Podcast appearances and mentions of Ben Fritz

A.M. Edition for Sept. 15. The global bond selloff is gaining steam, with a jump in oil prices pushing the 10-year Treasury yield back above 5%. BNP Paribas' Chi Lo explains how fears of runaway inflation and a range of other factors have dialed up the pressure on the Federal Reserve ahead of tomorrow's interest-rate decision. Plus, the Supreme Court blocks President Trump's plan to restrict mail ballots. And, WSJ entertainment reporter Ben Fritz looks at Hollywood's latest obsession with the tech bros of Silicon Valley. Luke Vargas hosts. Correction: Nathan Fielder is the creator of the HBO television series The Rehearsal. An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly said he was the creator of The Audition. (Corrected on September 15) Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A.M. Edition for Sept. 2. Bonds are selling off again with investors left unimpressed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's seeming indifference to the recent rise in yields. Economics editor Paul Hannon and WSJ reporter Chelsey Dulaney explain how the bond rout is impacting markets, consumers and businesses and what it will take to calm investors. Plus, Open AI restricts its latest AI model, rating it a 'critical' cyber risk. And Google tries to challenge the frontrunners in agentic coding. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

P.M. Edition for Sept. 1. An unruly bond market is sending borrowing costs to their highest levels in decades. Financial markets reporter Jack Pitcher discusses why there's a global selloff in bonds. One reason? The escalation in fighting in the Middle East, as the U.S. launches a new wave of strikes against Iran. Plus, Hollywood reporter Ben Fritz goes into how the industry is skeptical of Paramount head David Ellison's promise to release 30 movies in theaters every year after merging with Warner Bros. Discovery. And the House passes a measure funding the government past the midterms. Pierre Bienaimé hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

P.M. Edition for July 10. Apple's lawsuit also names one of OpenAI's top executives, a former Apple employee. Plus, Israeli intelligence about a possible plot to kill President Trump made U.S. officials concerned about a lack of defensive capabilities on the new Air Force One. The success of films like “Backrooms” and “Obsession” means Hollywood is combing sites like YouTube and Reddit for the next big horror hit. WSJ entertainment reporter Ben Fritz discusses who's making money from that and what risks there are for film studios. And South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix pops in its U.S. market debut. Alex Ossola hosts. A 'Mansion Tax' Complicated the Housing Crisis. Could a Federal Bill Fix It?  Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another Monday, another huge deal in Hollywood. Two weeks ago, Fox Corp. announced its intentions to acquire Roku for $22 billion. Now, it's Comcast's turn — in reverse. Today, the company revealed it will exit Hollywood completely, spinning off another division, consisting of NBCUniversal and Sky Media, as a publicly traded company, and joining Versant outside the Comcast gates. Comcast hopes to have all this done by summer 2027 – just like Fox and Roku. On Monday's special extra-bonus edition of Ankler Agenda, Sean McNulty and Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Fritz dive into the strategy afoot here, how Wall Street is driving the split, and the challenges and opportunities for both companies going forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 29. The Supreme Court has ruled that President Trump can't fire Fed governor Lisa Cook. Journal chief economics correspondent Nick Timiraos discusses how the decision gives Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh more room to operate independently of President Trump. Plus, Comcast is splitting its media and connectivity businesses. We hear from WSJ deputy media editor Jessica Toonkel about what's behind the NBCUniversal spinoff and how it could lead to more M&A. And it's been about 100 days since Josh D'Amaro took over as the CEO of Disney. WSJ entertainment reporter Ben Fritz walks us through how D'Amaro is reorganizing the company around streaming. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, I'm joined by Ben Fritz of the Wall Street Journal to discuss his exclusive on the partnership between Google and A24 and what it portends for the rest of the studios who are either diving into the world of AI filmmaking or cautiously sitting on the sidelines waiting to see how things shake out. 

