iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 19h

New pod: An unnecessarily contentious sitdown with agent/mogul Ari Emanuel: CAA trash talk, Ellison advice, why he’ll never speak to his former co-CEO, and of course the probiotic worms. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/5Msi...

open.spotify.com

The Ari Emanuel Experience

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

News: Cindy Holland, head of Paramount's streaming content, is stepping down ahead of the merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

New pod: Two Hollywood studios are about to become one, with all the sad redundancies, desperate politicking, and executive bake-offs that entails. Pre-gaming the chaos with @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/1F5e...

open.spotify.com

The Six Toughest Decisions David Ellison Faces With WarnerMount

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

News: Who says the massive TV overall deal is over? Disney just ponied up to lure Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy from Netflix. (This is for TV but apparently they’re happy with his Star Wars.)

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Who’s more tone deaf, Bob Chapek for publishing the book every fired CEO writes in his head but realizes he should never publish, or Bob Iger for engaging in a sad media war with Chapek. You decide! ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/newsletter_c...

puck.news

What I’m Hearing: The Bobs’ Blame Game, Apple TV’s Crossroads & Jeffrey’s A.I. Dream

Matthew Belloni Welcome back to What I’m Hearing. Sadly, I am not en route to Aspen for Ari Emanuel’s secret The Weekend conference, though I guess Jeffrey Katzenberg and I now have something in commo...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

New pod: If passed as written, today’s federal production tax incentive bill would have an immediate and massive impact on the lives of thousands of entertainment workers. With Rep. Laura Friedman. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/3VSw...

open.spotify.com

Dissecting the Bill That Could Transform Hollywood, With Its Co-Author

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

New pod: Jeffrey Katzenberg masterfully melded tech and creativity at Disney and DreamWorks (and whiffed at Quibi). Now he thinks he’s the perfect person to bridge AI with Hollywood content. With Katzenberg and @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/1XMY...

open.spotify.com

Jeffrey Katzenberg on Why Hollywood Must Embrace AI

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Despite the Tom Cruise press blitz, DIGGER tracking has dropped to a $19M domestic opening, per NRG. (Its screening for awards press on Friday also went horribly.) Maybe the marketing pivot will turn this around?

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Lots of VERY weird things in Rob Bonta’s Paramount capitulation: “Indie” films include Sinners and Tenet, zero requirement to film in California, HQ can be anywhere, and a “recession” voids the whole thing. My breakdown with Bill Cohan, @eriqgardner.bsky.social ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/breaking-dow...

puck.news

Ellison’s Save and Bonta’s Cave: Assessing Every Angle of the WarnerMount Deal

As Hollywood comes to grips with a combined Paramount and Warner Bros. amid a huge debt burden and coming layoffs, making sense of the political, legal, and finance forces that got David Ellison and R...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

New pod: A stunning capitulation by Rob Bonta leads to a WarnerMount settlement with little to no bite. What happened??? With @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/5FSU...

open.spotify.com

Emergency Pod: Paramount Settles—and Bonta Caves

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Today's a GREAT day to join the @puck.news community, and we happen to be having a 5th anniversary sale. Click here: www.puck.news/matthewbelloni

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

New pod: Why GQ didn’t ask Cruise about Scientology. Plus: the return of the Lightning Round! With writer Zach Baron. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/17nO...

open.spotify.com

Tom Cruise and the New Age of Celebrity Profiles

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Disney's next layoffs, Brad Pitt's final cut standoff, David Ellison's Nashville threat calculus, Netflix cancellation math... and Sydney Sweeney's new publicist! It's a jam-packed all-new @puck.news What I'm Hearing newsletter ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/newsletter_c...

puck.news

What I’m Hearing: Ellison’s Game of Chicken, Disney LayoffWatch & ‘Musk’ Madness

Sep 17, 2026 Matthew Belloni Welcome back to What I’m Hearing, now recovered from Toronto and the Emmys, and I’ve decided to write about neither of them. I think we’re good. Instead, enjoy the fact th...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

