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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 contributions from veteran Hollywood journalist Kim Masters, media analyst Julia Alexander, entertainment law expert Eriq Gardner, and special box office dispatches from Scott Mendelson.
THE LATEST ARTICLES
Matthew Belloni
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January 5, 2024
24 Surefire, 100 Percent Probable Hollywood Predictions for 2024 (Part 1)
Declining budgets, a potential Imax sale, more agency consolidation, a Netflix film reckoning, Fox’s humbling, Jenna Ortega’s rise and exit, and other hypotheses for another wild year in the entertainment business.
Matthew Belloni
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January 2, 2024
Hollywood’s Scrooge of the Year
It’s not the Villain of the Year award, but it’s a no less prestigious honor: This year’s inaugural Scrooge of the Year award goes to CAA leaders Bryan Lourd, Richard Lovett, and Kevin Huvane.
Matthew Belloni
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December 29, 2023
Is a Bob Iger Successor Hiding in Plain Sight?
Ynon Kreiz, the veteran executive who restructured Mattel and bet its future on the Barbie movie (and the tenuous I.P. business), has the experience and momentum to be a potential replacement for Bob Iger, despite a checkered past with Disney. At the very least, Kreiz is the Hollywood Hero of the Year.
Matthew Belloni
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December 22, 2023
Warners, Paramount, and the Allure of Mutual Desperation
Notes on Zaslav’s leaked meeting with Bakish, the deal chatter choreography, and the Comcast of it all.
Matthew Belloni
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December 15, 2023
The Netflix Radical Transparency Flex
Is the new Engagement Report a historic data dump in the name of radical transparency, or a leverage-inducing display of the streamer’s dominance over the industry—a subtle attempt to regain negotiating power over the talent and streamers in town?
Matthew Belloni & William D. Cohan
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December 11, 2023
The Inside Conversation: Shari, Ellison & The Paramount Sale Scenarios
Should Skydance and RedBird go after National Amusements, the parent company of the Redstone media assets? Or does a deal for Paramount Global make more sense?
Matthew Belloni
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December 8, 2023
Shari Inches Toward Parting With Paramount
Skydance is kicking the tires on the Redstone assets. David Ellison and RedBird’s Gerry Cardinale are taking the lead, but it’s super early, and a potential deal could take several different shapes.
Matthew Belloni
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December 1, 2023
Iger’s Disney De-Wokening
The “go woke, go broke” narrative persists, despite its origins as social media and Fox News noise. And now it’s clear that Disney C.E.O. Bob Iger himself believes that, whether it’s B.S. or not, the company’s progressive “messaging” has become a problem.
Matthew Belloni
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November 27, 2023
Final Strike Jitters, Disney Blame Game & A Shari-Ellison Scenario
A special Thanksgiving mailbag answering the town’s most burning questions, including what happens if SAG-AFTRA rejects its deal, an odd funeral no-show, and what to do with all the antisemitism around Hollywood.
Matthew Belloni
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November 20, 2023
And the Golden Globes Go to… CBS
In a last-ditch, third-try effort, Jay Penske sold the Golden Globes telecast to CBS. The deal is a huge discount from NBC’s previous $60 million-per-year offering, but it prevents the awards from being the Billboards—at least for now.