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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
Matthew Belloni
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April 28, 2023
A ‘Severance’ Salvage Job and Hollywood’s Executive Amnesia
Ben Stiller brings in a trusted hand to fix problems on his Apple TV+ Emmy winner, Sony’s Tom Rothman forgets in a speech to movie theater owners that he abandoned their business during the pandemic, and much more.
Matthew Belloni
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April 24, 2023
Shrapnel from the Jeff Shell Bombshell
Inside the investigation, fallout, and succession drama at NBCU after yet another executive ouster.
Matthew Belloni
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April 24, 2023
Only Old Movie Stars Matter to Moviegoers
A list of the Top 100 actors making the rounds among industry executives highlights a troubling reality for Hollywood: the supply of new movie stars is declining alongside the box office.
Matthew Belloni
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April 21, 2023
It May Be Time for Disney to Sue Florida
Iger, an ice-cold killer on his second C.E.O. tour, may need a nuclear option to fend off DeSantis. As the governor and his goons look for new ways to screw with Disney, why not drop the niceties and sue for retaliation?
Matthew Belloni
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April 14, 2023
Ben Affleck’s ‘Air’ & The Super-Weird State of Movies (Part 2)
In an age of global buyouts, a vanishing middle class of actors and filmmakers, and a likely upcoming writers strike, it’s easy to see why Artists Equity feels revolutionary. So why are so many executives, producers, and finance types so skeptical?
Matthew Belloni
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April 10, 2023
Kathy Kennedy’s ‘Star Wars’ Amnesia
The Lucasfilm president was never enthusiastic about a now-shelved Kevin Feige Star Wars project. Is that why she seemed to “forget” its existence?
Matthew Belloni
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April 10, 2023
Ben Affleck’s ‘Air’ and the Super-Weird State of Movies (Part 1)
In theatrical terms, Air is a $130 million release that, even with tens of millions of dollars in marketing and great word-of-mouth, will likely top out at less than half that in U.S. theaters. So how come everyone is rushing to declare it a hit?
Matthew Belloni
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March 31, 2023
‘The Bachelor’ Loses Its Cold, Black Heart
For two decades, Mike Fleiss was the twisted genius behind the Bachelor franchise. With his exit this week following an investigation into racial discrimination in casting, details are emerging on a consensus member of Reality TV’s All-Star Asshole team.
Matthew Belloni
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March 31, 2023
The Oscars’ Bold Bid to Boost Theaters
It’s all being kept quiet for now, but I’m told the Academy is poised to enact a significant rules change, potentially adding a new theatrical distribution requirement for films to be eligible for best picture.
Matthew Belloni
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March 27, 2023
Marvel’s Trial By Media
Ignore the self-righteous press: Victoria Alonso’s public crusade for a payout from Disney is nothing more than a money fight. And perhaps, in the grand tradition of Michael Eisner, a brand-building opportunity for whatever comes next.