Two scrappy horror films are taking Hollywood by surprise. “Backrooms” and “Obsession” have wildly exceeded expectations at the box office. Both spring from internet culture and have brought an unprecedented numbers of Gen Z-ers into theaters. WSJ's Ben Fritz explains what this new wave means for the movie business. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Hollywood Can't Find Good Scripts - Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 1. AI giant Anthropic has confidentially filed paperwork to go public, potentially as soon as this fall. WSJ Heard on the Street writer Asa Fitch discusses why it matters whether Anthropic or rival OpenAI make their stock market debut first. Plus, the Trump administration is signaling a retreat on its $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, which met powerful pushback from members of Congress. And the top two movies at the box office this weekend were horror films made by Gen Z filmmakers. We hear from Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz about whether this represents a new pathway for Hollywood hits. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for May 29. Across industries, companies have been telling their employees to use more AI in their work. Now, as compute prices go through the roof, WSJ deputy tech bureau chief Brad Olson discusses how these companies are trying to scale it back. Plus, a federal judge puts a temporary pause on President Trump's “anti-weaponization fund” amid a legal challenge. And move over Los Angeles—big film and TV studios are setting up shop in New Jersey. We hear from Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz about what's drawing them to the Garden State. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch This Episode On YouTubeIf you're looking to understand the business of film, let me suggest listening to Ben Fritz, who covers entertainment for the Wall Street Journal and is my guest for the podcast.Why? Well, for me, it's two things. First of all, if you listen to his astonishing documentary podcast called "With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema", you get to hear why he's such a successful journalist. An executive will offer a throwaway line, and Ben simply asks: why? You get something much closer to the truth from a one syllable question than one might expect.It happens throughout this podcast series from 2023, and it is a true masterclass on how interviews should be conducted.And two -- he's just straight with people. In this episode, we talk about an article he recently co-wrote on MUBI, the streaming service, and the money they've lost over the past year. In almost any other situation, the company doesn't participate, the article is branded a hit piece, and the audience is left wondering about the veracity of the story.Instead, MUBI's CEO is quoted in the article, which tells me the respect he gives the co-authors.Or maybe it's three: just listen to the insight Ben provides in this episode. If you go by the notion that the business offers an explanation of the films that show up on our screens, there's no better person than Ben Fritz.In this episode, Ben and I talk about:his preference for hosting a podcast or being a guest on one;his ability to tell a story evenly without looking for gotcha moments, which distinguishes his journalism;how he got started in filmmaking;what he expects out of the summer festival market;what he's learned between covering filmmaking to AI and back to filmmaking;the future of AI in filmmaking;the "$50 Movie Ticket Has Arrived" article and what it means for theaters;what that means for indie filmmakers;the behind the scenes story of his article, "How VC Money and Israel Outrage Derailed a Hot Hollywood Startup" about MUBI;what MUBI's business model portends for the industry;how production companies make money in such a competitive environment -- branding;why Silicon Valley doesn't invest more in Hollywood;what's next for him and how things have changed since 2019;Ben's Indie Film Highlights: PINK WALL (2019) dir. by Tom Cullen; COW (2021) dir. by Andrea ArnoldMemorable Quotes:"I try to make clear to people I'm not gonna pull any punches, but I'm also not here to try to get a gotcha moment.""I feel like it's becoming a lot like everything in the American economy, which is, it's a have and have-nots world."" What I realized quickly is if you understand the business, then you understand why you get the movies and TV shows that you get, right?"" So you could see more movies getting made, more original movies getting made, more people who don't have access to Disney and Netflix being able to raise a little bit of money and make an interesting movie on their own. So we could see this blossoming of creativity that maybe would rival what we saw in the 1970s."" The danger, which some people in Hollywood think, is the more movies become a premium experience where you spend a lot of money, the more it becomes something people think of as I only do this two or three times a year," " I think the I'm gonna get a specialty label or specialty company to buy it and put it in theaters is...that's like winning the lottery at this point."" The one promising thing in this world of indie film theatrical I've seen recently is you've seen some YouTubers put movies into theaters and find a niche audience."" I was able to connect to a source who was just close to Mubi, who was able to give me a lot of inside information on really what happened."" Mubi is a solid business. That's why Sequoia invested in them. It is a healthy business. They just made this huge mistake last year.""My teenage son knows what A24 is, and that name means something to him.""Sequoia's investment in Mubi was shocking to a lot of people. This is so outside the box for what they normally do. And the only other prominent example of VC investment in entertainment is A24, which definitely has some VC investment in it."Links:Ben Fritz's WSJ PageBen Fritz's Website

P.M. Edition for April 27. Prosecutors have charged 31-year-old Cole Allen, the suspect in the shooting outside the White House Correspondents' dinner, with attempting to assassinate President Trump. Plus, an update from the middle of earnings season: first-quarter profits are expected to climb higher for big U.S. companies. Journal special writer Theo Francis helps explain how they're navigating gloomy consumers. And would you pay $50 for a movie ticket? Entertainment reporter Ben Fritz joins to discuss why a certain kind of movie fan is doing it. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Fritz, reporter at The Wall Street Journal, sheds light on the American entertainment industry's recent struggles as studios shoot more and more films and television productions outside the US. Photo: Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Thomas Wolf via Wikimedia Commons.

