Overview of The Town
Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw dig into a grab bag of entertainment-industry headlines: the early Emmys scoreboard, whether this summer’s “record” box office really means the movie business is back, the odds of a federal film production tax credit, and the controversial reboot of 60 Minutes. The episode closes with a quick awards-season check-in on A24’s crowded fall slate and the buzz around Nathan Fielder’s surprise Telluride project.
Emmys Snapshot
Early winners and the HBO vs. Apple battle
- After the first two nights of Creative Arts Emmys, Apple TV+ led with 19 wins, HBO/HBO Max had 16, and Netflix trailed with 13.
- The hosts note that Netflix’s big nomination counts don’t always translate into primetime wins.
- A key storyline is whether Apple can keep taking wins from HBO, especially in major comedy/drama categories.
- The discussion suggests Netflix may underperform relative to its nomination total, while Apple continues to look strong per show.
Summer Box Office: Record on the Surface, Softer in Reality
The headline numbers
- Domestic box office from May 1 through Labor Day reached an estimated $4.76 billion, per Rentrak.
- That is about 9% above 2019 in nominal dollars.
- But when adjusted for inflation, 2019’s summer total is closer to $5.7 billion, meaning this summer is roughly 17% below 2019.
Why the “record” is misleading
- The hosts argue that these “record” comparisons are functionally bullshit without inflation adjustment.
- They also point out the calendar advantage: this year had an extra week of summer because Labor Day fell later.
- Attendance remains the bigger concern:
- U.S. theaters sold 568.4 million tickets from Jan. 1 to Aug. 16.
- That’s down about 30% from 2019.
What’s actually driving revenue
- Higher ticket prices are helping revenue:
- Average U.S. ticket price is now around $12.75.
- Premium formats like IMAX are charging around $20.
- The summer was also more top-heavy than usual, with a few massive titles doing most of the work.
- More wide releases helped:
- 40 movies opened on 2,000+ screens, versus 34 last summer.
- The takeaway:
- The summer was good for the box office, but not proof that theatrical attendance has fully recovered.
Studios, theaters, and IMAX
- Theaters care most about volume and variety, not just a few huge hits.
- The conversation notes that even movies labeled “flops” can still bring meaningful dollars to exhibitors.
- IMAX got a huge boost from a few major titles, but the hosts question whether IMAX is genuinely a great standalone business or just highly dependent on a couple of event films each year.
Federal Film Production Tax Credit: Helpful, But Hard to Pass
Where they agree
- Both hosts think some version of a federal production tax credit could happen.
- Matt is relatively bullish, while Lucas is more skeptical about the politics.
Why Lucas is cautious
- The bill doesn’t yet have a guaranteed constituency in Congress.
- “Hollywood tax breaks” can be an easy target, especially for Republicans.
- Even with Trump’s public support, the proposal may still be seen as low priority or politically awkward.
What the bill would need to work
Lucas argues the final legislation would need:
- Full refundability
- Stacking on top of existing incentives
- A structure that helps offset above-the-line talent costs, which is one reason productions still go to the UK
The bigger competitive issue
- The real threat is international competition from:
- the UK
- Canada
- Eastern Europe
- Those regions already attract U.S. productions with aggressive incentives.
- Without strong enough federal terms, the credit could become too weak to meaningfully move production back to the U.S.
60 Minutes 2.0: Rebranding a Ratings Giant
What’s changing
- CBS’s revamped 60 Minutes is debuting with a new creative direction under Barry Weiss and Nick Bilton.
- Reported changes include:
- no more signature book-opening graphic
- no more walk-and-talks
- more visible changes to presentation and structure
- a push to use more experts in stories rather than only traditional correspondents
The hosts’ skepticism
- The show is already the top broadcast news program and still draws a large, loyal older audience.
- Matt questions why CBS would risk changing a format that already works.
- Lucas thinks the real goal may be:
- to make the show feel more modern
- to expand its digital footprint
- to create more social-friendly clips for YouTube/Instagram
Will younger viewers actually come?
- Both are doubtful that cosmetic changes to the Sunday-night broadcast will suddenly bring in 20-year-olds.
- The more likely outcome:
- older viewers either keep watching
- or notice the changes and dislike them
- They debate whether the premiere will clear 10 million viewers, with Matt leaning over and Lucas leaning under.
Awards-Season Watch: Nathan Fielder, A24, and Telluride Buzz
Nathan Fielder’s Telluride surprise
- A surprise screening of the Nathan Fielder / Elizabeth Holmes project at Telluride generated major awards chatter.
- The hosts admire Fielder’s ability to create a stunt and get attention, but caution against declaring it an instant Best Picture contender.
A24’s crowded fall slate
A24 has several major awards contenders coming:
- the Nathan Fielder project
- Primetime starring Robert Pattinson
- a Chris Rock-directed film
- Club Kid
- Jesse Eisenberg’s new film with Paul Giamatti and Julianne Moore
Likeliest box-office breakout
- Of the slate, the hosts think Robert Pattinson’s film is the most likely theatrical breakout.
- Their logic:
- Pattinson is the biggest bankable star in the group
- the concept has online buzz
- the subject matter feels more accessible than the others
Key Takeaways
- The summer box office looked stronger than it really was once inflation and attendance are factored in.
- Moviegoing remains hit-driven and top-heavy, with fewer total tickets sold than pre-pandemic.
- A federal production tax credit may be politically possible, but only if it’s robust enough to matter.
- CBS’s 60 Minutes revamp feels riskier than necessary unless the real strategy is digital growth, not just linear TV.
- Awards season is heating up, with A24 and Nathan Fielder driving early conversation.