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.
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Matt is joined by Kane Parsons, the 20-year-old director of ‘Backrooms,’ to discuss becoming the youngest filmmaker to open a movie no. 1 at the box office, his experience transitioning from YouTube to the big screen, what he wants to do with his newfound success, how he uses the internet, and more (01:56). Matt finishes the show with opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Scary Movie 6’ and ‘Masters of the Universe’ (30:18). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Kane Parsons Producers: Craig Horlbeck ...
Matt is joined by RSL Media Founder Nikki Hexum to discuss her non-profit founded with actress Cate Blanchett that aims to protect artists against AI by requiring a consent framework for name, image, and likeness. Nikki outlines the infrastructure of her company, why this is necessary, how this era of AI is similar to the Napster era from the early 2000s, and why an AI company would participate in this (03:03). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Taylor Swift’s new song in 'Toy Story ...
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what movie studios should learn from the remarkable weekend at the box office, whether this is really like the '70s all over again in Hollywood, the unique timing as 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' struggles at the box office, and more (02:01). Matt finishes the show with a prediction for the 2026 NBA Finals ratings (27:58). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your...
Matt is joined by Peter Chernin, founder of North Road and the Chernin Group, to discuss the production of the new horror film ‘Backrooms,’ the biggest problems in Hollywood, whether the content recession is ending, his thoughts on where digital media is going, and why the life of a studio head isn't as fun as it used to be (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Backrooms’ (39:24). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Peter Chernin Producers: Craig Horlbeck and M...
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss who might buy IMAX after news broke last week that it is exploring a sale, and they get into the details behind how IMAX works as a business. They also discuss Netflix putting David Fincher’s new movie, ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth,’ in theaters with an exclusive two-week run in IMAX and whether this is just another Netflix movie theater stunt or perhaps something more meaningful (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the box...
Matt is joined by Puck’s political journalist Peter Hamby to discuss the gubernatorial and mayoral races in California and Los Angeles and how it might impact the future of Hollywood (02:34). They discuss why Hollywood has become a winning political issue for both races, the state production tax incentives that could reshape the entertainment industry in L.A., Spencer Pratt’s popularity in Hollywood, and more (11:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The ...
Matt is joined by Hernan Lopez, founder of Owl and Co. and Wondery, to talk about the rise of vertical video, how it ballooned to a $100B/year business, the staggering success of Reels, and which companies in Hollywood are best suited to benefit the most from this trend (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about next season's cast of 'Saturday Night Live' (26:50). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Hernan Lopez Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voter...
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to conduct this first ever Hollywood Jealousy Draft, where each of the five major entertainment companies (Disney, Comcast, WarnerMount, Netflix, and Amazon) can steal any asset from any of their competitors for free. Matt and Lucas cosplay as all-powerful CEOs and make their selections for what they believe are the most valuable assets in Hollywood (00:06). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Col...
Matt is joined by Rich Greenfield from LightShed Partners to recap this year's TV upfronts, highlighting the best, the worst, and everything in between from TV’s most glamorous week (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a box office prediction for this weekend (32:15). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Rich Greenfield Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com . Book a new kind of stay at HolidayInn.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po...
Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by writer and producer David E. Kelley ('Margo’s Got Money Troubles,' 'Big Little Lies,' 'L.A. Law') to talk about the difference between producing television for a streamer vs. a traditional legacy studio, writing about OnlyFans in his new show, what makes a good TV executive, whether he has ever used AI, and more. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: David E. Kelley Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com ....
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Disney pushback against the Trump administration by challenging the FCC’s investigation of 'The View,' saying it infringes on the First Amendment and free speech. They debate what this strong political stance means for Disney under new CEO Josh D’Amaro, and dig into Disney’s first earnings call under D’Amaro highlighting what he did and didn’t say in his mission statement (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the government's ...
Matt is joined by litigator Michael Gottlieb to unpack the latest news in the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni battle, who actually won, why the saga isn't over yet, if there is any regret for how things have unfolded, how much Ryan Reynolds was involved, and the lessons from this case. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Michael Gottlieb Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Matt is joined by Kareem Rahma, host and producer of SubwayTakes and Keep the Meter Running, to discuss transitioning from behind the scenes to an on-screen talent later in his career, the success of SubwayTakes, building a real business on social, the blurred lines between online shows and traditional late-night television, and more (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Mortal Kombat 2’ (28:27). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Kareem Rahma Producers: Craig...
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix agreeing to release Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia: The Magician's Nephew’, in theaters worldwide with a traditional window of theatrical exclusivity for the first time ever. They examine why Netflix blinked on theaters now, and if this is a one-off or a sign of future softening of their stance on theaters (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the ongoing Jimmy Kimmel-Donald Trump feud (25:35). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas ...
It’s almost May, which means summer blockbuster season has officially begun. Matt welcomes back Puck’s Scott Mendelson to run through the most highly anticipated films of the summer, ranking each one by their box office potential and assigning confidence scores for each film. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Adam Fogelson Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at jo...