New pod: Apple’s moment, Netflix’s split identity, Disney questions, and the triumph of Widow’s Bay, a very un-Apple show. Plus: Emmys afterparty food reviews! With @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/s/9Vm1oFS

open.spotify.com

2026 Emmys Instant Reactions: Is Apple Really the New HBO? What Happened to Netflix?

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

News: HBO sent a cease and desist letter to Jake Paul's betting app over that loooong commercial starring Jeremy Piven and Adrian Grenier from Entourage. Will they take it down? Details ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/newsletter_c...

puck.news

What I’m Hearing: Ari’s Book Revealed

Matthew Belloni Welcome back to What I’m Hearing, home in L.A. and out tonight at the Emmys and afterparties. Say hello! I’ll offer Toronto and fall festival thoughts on Thursday, but now I’ve got a t...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Ari Emanuel, the Hollywood superagent turned UFC/WWE mogul, wrote a blistering new memoir that names names and picks fights…especially with former partner Patrick Whitesell. Here’s an exclusive first look ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/first-look-a...

puck.news

Ari Emanuel’s Manifesto of Rage

The combustible superagent’s upcoming memoir is a lengthy, true-to-life dose of his admittedly wrath-fueled style. It’s sure to have everyone in Hollywood talking about the scores he’s sought to settl...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

New pod: How to make prestige arthouse movies at….Disney?? With Searchlight president Matthew Greenfield and @lucasshaw.bsky.social LIVE from Toronto. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/2k2I...

open.spotify.com

How to Run a Specialty Studio in 2026, with Searchlight President

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

New pod: Did you know a 75 year old German movie studio has a piece of Avengers: Doomsday? Playing the long game of franchise management, with Constantin Film CEO Oliver Berben. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/4SAq...

open.spotify.com

‘Resident Evil’ and the Tightrope of Relaunching Old IP

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

New pod: Breaking down a wild, mostly wonderful summer in theaters, and how our own predictions turned out. With box office guru @scottmendelson.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/4iCK...

open.spotify.com

The 2026 Summer Box Office Winners, Losers, and Head-Scratchers

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

New @puck.news: With Trump onboard, a mad scramble in DC for a massive federal production incentive that can actually pass House and Senate. Here’s what should be in the bill, per multiple experts. ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/six-things-t...

puck.news

Six Things the Federal Film Bill Can’t Live Without

A federal production incentive has Trump’s endorsement, studio approval, and the guilds aligned for the first time in decades. Here’s what has to survive the drafting process for it to actually win ba...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Practical Magic 2 (9/11) and Resident Evil (9/18) are both tracking for $40M domestic debuts, per NRG, suggesting the summer box office momentum may continue into the fall.

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Summer box office (domestic) finished 9.4% ahead of the pre-pandemic average, per FranchiseRe, and 26.6% ahead of last year. Year-to-date gross is now down just 7.2% from pre-pandemic levels. A pretty remarkable comeback.

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

New pod: How much those Netflix true-crime docs cost to make... and what smart TV producers would do with Harry and Meghan. Live from Edinburgh TV Fest with Banijay UK's Patrick Holland and producers Jane Root and Dimitri Doganis. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/1Fyy...

open.spotify.com

America vs. the U.K.: Who Makes Better TV Shows?

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

New pod: Who’s winning the WarnerMount media posturing war? Paramount and Rob Bonta are both VERY good at this. Plus: Who to blame for your $300 Dune 3 ticket? With @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/s/kINBUAl

open.spotify.com

The WarnerMount PR War and the 'Dune 3' Ticket Crash

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

New pod: It’s a summer Town Hall mailbag episode! Plus, that time I explained to John Travolta why he was going viral at the Oscars. With….me, and the wickedly talented @craighorlbeck.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/s/dzkrvW5

open.spotify.com

Mailbag! Marvel’s Future, Johnny Depp’s Comeback, L.A.’s Recession, and Awkward Celeb Interactions.

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

People! The Gwyneth/Sam Altman party invite I revealed in my Puck newsletter is not an “alleged” invite or “apparent” invite. It’s an actual invite. That’s why I put it in my Puck newsletter. No need to couch. Here it is again bc the altered images circulating are indeed fake.

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

The He Man movie, which flopped in theaters, was the most popular film or show in ALL of streaming during its first week on Prime Video. Marketing works!