On today's show, we're preparing for the Oscars by checking in on the state of the film industry. Marketplace's Amy Scott sits down with Wall Street Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz to discuss what slumping ticket sales means for the future of movies, why the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger has Hollywood workers worried, and what it would take for the industry to make a comeback. Plus, movie watchers weigh in: subtitles on or off?Here's everything we talked about today:A look at how the Oscar best picture nominees have fared at the box office from AP News"Disney's Surprise Box-Office Champion is ‘Zootopia 2,' Thanks to China" from The Wall Street Journal "The Movie Theater Comeback That Wasn't: Why 2025 Was Such a Dud for Struggling Cinemas" from Variety "Teamsters Call on DOJ to Stop Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: “We've Seen What Happens When Corporations Consolidate Power'" from The Hollywood Reporter"Paramount Wins, Everybody Loses" from Vulture "Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing" from “The Journal” Amy's documentary film: ”Saving Etting Street”We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

On today's show, we're preparing for the Oscars by checking in on the state of the film industry. Marketplace's Amy Scott sits down with Wall Street Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz to discuss what slumping ticket sales means for the future of movies, why the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger has Hollywood workers worried, and what it would take for the industry to make a comeback. Plus, movie watchers weigh in: subtitles on or off?Here's everything we talked about today:A look at how the Oscar best picture nominees have fared at the box office from AP News"Disney's Surprise Box-Office Champion is ‘Zootopia 2,' Thanks to China" from The Wall Street Journal "The Movie Theater Comeback That Wasn't: Why 2025 Was Such a Dud for Struggling Cinemas" from Variety "Teamsters Call on DOJ to Stop Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: “We've Seen What Happens When Corporations Consolidate Power'" from The Hollywood Reporter"Paramount Wins, Everybody Loses" from Vulture "Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing" from “The Journal” Amy's documentary film: ”Saving Etting Street”We love hearing from you. Leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART or email makemesmart@marketplace.org.

P.M. Edition for Mar. 9. It's been a stunning day for oil markets. The U.S. oil benchmark dropped to about $85 a barrel, after surging above $119 last night. WSJ reporter David Uberti discusses how the Iran war is scrambling the outlook for fuel. Plus, Pixar's “Hoppers” had the biggest opening weekend for an original animated movie since 2017. We hear from Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz about whether this could be a new franchise for Disney. And Anthropic has sued the Trump administration. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode for Mar. 5. Reports from entertainment companies this quarter underline what's driving consolidation in the industry. Paramount Skydance won a bidding war against Netflix for Warner Bros. Discovery, while Comcast spun out its cable networks into a new company. Wall Street Journal media and entertainment reporter Joe Flint discusses what stood out from Comcast, Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery and Versant. Ben Fritz hosts this special bonus episode of What's News in Earnings, where we dig into companies' earnings reports and analyst calls to find out what's going on under the hood of the American economy. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was a time when people gathered around the watercooler to gab about the hottest show, but these days it might be tough to find a coworker who's watching the same thing as you are. Ben Fritz, entertainment industry reporter for The Wall Street Journal, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the end of an era in which Americans tuned into the same TV, movies and music and why hyper-individualized content is coming at the expense of culture. His article is “The Rise and Fall of the American Monoculture.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