Adam Fogelson, Lionsgate's film chair, delves into the unexpected success of the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael,' detailing the significant challenges faced during production, including a costly third-act reshoot that ultimately led to plans for a two-part film. He discusses the delicate balance of creating a sequel that acknowledges allegations against Jackson while catering to an audience seeking celebration. Fogelson also highlights Lionsgate's unique competitive advantages, from its nimble structure to its innovative distribution and window strategies, which have fueled its recent string of hits and allowed it to compete effectively with larger studios.
Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to briefly discuss Matt’s experience at the White House Correspondents' Dinner before diving into the latest struggles for Peacock after a first-quarter loss of $432M despite increasing its subscriber base by 22 percent. They dig into why the streamer is struggling despite its association with a very successful movie studio, its strong reality TV slate, and its valuable NFL rights, and discuss the overall paradox of the streaming business in 2026 (00:00)....
Matt is joined by Semafor’s business and finance editor Liz Hoffman to discuss Wall Street's view of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, this morning's WBD shareholder vote to approve the $110B deal, the non-binding rejection of David Zaslav’s exorbitant pay package, how the board will respond, and Netflix’s reputation after its push to acquire Warner Bros (00:32). Then, Matt and Craig recap the ‘Michael’ premiere, discuss the sordid backstory of making the movie, and give their opening weekend b...
Live from CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Matt is joined by producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Emma Thomas and Cinema United CEO Michael O’Leary to discuss the petition to block Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros., the impact of PVOD and SVOD on the theatrical industry, the benefits of working with a major studio, the Ryan Coogler ‘Sinners’ deal, and what scares them the most about the state of the industry right now. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Jerry Bruckheimer, Emma Thomas, Michael O’Leary Producers: ...
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the state of the various high-profile antitrust cases in Hollywood, particularly how skeptical the states are of the Tegna-Nexstar and Live Nation–Ticketmaster mergers. Is this a new twist in how big media mergers are going to be treated? If so, what does this mean for Paramount–Warner Bros. (00:00)? Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the Academy Awards and AI (28:21). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck a...
Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins from ‘The Big Picture’ to recap their trip to CinemaCon in Las Vegas and rank the presentations from the major movie studios. They discuss the trailers and footage the wowed people the most, announcements that fell flat, who brought the most star power, David Ellison’s surprise appearance and commitment to movie theaters, and much more. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jo...
Live from CinemaCon at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Matt is joined by 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' director Jon Favreau to discuss bringing a streaming property to the big screen, the future of the 'Star Wars' universe, why the perception of AI needs to change, how to improve movie theaters, and how new technology is transforming filmmaking. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Jon Favreau Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your fr...
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the business behind Justin Bieber’s Coachella performance, Ye’s successful mini comeback in Los Angeles, and Bill Ackman’s $64B bid to buy UMG (02:29). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Hollywood’s letter opposing the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger (22:40). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at joi...
Matt is joined by documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville to talk about his new film ‘Lorne’, what it was like having exclusive access to Lorne Michaels and the behind-the-scenes moments from 'SNL' for multiple years, what surprised him about Lorne, what he thinks the future of 'SNL' looks like, and more (02:42). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘You, Me & Tuscany’ (34:37). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Morgan Neville Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jon Jones, and...
Matt is joined by Cinema United President and CEO Michael O’Leary to discuss their new filmmakers council including Jerry Bruckheimer, Emma Thomas, and Ryan Coogler, what this council plans to accomplish, the promising start at the 2026 box office, if we are seeing a shift in the types of movies that are getting made, and how they plan to improve the moviegoing experience (02:32). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the release dates of 'Dune: Part Three' and ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ (28:...
Matt is joined by labor lawyer, journalist, and author Jonathan Handel to break down how the WGA reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP earlier than expected and what was won—including significant health care increases and AI protections—as well as a surprising agreement to a four-year deal instead of three years. They discuss if this deal is ultimately a win for the WGA and if this will lead to labor peace across other guilds (2:30). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about late-night ta...
Matt is joined by film producer Todd Garner to discuss if movies are actually getting longer. Todd provides a study of over 3,600 films from 1980-2025 to reveal which genres have gotten longer over the years, and by how much. They discuss a surprising trend among action films, why auteur-driven films are getting longer, and the increase in the percentage of movies over two and a half hours. Todd provides his expertise as an experienced producer and executive in Hollywood to help outline what the...
Matt is joined by Jason Richman, UTA partner and cohead of media rights, to talk about the recent success of high-profile book adaptations at the box office ('Project Hail Mary,' 'Wuthering Heights,' 'The Housemaid'), why the long-standing Hollywood strategy of adapting books into films went away and is now back, the rise of female-focused authors, why this is leading to more power for book rights holders, what genres are most popular, and more (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening wee...
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss why Netflix has raised its prices twice in the past 18 months and the growing prominence of ad tiers on streaming services. They also talk about Opening Day baseball airing on Netflix, the surging MLB ratings, and who might be the biggest buyer for baseball rights in 2028 (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the new HBO 'Harry Potter' series (25:20). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones...
Matt is joined by United States Senator Adam Schiff (D-California) to discuss his recent hearing with entertainment industry and labor leaders on the challenges facing the film industry and the importance of instituting a federal tax incentive to bring film and TV production back to California. They talk about how the production slowdown has hurt the city of Los Angeles, why California is not as aggressive in offering tax incentives as other states and countries, and what the federal tax credit ...
