Is This Hollywood’s First Practical Solution to Control AI?

Is This Hollywood’s First Practical Solution to Control AI?

Author: The Ringer June 3, 2026 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 outlines the infrastructure of her company, why this is necessary, how this era of AI is similar to the Napster era from the early 2000s, and why an AI company would participate in this (03:03). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Taylor Swift’s new song in 'Toy Story 5' (28:04). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Nikki Hexum Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now. Watch Deli Boys at hulu.com. Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers. Terms apply. 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: 100

The Town with Matthew Belloni
Podcast Episodes
Did Hollywood Ever Have a Chance Against YouTube? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:59
Matt is joined by Tom Freston, former CEO of Viacom and MTV Networks, to discuss why legacy companies missed the boat with YouTube in the early aughts, the similarities YouTube from the aughts shares with the AI boom of…
The Brewing Backlash to Hollywood Consolidation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:26
Matt is joined by Jonathan Kanter, a lawyer who served as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 2021 to 2024, to look at the looming Warner Bros. Discovery sale from…
The Fall Box Office Crisis: A Phase, a Fluke, or the Future? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:28
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to investigate a historically bad fall season at the box office by highlighting which issues are actually real and which are insignificant. They look at larger industry-wide trend…
Why Anime Is Becoming Undeniable in Hollywood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:50
Matt is joined by Rahul Purini, the president of Crunchyroll, to discuss the anime boom both globally and in America, the rise of global streaming services and its role in spreading anime and manga content, and what is i…
Tubi Takes on YouTube, and a Michael Jackson Movie Update [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:08
Matt is joined by Tubi CEO Anjali Sud to discuss how Tubi reached profitability, its push to bring in original creators, the growth of ad-supported streaming, how the FAST landscape is evolving, and why everyone is compe…
YouTube vs. Disney: Who Needs Whom More? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:48
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the ongoing dispute between YouTube and Disney, which has resulted in the removal of ESPN and other Disney properties from YouTube TV for the past week. They break down…
The 2025 Movie Franchise Draft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:13
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to draft which movie franchises they would most want to start a movie studio with in 2025. They each select five franchises, as well as one TV franchise, and make the case for why…