Episodes

  • Netflix’s strong Q3 + what’s next for its films; ‘The Wild Robot’ director talks CG vs. tradition
    Oct 25 2024

    Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw dive into the impressive Q3 earnings posted by Netflix… And whether the streamer can fine tune its film strategy to achieve even further world domination.

    Plus, Kim Masters speaks to Chris Sanders, the writer and director of The Wild Robot. The veteran animation director acknowledges the good and not so good impact of CG animation, talks about his experience of working at Disney during the studio’s famed Renaissance period, and explains why he left the studio to work at Dreamworks after John Lasseter took over Disney Animation in 2006. Plus, Sanders discusses his very special relationship with Stitch, of Lilo and Stitch.

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    30 mins
  • Game planning for Paramount; The accidental ‘Apprentice’ financier
    Oct 18 2024

    As David Ellison’s Skydance merger with Paramount begins, studio executives have been given some serious incentives to stick around through the transition process. Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw examine the latest happenings at the studio.

    Then, Kim Masters wraps a two-part conversation between The Apprentice writer Gabriel Sherman and Briarcliff Entertainment founder Tom Ortenberg. Sherman shares how billionaire Trump supporter Dan Snyder helped finance the project without reading the script… And he also shares how Snyder was bought out of the project once he saw an early screening and realized that the film was far too critical for his taste. Plus, Ortenberg reflects on the death threats he’s encountered over the years due to his propensity for distributing controversial movies.

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    30 mins
  • Inside the ‘Joker’ sequel flop; The sprint to bring ‘The Apprentice’ to theaters
    Oct 11 2024

    Kim Masters and Matt Belloni examine MSNBC’s decision to hold Errol Morris’ immigration documentary Separated until after the 2024 presidential election. They also unpack the various factors that led Todd Phillips’ Joker sequel to flop.

    Plus, Masters speaks with writer Gabriel Sherman and Briarcliff Entertainment founder Tom Ortenberg in the first of a two part conversation about The Apprentice. Sherman tells us about the risks he’s undertaken in making a movie about prominent attorney Roy Cohn’s mentorship of a young Donald Trump. And he describes how a cease and desist letter from Trump put the project’s future in jeopardy. Plus, Ortenberg talks about the sprint to get the film to theaters just a month after establishing the distribution deal with his company.

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    30 mins
  • Sony Pictures enjoys a smooth succession; Kate Winslet gets candid about creating her new film ‘Lee’
    Oct 4 2024

    As Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra prepares to step down from his post in 2025, Kim Masters and Matt Belloni take a look at the company’s succession plans.

    Plus, Masters speaks to Academy Award winning actress Kate Winslet about producing and starring in Lee, the true story of pioneering photojournalist Lee Miller. Winslet discusses the nine year uphill battle of getting the film off the ground — including sourcing financing and pulling together a cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Andrea Riseborough, Josh O’Connor, and comedian Andy Samberg in his first dramatic role.

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    38 mins
  • AI enters the Hollywood chat in major ways + Demi Lovato’s ‘Child Star’ cautionary tale
    Sep 27 2024

    With news of Lionsgate partnering with an AI mining firm and Meta’s new AI chatbot voiced by celebrities, Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw break down the latest industry forays in the world of artificial intelligence.

    Plus, Kim Masters speaks to Demi Lovato and Nicola Marsh about their new documentary, Child Star. The co-directors explain the challenges of persuading some of the best known former child stars—including Drew Barrymore, Raven-Symoné, and Kenan Thompson—to share their deeply personal experiences as young performers.

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    30 mins
  • Disney’s messy succession story; Overcoming the production challenges of ‘Strange Darling’
    Sep 20 2024

    In the wake of Disney’s big night at the Emmys, Kim Masters and Matt Belloni take a look at the New York Times article chronicling the chaotic succession endeavors at Disney.

    Plus, Masters speaks with writer-director J.T. Mollner and producer Roy Lee about their cat-and-mouse thriller Strange Darling. The film currently sits at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and was called a “clever masterpiece” by Stephen King. But the road to such acclaim was not an easy one for the filmmakers. Mollner and his producers faced constant pushback from studio executives at Miramax, including having production shut down two days into shooting. Plus, the pair tells us about editorial clashes in post-production that would ultimately result in Mollner being given final cut.

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    30 mins
  • SAG-AFTRA is urged to protect Pro-Palestine members; Documentarian Maciek Hamela on ‘In The Rearview’
    Sep 13 2024

    Kim Masters and Matt Belloni break down a letter signed by hundreds of SAG-AFTRA members calling on union leaders to protect Pro-Palestine members from being blacklisted.

    Plus, Masters speaks to Warsaw-based filmmaker Maciek Hamela, whose documentary In The Rearview traces the stories of refugees fleeing Ukraine. The film originated from Hamela’s personal experience of repeatedly driving into the war-torn country in a small van, picking people up, and driving them to safety in his native Poland.

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    30 mins
  • The Murdoch family’s own private ‘Succession?’; Encore: Writer Justin Kuritzkes on ‘Challengers’
    Sep 6 2024

    Kim Masters and Matt Belloni examine the secret battle for succession among the family of billionaire Rupert Murdoch. They also take a look at a curious Wall Street Journal profile on Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro.

    Plus, we revisit Masters’ conversation with writer Justin Kuritzkes about the rollout of his first screenplay, Challengers, now a full-fledged film directed by Luca Guadagnino. He talks about how the Zendaya-led project was inspired by a US Open match that eventually led to him becoming a tennis obsessive. And he shares how he and his wife Celine Song — who experienced a similar career whirlwind last year with her Oscar-nominated feature Past Lives — manage to keep their work separate from their relationship.

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    30 mins