P.M. Edition for Feb. 3. Disney has chosen Josh D'Amaro to succeed Bob Iger as its CEO. WSJ entertainment reporter Ben Fritz discusses how the theme parks executive is likely to approach the role and how investors are reacting. Plus, the House approved a measure to end the partial government shutdown, but the negotiations over immigration enforcement aren't over yet. And in Argentina, decades of financial crises mean people have kept a stash of billions of U.S. dollars. We hear from WSJ reporter Samantha Pearson about why Argentina's President Javier Milei is trying to get citizens to put them in the bank. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joined by Ben Fritz of the Wall Street Journal to talk all about Fast Five and the future of the franchise! After talking about his beat at the WSJ, what he covers, and how he started writing about entertainment, we ask what he thinks the future will hold for the Fast franchise. We discuss the creative and financial imperatives at stake, how much money a movie needs to make to be "successful," and how the business plan for Fast Five got him invested in the franchise in the first place. Will the next Fast movie try for anything other than wrapping up a story? Will we see canonical Fast shows on Peacock? We sure hope so! We talk about the reality of how the Family has never heisted more than $100 million (in this economy?), how Fast Five outsmarts the "average action film" in exceptional ways, and how Ben would spend $200 million on Fast 11. Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠family@cageclub.me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/2fast2forever⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Show your support at the 2 Fast 2 Forever shop⁠⁠⁠⁠!Extra special shout-out to Alex Elonen, Brian Rodriguez (High School Slumber Party), Michael McGahon, Lane Middleton, Jason Rainey, Wes Hampton, Josh Buckley (Whole Lotta Wolves), Michael Moser, Christian Larson, Terra New One, Aaron Woloszyn, and Randy Carter for joining at the “Interpol's Most Wanted” level or above!Intro music by Nico Vasilo. Interlude and outro music by Wes Hampton.

Disney's largest source of revenue is its theme parks and cruises. The people responsible for designing those attractions are the secretive Imagineers. WSJ's Ben Fritz reports that the company is spending $60 billion to create more Disney magic and it's up to the Imagineers to make it work. Ryan Knutson hosts.  Further Listening: - Disney's Big AI Dilemma - Disney Gets Into Gambling Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Netflix has continued to expand, with partnerships, diversification, and a focus on broadcasting live events and sports. WSJ's Isabelle Bousquette explains the technical challenges of this new frontier for streamers. Plus, WSJ reporter Ben Fritz explains actor Matthew McConaughey's attempt to fight AI fakes. Peter Champelli hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do Americans still have in common? Michael sits down with Wall Street Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz to explore the rise and fall of the American monoculture. From 'I Love Lucy' and 'Seinfeld' to streaming algorithms and TikTok feeds, they unpack how infinite choice fractured shared experience, weakened social glue, and may even be deepening political and cultural divides. Is sports the last thing left that unites us—or is the monoculture gone for good? Original air date 20 January 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Wall Street Journal this week published an article entitled, "The 3,000-Person Team Working in Secret to Create Disney Magic". This article written by Ben Fritz makes a number of claims about the challenges Walt Disney Imagineering has in being able to do massive projects on time, under budget and on benefit. We will share these claims and weave these insights with a book I use in my leadership programming--How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project. It becomes a sense by which we can better understand why Imagineering experiences the challenges it does. We'll look at Imagineering Leadership and CEO leadership, and how it has had a big impact on how the work gets done as Disney seeks to spend 60 billion within the next ten years. And already one Imagineer, Joe Rohde has weighed in on his comments. So joining us for Walt Disney Imagineering: The Secret to Being on Time Under Budget & On Benefit. ________________________________________________________ Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe. DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts. Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others. My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available!  Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You.  Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence. ________________________________________________________ Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation! David & Leah Zanolla ZanollaTravel.com Owner/Agents (309) 863-5469 _________________________________________________________ Performance Journeys This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level. Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench. Need Consulting? I've worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena.  Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement. Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

