Disney's Biggest Swings and Misses, Plus Iger vs. Eisner—With the Acquired Guys

Disney's Biggest Swings and Misses, Plus Iger vs. Eisner—With the Acquired Guys

Author: The Ringer August 28, 2026 Duration: 41:43
Matt is joined by the hosts of the Acquired podcast, Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, to discuss their two-part series on the history of The Walt Disney Company; what surprised them the most during their deep research; Disney's most precarious investments, biggest missteps, and best acquisitions; where Disney is today; and how it's positioned for the future (02:08). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for 'Coyote vs. Acme' (34:57). Host: Matt Belloni Guests: Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES. Bob Iger, James Cameron, Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau and More Featured in New Disney+ Documentary ‘Disney Worldbuilders.’ Now Streaming on Disney+. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder what Hollywood executives are really arguing about in their private meetings, or how the fate of a billion-dollar franchise gets decided over a tense lunch? That’s the kind of access you get with The Town with Matthew Belloni. Hosted by Puck founding partner Matt Belloni, this isn't just industry gossip-it's a direct line to the mechanics of entertainment, powered by exclusive reporting and decades of insight. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the stories behind the stories, whether it's the strategy of the latest streaming war or the creative battles inside a Marvel movie. Several times a week, Belloni sits down with the major players themselves: the dealmakers, studio heads, and journalists who are shaping what we watch. Their conversations cut straight to the core of what’s getting made and why, pinpointing who’s winning and who’s losing in real time. Listening to this podcast feels like having a front-row seat to the most important conversations in show business, the ones that happen after the cameras stop rolling. For anyone fascinated by the intersection of power, money, and creativity in culture, The Town delivers the unfiltered context that turns headlines into understanding.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Town with Matthew Belloni
Podcast Episodes
Amazon Won’t Release Its Sam Altman Movie. Will Anyone? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:02
Matt is joined by Keach Hagey, a journalist at The Wall Street Journal and author of 'The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future,' to discuss Amazon abandoning Luca Guadagnino’s movie ‘Artificial…
The Secret Industry That Makes Movies Go Viral [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:58
Matt is joined by journalist Lane Brown from New York Magazine to discuss his latest article digging into the insidious world of online clipping and narrative campaigning. Lane explains how virality and popularity are ma…
Have Platforms Unseated Content as King in Hollywood? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:54
Matt is joined by John Mass, president of Content Partners, to discuss the massive value of owning distribution in modern Hollywood in comparison to years past, when content seemed to be the most important piece of the p…
Fox Is Buying Roku for $22B. Is It Now a Streaming Power Player? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:33
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Fox’s $22 billion acquisition of Roku, why this happened, how connected TV devices are the secret gatekeepers to streaming, how this will affect the consumer, and what…
The ‘Obsession’ Windfall and How Indie Hits Pay Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:40
Matt is joined by film producer Mynette Louie, a cohead of creative producing and assistant professor at Columbia University, to explain how the money is distributed when an indie film is a big hit. They use Curry Barker…
Is the ‘60 Minutes’ Blowup a Threat to Ellison’s Empire? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:11
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the ongoing disruption at ‘60 Minutes,’ most recently the hiring of Nick Bilton as EP, and the firing of correspondent Scott Pelley. They dig into what the plan to "mod…
Is This Hollywood’s First Practical Solution to Control AI? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:11
Matt is joined by RSL Media Founder Nikki Hexum to discuss her non-profit founded with actress Cate Blanchett that aims to protect artists against AI by requiring a consent framework for name, image, and likeness. Nikki…