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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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October 24, 2022
The Next Star Wars Movie Terrifies Lucasfilm
Kathleen Kennedy’s stewardship of the movie franchise continues to baffle as a key right-hand exits and a new film, perhaps the one in development with Damon Lindelof, isn’t expected until at least 2025, six years after ‘Rise of Skywalker.’ With Marvel churning out multiple movies every year, such a massive pause is borderline corporate negligence.
Matthew Belloni
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October 21, 2022
The Netflix Middle-Finger Quarter
After a yearlong humbling on Wall Street, Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos’ victory-lap earnings call was both offensive and defensive—an F-U to the haters who cast doubt on the company’s ability to remain disruptive. Some arguments landed more solidly than others.
Matthew Belloni
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October 17, 2022
Mark Shapiro on Endeavor’s Ultimate Fight
The president of the multi-tentacled entertainment giant discusses the future of live sports, talent representation, all those acquisitions, the streaming economy, UFC, CAA, the company’s post-I.P.O. dip, Ari’s vision, and much more.
Matthew Belloni
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October 14, 2022
Chris Albrecht’s Past Is Prologue
A gruesome incident from the executive’s past, largely known to the industry, is now revisited with a fresh perspective in a new HBO book, which has put Albrecht in executive purgatory. Is it fair, or simply the reality of how Hollywood treats the BH Times (Before Harvey)?
Matthew Belloni
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October 10, 2022
The Dark Legacy of Nikki Finke
Finke presented herself as a no-bullshit reporter who kept Hollywood moguls honest, and we all found her copy completely irresistible. But she perverted the profession by blackmailing sources, often targeting the weak, and weaponizing the internet to push her bile—and her own agenda.
Matthew Belloni
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October 7, 2022
How David Nevins Became the Odd Man Out
The erudite Showtime and Paramount+ executive became the victim of declining fiefdoms, Bakish-proximity, Taylor Sheridan’s ascendancy, and grim linear realities for Paramount Global and all of Hollywood.
Matthew Belloni
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October 3, 2022
Trevor Noah’s Moment of Zen
The ‘Daily Show’ star had nearly two years left on his contract, but it wasn’t a secret that Noah struggled to balance a nightly talk show with other ambitions, and MTV’s Chris McCarthy had few options but to let him leave. The franchise will continue, but the economics may never be the same.
Matthew Belloni
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September 30, 2022
Shaken & Stirred: Amazon’s Bond-Sized MGM Challenge
It’s not just the struggle to find a film executive for its newly-purchased $8.5 billion studio and Bond franchise, but also to manage the Broccoli family that maintains full creative control.
Matthew Belloni
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September 26, 2022
The Talent Agency Hunger Games
While CAA’s Bryan Lourd is embracing his role as King of Hollywood after absorbing ICM, and WME is installing new leaders, the pressures of a changing industry have forced the sharks to audition for their own jobs.
Matthew Belloni
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September 25, 2022
Oprah and Apple Are Splitting Up
Four years ago, Oprah signed a gigantic multi-year deal with Apple. That relationship is now changing.