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

New pod: How much has Ellison's relocation threat helped and hurt his cause? Plus: Craig learns about D23 (and is horrified). With @Lucas_Shaw. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/1Dzs...

open.spotify.com

What Will It Take to End the Paramount–Warner Bros. Standoff?

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Say what you will about Disney (and I have) but no other large corporation in America can charge its customers $300 to $2,500 (!) for the privilege of being marketed to for three days.

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

New @puck.news: What’s real and not real after my reporting on Paramount’s LA exit plan caused David Ellison to become a Hollywood villain. Plus: a potential silver lining on this very bad situation. ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/david-elliso...

puck.news

Six Tough Truths About David Ellison and WarnerMount

Amid the fallout from the Paramount owner’s California exit threat, a reality check on what’s actually true, what’s pure posturing, and why job losses—and a Warner Bros. sale—are likely inevitable.

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

New pod: Jason Statham’s got a new one, but action movies have mostly disappeared from US theaters. Why?? With producer Basil Iwanyk. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/0tc3...

open.spotify.com

Where Have All the Action Heroes Gone? With John Wick Producer Basil Iwanyk

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Directors Guild (with Chris Nolan as president) and IATSE just sent letter to Paramount and Rob Bonta. Interesting to see what they are asking for in a settlement, like keeping HBO a linear network (residuals are often higher)….

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

New pod: The CEO of IMAX says he wants 75 top-quality 70mm theaters worldwide (up from 41 now). With Rich Gelfond. Listen! Watch in InfinityVision! open.spotify.com/episode/5m5B...

open.spotify.com

Why Can’t We Build More IMAX Theaters? With CEO Rich Gelfond

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

David Ellison just told his staff that Paramount will move out of California if he can't settle the state lawsuit over the Warner Bros. merger. And he set a very specific (and very soon!) deadline. Tons of new details ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/david-elliso...

puck.news

David Ellison Has Gamed Out His California Exit

It’s hard to gauge the seriousness of the Paramount chief’s threat to leave the state, but in a recent meeting with his closest advisors, he offered a detailed plan—and a specific date—to pick up his ...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

New @puck.news: Is Disney over-relying on Ryan Murphy? Since his return in 2023, the results have been….not great. Exclusive Nielsen data and my take on the numbers ⬇️⬇️ puck.news/is-disney-re...

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

New pod: Disney reported $712M in streaming profit this quarter. How much more could it make if it shut down Disney+/Hulu/ESPN and sold its content to the highest bidder? With analyst Steven Cahall. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/6ujn...

open.spotify.com

The Case for Disney Exiting the Streaming Wars

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

New pod: Everyone’s talking about the politics of the WarnerMount merger, but what about the actual legal case? With @eriqgardner.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/5ssF...

open.spotify.com

Can the Paramount-WBD Merger Survive a Trial, Midterms, and a $650 Million Clock?

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

New pod: In defense of movie franchise scarcity. And why the Peacock-YouTube tie-up should terrify Netflix. With @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/3ZKK...

open.spotify.com

Why Spider-Man Broke Records, and Why Peacock Partnered With YouTube

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

New pod: What’s more important, top filmmakers or big IP?? The one draft to settle all arguments. (Plus: my take on the WarnerMount trial delay.) With @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/6CFi...

open.spotify.com

The Future Blockbusters Draft: The Directors, Actors, and IP That Will Define the Next Decade

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

News: Paramount is bringing on trial attorney Beth Wilkinson to lead its antitrust trial against California. She successfully defended Microsoft's acquisition of Activision. Current lead lawyer Jeffrey Kessler is staying on, but will take backseat to Wilkinson.

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

New pod: Netflix vs YouTube and which platform risks more by trying to be like the other. With the platform-agnostic @lucasshaw.bsky.social. Listen! Watch! open.spotify.com/episode/5nU1...

open.spotify.com

Is Netflix Hurting YouTube by Poaching Talent?

The Town with Matthew Belloni · Episode

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Matt Belloni @mattbelloni.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

New: Netflix tells me it wasn’t their call to omit Whitney Cummings’ Trump “sex traffic” joke from Mark Twain Prize show: “While it’s our preference not to cut jokes from anyone’s set, The Kennedy Center has the contractual right to do so.”

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