P.M. Edition for Dec. 11. Disney announces a $1 billion investment and licensing deal with OpenAI that lets users put their characters in AI-generated videos. WSJ entertainment reporter Ben Fritz discusses why Disney came to terms with OpenAI and what risks it faces. Plus, Oracle shares fall nearly 11% as investors worry the company is overspending on AI, dragging the Nasdaq down with it. And in an effort to break its dependence on China, the U.S. is developing its own critical minerals industry—and, as Journal reporter Heather Somerville explains, Silicon Valley is giving it a boost. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Dec. 2. OpenAI declares “code red” in a memo to employees, as its lead in the AI race narrows. WSJ's Berber Jin explains what has OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rattled and what this all means for investors. Plus, Democrats hope a tight special election in Tennessee today can flip a consistently Republican district in their favor. And, what will Disney look like without Bob Iger? WSJ entertainment reporter Ben Fritz has got the inside scoop on the top contenders jockeying to succeed him. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's our first Life in the Fast Lane in a while, but one thing remains the same: The cars are the stars... ain't that the truth... After skipping the Tokyo Drift Minute (because there is so much else to talk about!), we cover a record-breaking 26 posts by Vin Diesel's VINstagram. In doing so, we notice that another movie has entered Vin's promo rotation and he's begun embellishing in a new style/format, but one thing remains the same: integrity. We read through Ben Fritz's article in the WSJ about the murky future of the franchise and learn that we sell pins. All throughout, Joey shares more details from Barry Hertz's book. We talk about sports and new release movies. Joey got married. Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠family@cageclub.me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/2fast2forever⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Show your support at the 2 Fast 2 Forever shop⁠⁠⁠⁠!Extra special shout-out to Alex Elonen, Brian Rodriguez (High School Slumber Party), Michael McGahon, Lane Middleton, Jason Rainey, Wes Hampton, Josh Buckley (Whole Lotta Wolves), Michael Moser, Christian Larson, Terra New One, Aaron Woloszyn, and Randy Carter for joining at the “Interpol's Most Wanted” level or above!Intro music by Nico Vasilo. Interlude and outro music by Wes Hampton.

Work in Los Angeles's entertainment industry is evaporating. A desire to cut production costs, changing viewer habits, and competition from other filming locations are all contributing to a dramatic reduction in Hollywood jobs. WSJ's Ben Fritz explains how the city's creative middle class is bearing the burden. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Ron Howard and Brian Grazer on Longevity in Hollywood - The Case of the Hollywood Shutdown Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood is in transition, and it's not clear what the film and television industry looks like on the other side. Between studios moving their productions out of California and the rise of artificial intelligence such as the AI-generated “actor” Tilly Norwood, many creatives in the Los Angeles area are struggling to keep steady employment. Joe Flint and Ben Fritz, who cover entertainment for the Journal, discuss the state of Hollywood and where L.A.'s entertainment economy could be headed. Kate Bullivant hosts. Further Reading L.A.'s Entertainment Economy Is Looking Like a Disaster Movie All the Hollywood Action Is Happening Everywhere but Hollywood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The film and TV business has quietly—or, if you work in the industry, not so quietly—been in a depression for the past few years. Original TV work has plummeted. In 2024, Americans bought about 40 percent fewer movie tickets than they did in 2019, the year before the pandemic. The number of people employed in the motion picture industry in L.A. County has also declined by 40 percent. Those are catastrophic figures. Few people have done more to shape my understanding of these developments than Ben Fritz, an entertainment industry reporter at The Wall Street Journal. We talk about what's happened to the TV and film business in the past few years. What would it take to reverse this trend? And why are some people seeing this reversal as a positive sign for high-quality filmmaking? If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at PlainEnglish@Spotify.com. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Ben Fritz Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LIVE SHOW in Los Angeles on August 27. Tickets go live today at 10 a.m. PT. ⁠Click here for tickets!Matt is joined by Wall Street Journal entertainment reporter Ben Fritz to discuss how much pressure is on ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' for the next era of the MCU to succeed. They discuss some of the changes Marvel has made to combat superhero fatigue, Kevin Feige's future, and whether Marvel or DC is better positioned to win the rest of the decade (02:50). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps' (28:52).For a 20 percent discount on Matt's Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I'm Hearing ...,' ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Email us your thoughts! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thetown@spotify.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Ben FritzProducers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie LopezTheme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The man of steel is back in a new $225 million reboot. Riding on this weekend's release is the hope that DC Studios will finally begin to match the past successes of its archrival Marvel. Its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery views DC Studios as critical to its success or failure. WSJ's Ben Fritz talks to Jessica Mendoza about whether or not Superman can be the savior that DC and Warner are hoping for. Further Listening: - With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema  - Ron Howard and Brian Grazer on Longevity in Hollywood  Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for June 12. A London-bound Air India passenger jet crashes in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. Plus, Iran moves to expand its nuclear program after members of the U.N.'s atomic agency declared it had failed to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations. WSJ correspondent Benoit Faucon breaks down the worsening state of U.S.-Iran tensions. And California Governor Gavin Newsom prepares to face off with the Trump administration in court over the deployment of National Guard units and Marines to the state. Luke Vargas hosts.  Check out Ben Fritz's reporting on how L.A. business owners are faring during protests.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for June 12. Details emerge from the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash today that killed hundreds. The incident is putting Boeing and its safety record back in the spotlight. WSJ reporter Sharon Terlep joins to discuss what the crash could mean for the company. Plus, as the protests against immigration enforcement continue in Los Angeles, business owners in the city's downtown say their sales are hurting. We hear from Journal reporter Ben Fritz about how they've been responding. And the House narrowly passes a $9.4 billion so-called “DOGE cuts” package that targets funding for NPR, PBS and foreign aid. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are the Oscar winning director and producer behind some of Hollywood's most memorable movies like A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13 and The Da Vinci Code. The duo, who co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1985, sat down with WSJ's Ben Fritz at the Future of Everything Festival to talk about longevity in Hollywood, AI in movie production and the future of movies. Further Listening:  - Why Hollywood Is Betting Big on ‘Wicked' - With Great Power, Part 1: Origin Story Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for May 7. Despite political pressure from President Trump, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady today. WSJ chief economics commentator Greg Ip explains how tariff uncertainty factored into their decision. And Disney seeks a foothold in the Middle East with an upcoming theme park in Abu Dhabi. WSJ entertainment reporter Ben Fritz has details on the company's ambitions. Plus, investigations reporter Katherine Long tells us what U.S. spy agencies are after in Greenland. Victoria Craig hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this recent California Sun podcast I talk with Ben Fritz, who covers the entertainment industry for The Wall Street Journal. We explore Hollywood's perfect storm of existential threats — empty theaters, streaming wars, production flight, artificial intelligence. If that wasn't enough, as Fritz has reported: audiences today seem to be rejecting both franchise tentpoles and original films. He discusses whether Hollywood can reinvent itself as it has done in the past and adapt to technological change while maintaining its global cultural influence and economic importance to California.This post is FREE for everyone. Please spread it far and wide. And please consider becoming a paid subscriber to TalkCocktail. It's $8 a month or just $80 for the entire year! Get full access to Talk Cocktail Podcast at jeffschechtman.substack.com/subscribe

