The Business

This week, Kim sits down with filmmaker Eric Goode to talk about his HBO documentary series, Monsters of God. Goode discusses how he pivoted from a successful career in New York’s hospitality world to making documentaries about the extinction crisis, exotic reptile smuggling, and eventually, a little project called Tiger King. He also talks about self-financing his animal-conservation projects rather than waiting around for a studio, and he has a few things to say about Netflix.

Plus, Masters and Matt Belloni break down another busy week in the Warnermount saga, beginning with the company decrying a critical social media post from actor Mark Ruffalo as antisemitic. They also discuss California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceling a tentative settlement discussion with the studio after news of the meeting leaked.

Eric Deggans speaks with Desi Lydic, a longtime correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. She talks about how a pandemic-era segment satirizing Fox News evolved into her Emmy-nominated digital series Desi Lydic Foxplains. Lydic also shares how The Daily Show’s post-Trevor Noah rotation of hosts has opened the door for more voices, and jokes about how her conservative parents once envisioned her as either a Fox News journalist or a Hallmark movie star.

Plus, Cinema United, the largest movie theater trade organization, has changed course after opposing the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. The group is now calling for California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Paramount CEO David Ellison to reach a settlement, stating, “Global exhibition believes in a bold future for this industry, but reaching our full potential requires working together.” Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw dive into the latest developments in the ongoing Warnermount saga.

Kim Masters talks to Hannah Einbinder, who is up for another supporting actress Emmy for Hacks. But her role in the new film Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma takes her far from the lavish Las Vegas home of Deborah Vance, to a weird and gory place. Einbinder tells Masters about coming-of-age as the child of two show business professionals, making the segue from stand-up comedy into acting, and her belief that fame obligates her to speak up on behalf of the oppressed.

Plus, Masters and Matt Belloni discuss Paramount hinting they will move out of California if their proposed merger with Warner Brothers is delayed beyond October. Paramount is playing hardball with the state Attorneys General, whom they will square off against in court in March 2027 if no settlement is reached.

Kim Masters talks to Lilly Wachowski, co-creator of The Matrix movie franchise, about her new artist-owned, non-profit studio. They discuss how Lilly juggled multiple international film and TV productions while she was transitioning, why she stepped away from the business, and how she’s working to launch the studio, Anarchists United, to showcase marginalized talent. [ In part two of the interview, which will air in a few weeks, Lilly will share behind-the-scenes tales of The Matrix movies, and Bound, the first movie she co-directed with her sister Lana. ]

Plus, Masters and Matt Belloni discuss the impact of pushing the trial against the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger to March 2027. This will mean the Ellison family will have to pay a “ticking fee” for months, as well as further halt any plans to blend the companies.

Eric Deggans talks to Hiro Murai, lead director and executive producer of the Apple TV horror-comedy series Widow’s Bay. They discuss how Murai helped maintain the tricky tone of the Emmy-nominated series, his work with Donald Glover on the FX series Atlanta, and how he keeps the initial spark of creativity alive when dealing with the realities of TV production.

Plus, Kim Masters and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw discuss last week’s halt to the Paramount-Warner merger. What the Ellison family once considered a done deal may be a little less certain at the moment.