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The Ringer

The Town with Matthew Belloni

Matt is joined by Puck’s box office expert, Scott Mendelson, to judge their early summer box office predictions by looking at the biggest hits, misses, and questions from the 2025 summer slate (02:09). 

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Scott Mendelson 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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The Summer Box Office Report Card: Surprise Hits, Big Flops, and Key Takeaways

Matt is joined by prominent independent film producer Christine Vachon to discuss the general state and health of the independent film market. She discusses her newest film, ‘Materialists,’ how her company, Killer Films, has lasted 30 years, the challenge of getting challenging films made, where money is coming from in the indie space, and the current film festival hierarchy (02:15). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the upcoming Darren Aronofsky film ‘Caught Stealing’ (25:58).For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Christine Vachon Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Venice, Sundance, and the New Film Festival Hierarchy

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix’s surprise hit ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ which has become their second-most popular English-language film. Unexpectedly, Netflix decided to release ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ in theaters, where it brought in nearly $20 million in ticket sales despite releasing on streaming in June. Matt and Lucas discuss why Netflix did this despite its very clear view on movie theaters, whether the movie could have been a massive hit had it gone straight to theaters, and why AMC refused to show this movie (02:49). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the upcoming season of ‘Saturday Night Live’ (24:45). 

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Why ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Is a Fascinating Hollywood Experiment

Live from the Edinburgh TV Festival in Scotland, Matt is joined by television producer and executive Stephen Lambert to discuss the current state of reality TV, his newest hit, ‘The Traitors,' how to cast reality competition, what streamers are looking for in 2025, how that's changed, and whether America is falling behind in creating fresh reality formats (02:11). 

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Stephen Lambert 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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‘The Traitors’ and How to Craft Hit Reality TV in 2025

Matt is joined by Pete Distad, CEO of Fox's direct-to-consumer streaming platform, to discuss Fox One, the company's first significant foray into streaming, which will offer all of Fox’s news, sports, and entertainment branded content together in one platform. They talk about the juggernaut of news and sports, the end of NFL exclusively on broadcast, why the price is so high ($20 per month), the potential that it will cannibalize Fox's successful existing cable business, the option to bundle with ESPN for $40, and more (02:40). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the Duffer brothers, who are leaving Netflix for Paramount (24:56). 

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Pete Distad 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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Why Fox Is Finally Entering the Streaming Wars

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look back on the past 15 years in Hollywood and determine which moments were the most detrimental to the industry. In descending order, they each rank and explain their top five moments that had the most meaningful and negative effect on the greater Hollywood ecosystem (01:53). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Taylor Swift’s next act (29:57).For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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The 10 Worst Things to Happen to Hollywood Since 2010

Matt is joined by NYT staff reporter Brooks Barnes to discuss Paramount’s new strategy under David Ellison. They were both at Paramount’s press event earlier this week, so they dissect what Ellison told the press about the company’s new direction and discuss their views on theater windows, Paramount’s content spend, its streaming strategy, and whether it will sell off its cable assets (02:43). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on where the New Heights episode with Taylor Swift will rank among the top-viewed podcasts of all time on YouTube (27:06).For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Brooks Barnes Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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Paramount’s New Playbook Unveiled and the Taylor Swift Podcast Bounce

Matt is joined by A.J. Wolfe, creator of the website Disney Food Blog and author of a new book, ‘Disney Adults: Exploring (And Falling In Love With) A Magical Subculture’. They dive into the "Disney adult" culture and its growing community, how Disney caters to this specific demo, the millennial connection, and thoughts on Josh D'Amaro, as well as the power this community has over Disney (02:28). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on the ratings for the 'Kennedy Center Honors’ broadcast on CBS later this year (26:51). 

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Host: Matt Belloni Guest: A.J. Wolfe 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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The Power and Peculiar Psychology of ‘Disney Adults’

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw and Ashley Carman to discuss UFC’s $7.7 billion rights deal with Paramount, as well as the changing landscape in the podcast business. They begin by discussing the huge swing David Ellison took to secure the entire slate of UFC’s streaming and broadcast rights for Paramount+, eliminating the pay-per-view model. They debate where the money comes from and why UFC ultimately chose Paramount over others (02:47). Next, they discuss Amazon’s decision to fold its podcast unit, Wondery, into its Audible banner; talk about the industry’s shift into the video format; and predict which podcast has the best chance to dethrone Joe Rogan (12:19). 

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw and Ashley Carman 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paramount’s UFC Knockout and Amazon’s Podcast Flameout

Matt is joined by Indian superstar actor and producer Aamir Khan to discuss his bold strategy to release his newest film exclusively on YouTube despite an eight-figure offer from a traditional streamer. He explains how this decision fuels his own creative responsibility for the film, the rationale of sacrificing money for reach, the drawbacks of the presale model, and why there needs to be a stop between theatrical and streaming video on demand (03:23). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the theatrical release of ‘Hamilton’ (25:42). 

For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Aamir Khan 

Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo 
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Could Movies Start Skipping Netflix to Go Straight to YouTube?

Since its launch nearly 50 years ago, HBO has revolutionized and disrupted the television ecosystem, but for the past 15 years it has been challenged by a new disruptor, Netflix. Matt is joined by Felix Gillette from Bloomberg News and John Koblin from The New York Times to discuss their new book, ‘It's Not TV: The Spectacular Rise, Revolution and Future of HBO,’ and the ongoing battle between Netflix and HBO for the future of television.

Email us your questions, comments, or ideas at thetown@spotify.com

Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Felix Gillette and John Koblin

Producer: Craig Horlbeck
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Netflix vs. HBO: The TV Rivalry of the Century

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