Ben Fritz, who covers the entertainment industry for The Wall Street Journal, explores Hollywood's perfect storm of existential threats — empty theaters, streaming wars, production flight, artificial intelligence. If that wasn't enough, as Fritz has reported: audiences today seem to be rejecting both franchise tentpoles and original films. He discusses whether Hollywood can reinvent itself as it has done in the past and adapt to technological change while maintaining its global cultural influence and economic importance to California.

A.M. Edition for Jan. 9. WSJ editor Ben Fritz joins us from Los Angeles with the latest on a series of blazes that have many residents feeling like the city is “teetering on the brink of destruction.” Plus, dockworkers and port employers reach a labor deal that could avert potentially costly strikes. And Blackstone makes its latest bet on AI with a $300 million investment in DDN. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Smash Trivia John of Smash Trivia Presents: The Gamma Analysis podcast (listen to it on Spotify; follow him on TikTok @smashtrivia) joins us to go over Spider-Man (2002). Director Sam Raimi brought his signature vision and energy to the project and kinda shifted the movie industry into a completely different direction for the next two decades. But how does it hold up as a movie?   Bonus video: We talk about our favorite villains from superhero movies. Watch it on our Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.   Next week: We're taking a week off for Thanksgiving. We'll be back on December 6, 2024 with an episode about Home Alone 2 (1992) featuring special guest Elliott Stokes, returning to the show for the first time since 2018!    Time stamps: 00:02:44 — Our personal histories with Spider-Man (the character) and Spider-Man (the movie)  00:15:04 — History segment: The origins of Spider-Man with Steve Ditko and Stan Lee; development of Spider-Man projects at Sony Pictures over the years; and brief career overview of director Sam Raimi 00:30:27 — In-depth movie discussion 01:47:00 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Source: The Big Picture: The Fight For the Future of Movies by Ben Fritz (2018) - https://amzn.to/4fzqnHy    Artwork by Laci Roth.   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: “Winston-Salem” - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM “Snake Drama” - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg “The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet” - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ   Follow the show! Twitter: @LoadBearingPod | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Instagram: @loadbearingbeams TikTok: @load.bearing.beams | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9

Cole Elling is focusing on Mules basketball in this inaugural episode of “The Winning Formula”.  He is joined by juniors Ben Fritz and Jack Chapman.  Fritz and Chapman will have a new coach and 11 new teammates.  Cole visits with Ben and Jack about their history, what brought them to UCM, and more.

