Kim Masters
A veteran entertainment reporter and Hollywood legend in her own right, Kim Masters is the host of KCRW’s The Business, the former editor-at-large of The Hollywood Reporter, and co-author of the industry classic, Hit & Run: How Jon Peters and Peter Guber Took Sony for a Ride in Hollywood.
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Matthew Belloni, Eriq Gardner, Julia Alexander, Kim Masters & Scott Mendelson
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Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday
An essential, insider-friendly Hollywood tip sheet from Matthew Belloni, who spent 14 years in the trenches at The Hollywood Reporter and five before that practicing entertainment law. What I’m Hearing also features veteran Hollywood journalist Kim Masters, as well as a special companion email from Eriq Gardner, focused on entertainment law, and weekly box office analysis from Scott Mendelson.
THE LATEST ARTICLES
Kim Masters
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May 27, 2026
Hollywood’s Saudi Tax Rebate Problem
Saudi Arabia has been offering generous rebates to lure productions to the Gulf. But even before the region experienced war and instability and spending slowed, some producers had been left holding an empty bag.
Kim Masters
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May 12, 2026
Netflix Goes to the Movies & Baldoni’s Second-Act Chances
News and notes from around town: Will the famously theater-shy streamer go all-in on distribution? And now that the Blake Lively war is almost over, what are Justin Baldoni’s Hollywood prospects?
Kim Masters
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April 28, 2026
The Hail Mary WarnerMount Resistance & Ovitz’s Hollywood Revival
David Ellison’s long, contentious slog toward a Warner Bros. takeover has engendered a sense of inevitability—and dread. Plus, Michael Ovitz is back and he’s replying to email. And Gunnar gets emotional.
Kim Masters
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April 13, 2026
Joel Silver and Hollywood’s Scourge of Second Chances
The infamous movie producer had seemingly flamed out of the business until he recently turned up on Sony’s new ‘Executioner’ franchise, one of several (male) figures granted multiple opportunities despite bad behavior and worse judgment.
Kim Masters
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March 10, 2026
David Ellison’s Troubling H.R. File
Hollywood’s newest mogul has risen to the head of—potentially—two studios so quickly that there are still vast reaches of his leadership style to explore. One early trend: a tendency to hire managers with sketchy pasts and see largely unremarkable results.
Kim Masters
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February 24, 2026
Trump’s UFC Math Problem & Reiner’s MAGA Partner
The president’s promise of a stadium-sized crowd for a July Fourth UFC match on the South Lawn is running into some significant logistical hurdles. Plus a Castle Rock cease-and-desist and the Hollywood link between Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein.
Kim Masters
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February 9, 2026
The Complicated Legacy of Bob Iger
Disney insiders say the outgoing (again!) C.E.O. is leaving under far different circumstances than after his first stint as leader. Alan Horn praises Iger as perhaps the best entertainment executive he’s ever met. For everyone else, it’s more complex.
Kim Masters
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January 27, 2026
Is Blake Really Unhireable—and Can Ryan Escape the Blast Radius?
The ‘Deadpool’ actor takes a star turn in the latest batch of emails made public by the legal/P.R. war between his wife and Justin Baldoni—providing an incredibly rare view into the ways an A-list star (who’s also a very ticked-off husband) can and cannot wield his power.
Kim Masters
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January 13, 2026
Can John Landgraf’s Slow TV Model Survive?
The oracle of Peak TV is at an inflection point as Disney+ absorbs Hulu and the chase for prestige gives way to the tonnage model.
Kim Masters
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December 17, 2025
Does Anyone Believe Ted Sarandos on Theaters?
As the streamer’s winning bid to secure WBD faces regulatory scrutiny and a hostile offer from Paramount, Ted Sarandos insists that Netflix is committed to a standard theatrical window for Warner Bros. movies. Is it enough to earn Hollywood’s loyalty?
