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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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May 23, 2025
Hollywood’s Report Card, According to High School Kids, Pt. 2
A reprisal of my conversation with a group of teen movie watchers about what they like, the stars they watch, and the franchises that move the needle.
Matthew Belloni
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May 16, 2025
The Unofficial ’25 TV Upfront Awards
Hollywood’s annual advertiser cash grab has evolved from an absurd and expensive platform for the TV networks to spin their programming to an even more absurd and expensive showcase for the streamers. It’s a carnival worthy of its own honors and salutations.
Matthew Belloni
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May 9, 2025
‘The Substance’ Studio Eyes $1 Billion Valuation
The art house streaming service and film distributor Mubi is raising $100 million from a consortium led by Sequoia Capital. The financing round will value the company at more than $1 billion—not bad for a niche streamer launched with the mission of connecting cinephiles to classic and auteur-driven films.
Matthew Belloni
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May 9, 2025
What ‘Sinners’ Will Be Worth in 25 Years
Estimating a film’s value in 2050, which is when ownership of the Warner Bros. historical vampire movie reverts to director Ryan Coogler, is both calculable and completely unknowable. And as the ‘28 Days’ zombie franchise shows, the unusual arrangement is not without precedent.
Matthew Belloni
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May 6, 2025
An Opportunity Hidden in Trump’s Movie Tariff Madness
Yes, the White House is already walking back a rant directed at the film and TV industry, and Jon Voight’s press release about how to “make Hollywood great again” was low on specifics. But is the president’s desire to help the business that once revived his career really as awful as it sounds?
Matthew Belloni
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May 1, 2025
Casey Bloys in His “Better Is Better” Era
A candid conversation with the HBO and Max content chief about the evolution of the prestige brand in the Zaslav era, why he’s no longer competing with Netflix, and the mandate now that he’s not programming a “something for everybody” service.
Matthew Belloni
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April 24, 2025
Ranking the Movie Stars Who Actually Matter
National Research Group’s latest study on the actors who put butts into theater seats reveals a number of unsurprising truths: ’90s stars still reign, women are underrepresented (except Zendaya and Margot), and a dozen or so younger stars are building real staying power.
Matthew Belloni
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April 22, 2025
Writers Guild vs. Writers
Julie Bush may have never meant to cross the guild, but her aggressive excommunication and public shaming for a strike violation suggests Hollywood’s most militant union is already gearing up for another contentious studio showdown.
Matthew Belloni
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April 11, 2025
The Trump Tariff Pain Index & CAA’s “Offensive” Buyback
News and notes on the entertainment companies most likely to feel the impact of Trump’s tariffs, CAA’s groan-inducing buyback offer for employee equity holders, the many open questions ahead of SNL’s U.K. premiere, and much more.
Matthew Belloni
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April 8, 2025
The Sarandos-Disney Fantasy
After a quarter-century at Netflix, Ted Sarandos is a perfect leader for The Walt Disney Co. as its succession derby drags on. There are serious challenges, yes, but also 100 years of I.P. and brand loyalty to build upon. Plus, it’s no secret that he wanted to become sole C.E.O. when Reed Hastings left.