The June U.S. jobs report shows hiring cooled slightly. But wages rose and the unemployment rate is still historically low, likely leaving the Fed on track to raise rates later this month. Plus, why are the world's autocrats so resilient? U.K. bureau chief David Luhnow explains. And, West Coast bureau chief Ben Fritz talks about his four-part series With Great Power: The Rise of Superhero Cinema. Annmarie Fertoli hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Superheroes have conquered Hollywood. They generate billions of dollars at the box office and have pushed other movies to the margins. That revolution has been led by Marvel Studios.  In a new four-part series, WSJ's Ben Fritz goes behind the scenes and reports on how Marvel, a once-troubled comics publisher, soared to the top of the movie business. It's a tale of rivalries, spite, little-known deals and incredible luck.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Haitch and Jason are joined by the West Coast bureau chief for The Wall St. Journal and author of The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies, Ben Fritz. We cover the movie that defined the Seat 1 mentality for all time, Reese Witherspoon's indie classic, Election! Chapters Introduction (00:00:00) Dune News (00:15:22) Election Roundtable Discussion (00:21:43) Your Letters (01:21:00) Notes and Links Check out the Dune Pod Merch Store! Great swag and every order includes a free Cameo style shoutout from Haitch or Jason. Browse our collection now. Read our episode transcripts! Check out our transcripts every week on the Dune Pod Medium page. Join the Dune Pod Discord Server! Hang out with Haitch, Jason, and other friends of the pod. Check out the invite here. Dune Pod is a TAPEDECK Podcasts Jawn! Dune Pod is a member of TAPEDECK Podcasts, alongside: 70mm (a podcast for film lovers), Bat & Spider (low rent horror and exploitation films), The Letterboxd Show (Official Podcast from Letterboxd), Cinenauts (exploring the Criterion Collection), Lost Light (Transformers comics and more), Will Run For (obsessed with running), and Film Hags (a podcast about movies hosted by four hag friends). Check these pods out!. See the movies we've watched and are going to watch on Letterboxd Dune Pod's Breaking Dune News Twitter list Rate and review the podcast to help others discover it, and let us know what you think of the show at letters@dunepod.com or leave us a voicemail at +1-415-534-5211. Dune Pod: where we talk to our friends about the movies we love. Follow @dunepod on Twitter and Instagram Music by Tobey Forsman of Whipsong Music Cover art by Ctcher Transcripts by Sophie Shin The episode was edited by Megan Hayward of EditAudio and produced by Haitch Dune Pod is a TAPEDECK Podcasts Jawn Dune Pod is a production of Haitch Industries

Come meet Last Spartan Standingn with Tim and Greg! Time Stamps - 00:00:00 - Start 00:05:00 - Housekeeping Don't forget Blessing and Janet are hosting the Skybound Games PAX East Showcase TODAY, 10am on the PAX Twitch channel twitch.tv/paxeast. They will be debuting new footage of WrestleQuest, Escape Academy, and more. There will also be a new Walking Dead documentary celebrating the game's 1st season, featuring Greg Miller and Gary Whitta. We'll also find out if Blessing knows what a DDT is. New Gamescast is up! Evil Dead and a buncha indies! Thank you to our Patreon Producers:FargoBrady, Pranksy, & Anonymous The Roper Report  - 00:08:00 - Halo's Battle Royal Revealed! (Kinda) - Kinda Funny Games Daily 04.21.22 Alex Wakeford @ HaloWaypoint 00:24:20 - Bobby Kotick fucking sucks, Ben Fritz, Keach Hagey, Kirsten Grind and Emily Glazer @WSJ 00:30:25 - The Rock Producing It Takes Two Movie, Joe Otterson @ Variety 00:36:40 - Ad 00:38:16 - PlayStation and Xbox's Ideas for Ads, Paul Tassi @ Forbes 00:51:40 - TIMBITS 00:56:00 - Out today 01:01:46 - You‘re Wrong Tomorrow's Hosts:Greg and Tim

