to lead the box office this weekend. And Nick Vivarelli reports on the scene in Lucca, Italy, where he’s covering a fan event that is bigger than San Diego Comic-Con. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 27, 2025•18 min
On today’s episode, Variety reporter Selome Hailu details her cover story on Rachel Senate, the multihyphenate behind HBO’s new comedy “I Love L.A.” Marc Malkin has a Red Carpet Rundown with Sarah Michelle Gellar dishing about Hulu’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot. And reporter Giana Levy explains what superfans see Netflix’s “Love Is Blind.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 24, 2025•18 min
Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti has a wide-ranging conversation on with Elsa Keslassy, Variety’s international editor, at the Mipcom content market in Cannes on Oct. 13. Bassetti details the Euro production group’s focus on profits over kudos, its experiments with digital creators and the pros and cons of working in Europe versus the U.S. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 24, 2025•32 min
On the day of his 100th birthday, a special Vintage Variety episode traces the arc of Johnny Carson’s early career and his rise to becoming an American icon, as chronicled day-by-day for five decades in the pages of Variety. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 23, 2025•14 min
On today’s episode, Variety's Brent Lang discusses the Sundance Film Festival’s future as it prepares for its final outing in Park City, Utah in January before moving to Boulder, Colo., in 2027. And Joe Otterson weighs in on why vintage board games – think Clue, Monopoly, Catan – are hot properties for TV development. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 22, 2025•18 min
On today’s episode, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin explains why “Black Phone 2” made a connection with moviegoers, and she dissects the record tally for the horror genre at the box office this year. And business editor Todd Spangler offers a Q3 earnings preview on what to expect for Netflix, Comcast, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 21, 2025•18 min
Jack Buser, Google Cloud's director of game industry solutions, breaks down tech giant’s far reaching plans for future of live service gaming. He also weighs in on how AI is poised to change everything for the gaming sector. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 17, 2025•23 min
On today’s episode, Variety’s Gene Maddaus details recent efforts to test AI-powered software against professional script readers. The results only raise more questions. Plus, a roundtable on the biz and buzz at the Mipcom global content market in Cannes with Variety international veterans Elsa Keslassy, John Hopewell and Leo Barraclough. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 16, 2025•19 min
On today's episode, Variety's Adam B. Vary and Kate Aurthur talk about going deep inside the upside down for their cover story on the final season of "Stranger Things" and the twin brothers who are the brains behind it, Matt and Ross Duffer; plus host Cynthia Littleton has an eye-opening discussion with French YouTuber Inoxtag at Mipcom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 15, 2025•19 min
On today's episode, Variety's Leo Barraclough talks about the mood and the buzz along the Croisette on Day 2 of the Mipcom content market in Cannes, France. He also details his sit-down with Mattel Studios president Robbie Brenner. Plus, highlights from Variety's C-Suite Conversations session with Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti, who was honored at Mipcom with the Variety Vanguard Award for contributions to the global television industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Oct 14, 2025•15 min
On today’s episode, Variety's Brent Lang unpacks disappointing opening weekends for “Tron: Ares,” “Roofman” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” And international editor Elsa Keslassy reports on the buzz by the sea in Cannes as the annual Mipcom content market begins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 13, 2025•18 min
Former Disney TV chief Anne Sweeney revisits the Disney-Apple video iPod content licensing pact that stunned the industry 20 years ago this week. "This literally tilted our media world on its axis," Sweeney says. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 10, 2025•41 min
On today’s episode, Variety’s Tatiana Siegel discusses her deep dive on Bari Weiss and what her new role as editor-in-chief means for CBS News. And longtime international correspondent Nick Vivarelli weighs in on the pulse of the media biz in Italy as he covers the Rome Media Market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 09, 2025•19 min
On today’s episode, the Cover Story segment features Variety’s Matt Donnelly discussing his sit-down interview with Jason Blum, who will receive Variety’s first-ever Horror Impact Award. And William Earl, Variety’s executive digital director and resident horror expert, details the research that went into Variety’s inaugural Horror Impact list. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 08, 2025•15 min