We might nostalgically look back at the beauty of game boxes and fail to realize how strongly they are linked to the economization of games. With our guest, game studies scholar Claudius Clüver, we trace how games got into the box and how, with the advent of digital distribution, they made their way back out.In our side quests, we share our impressions of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, review Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy, and relish in the thought of having Gordon Ramsay visit Activision Blizzard.Shownotes00:03:56 Games in the Box (with Claudius Clüver)00:32:07 Update on Activision BlizzardActivision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick Tells Colleagues He Would Consider Leaving if He Can't Quickly Fix Problems (Kirsten Grind, Ben Fritz and Sarah E. Needleman)Nintendo Issues Internal Response to Activision-Blizzard Reports (Imran Khan)00:40:31 The history of the strategy game (Fraser Brown)00:42:06 Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl00:49:04 Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' ConspiracyStudying Pixels PlusReddit | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me and some of my friends as we dive deep into the relationship between being an HSP and developing a chronic illness. No of course not all HSPs will develop a chronic illness but it can be more common for us and we should be prepared if it happens or if we are currently going through it. A few weeks ago I was interviewed by Jess & Ben Fritz on the Chronically Healing Podcast and we had such an amazing conversation that I knew I had to share the episode on my podcast! We get real about dealing with and healing from chronic illness, doctors who tell us to "stop stressing", and so much more! So get comfy and let's jump in! In this episode, you'll learn: My story with chronic illness (SIBO) which lead me to my HSP trait The link between HSPs and chronic illness How to take care of yourself as an HSP || Black Friday Special || The wait is *almost* over!! Starting this Friday (11/26/21), you can join The Highly Sensitive & Soulful Membership or hop on the waitlist. Follow along on Instagram: @lifebyalissa Learn more at www.lifebyalissa.com Follow Jessie Fritz on Insta: @jessie_fritz Follow Ben Fritz on Insta: @benjamin.m.fritz

Tim and Gary go over The Game Awards Nominees, the latest on the horrible Activision Blizzard situation, and Halo Infinite's record breaking day one! Time Stamps - 00:00:00 - Start 00:01:50 - Housekeeping We just recorded our live reactions to Xbox's 20th Anniversary Stream are up on Youtube.com/KindaFunnyGames Halo Gameplay over on youtube.com/kindafunnyplays Amazing Spider-Man Rewatch, and our trailer reaction later today Thank you to our Patreon Producers: Pranksy & Black Jack The Roper Report  - 00:05:07 - The Game Awards Nominees Revealed 00:28:20 - Ad 00:32:30 - Halo Infinite is The Most Successful Xbox Game Studios Title Ever on Steam (Daniel Ahmad Twitter) 00:38:11 - 343 Clarifies Why Halo Infinite is In Beta (Joe Skrebels IGN) 00:43:04 - Activision CEO Bobby Kotick Knew for Years About Sexual-Misconduct Allegations at Videogame Giant Activision Blizzard (Kirsten Frind, Ben Fritz, and Sarah E Neeedleman at Wall Street Journal) (via Joe Skrebels at IGN) 00:50:40 - Dragon Ball: The Breakers Announced (Nibellion on Twitter) 00:54:20 - Out today 00:56:30 - Squad Up: Jake Dye: JakeCDye on Xbox 00:57:25 - You‘re Wrong Tomorrow's Hosts: Blessing and Tim

OWS research experts Lex Miraglia // Majesstik and host Ben Fritz will take a look at three of the potentially slate-changing games that might be going overlooked by the field This week they cover: Green Bay Packers at New Orlean Saints Arizona Cardinals @ Tennessee Titans Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans BONUS :: New York Jets @ Carolina Panthers

I sit down with Ben Fritz, life coach. Ben shares his story of how he started down the traditional university and corporate career (engineering) track and transitioned to a career as a life coach, finding fulfillment and helping empower others to find their superpower and live their purpose. Among many other things, Ben discusses his approach when first working with people of starting by “finding the bread crumbs,” i.e. piecing together those past pieces from your life that were true representations of who you are vs. what others have been projecting onto you. Find Ben on Instagram @benjamin.m.fritz (https://instagram.com/benjamin.m.fritz) and check out Ben's podcast, Why the World Needs You (https://spoti.fi/2Rvx2g4)