On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Cover Story segment, Variety’s Daniel D’Addario details his time with David Harbour as the actor tries to navigate that trickiest of transitions – moving on from a career-making role after five seasons as Jim Hopper on Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” And Marc Malkin brings us a Red […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety‘s Michael Schneider discusses Variety’s plans to take a long look at NBC’s centennial and its role in advancing mass media in the electronic age with the creation of the first radio network. And we have highlights from Kate Aurthur’s recent sit-down with Andy Cohen at the Newport […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Jennifer Maas reports on Summer Game Fest, the gaming industry’s annual product showcase. Xbox and Paramount made news with strategic shifts and an executive appointment. Overall, Maas observes the mood among insiders was better at this year’s event compared to last year, when the games sector was […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Brent Lang breaks down a busy weekend at the turnstiles as “Scary Movie” returned for its first installment in 13 years – and the first in 25 years with a Wayans at the helm. And it was a truly scary weekend for Amazon MGM Studios’ “Masters of […]
The proposed $111 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is approaching completion, but concerns around debt, execution risk, and long-term industry volatility loom large. On the latest episode of the Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Naveen Sarma, sector lead for U.S. media and telecom at S&P Global, explained the rationale for the downgrade his agency gave the […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Rand Getlin, director-executive producer of the HBO documentary “U.S. Against the World: Four Years With the Men’s National Soccer Team,” discusses the road to the World Cup and the rising popularity of men’s and women’s soccer in America. Getlin spent more than four years documenting the road to the […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our box office segment, Variety‘s Rebecca Rubin carefully measures the turnout over the Memorial Day weekend holiday for Disney’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” It was a big test for Disney and Lucasfilm and the strength of the Star Wars franchise at the turnstiles. Meanwhile, Focus Features’ horror […]
On today’s episode of Variety’s “Strictly Business” podcast, Havas Play executives Andrea Isaac and Juliet Tierney discuss insights on reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers — and the differences that distinguish them. The senior leaders of the branded content and experiential marketing unit of marketing giant Havas discuss the sea change in marketing priorities […]
With all the bells and whistles rumored to be a part of Disney’s “super app” plans, there’s one feature that can be ruled out at this time: the AI magic the company had been conjuring via its recently aborted partnership with OpenAI. Which begs a question: Will consumers ever be able to create videos that […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Michael Schneider breaks down the last lap of upfronts week as Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix and YouTube grabbed the megaphone. And Variety music chief Jem Aswad goes deep on the music of “Heated Rivalry” in a session with showrunner Jacob Tierney, composer Peter Peter and music supervisor […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Cover Story segment, we put the spotlight on “Survivor” as the reality stalwart hits Season 50. As detailed by Variety’s Emily Longeretta and Selome Hailu in our cover story, published in print and online today, CBS’ innovative and enduring unscripted juggernaut has set the standard for the […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Brian Steinberg reports on the triple-header kickoff of Upfronts week after attending Monday’s presentations by NBCUniversal, Fox and Amazon Prime Video. He parses each platform’s pitch to Madison Avenue. And we’ll hear from NBCUniversal Entertainment chief business officer Liz Jenkins on risk-taking in the time of disruption, in […]
On today’s special Upfronts-themed episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Rita Ferro, Disney’s president of global advertising, offers a preview of the Mouse House’s May 12 presentation to advertisers in New York. Ferro details Disney’s plan to link the live spectacle of the Grammys, the Super Bowl and the Oscars for big brands. She gives her […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, global star Kate del Castillo details the return of “La Reina del Sur” for a fourth season on Telemundo next year. Her widow-turned-crime boss character Teresa Mendoza will “be touching hell,” del Castillo promises. The global star also touches on the state of the content marketplace and how […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Cover Story segment, Variety’s Daniel D’Addario details his sit-down in Madrid with Javier Bardem, the incredibly busy Spaniard who brings the family drama “The Beloved” to the Cannes Film Festival this year. Bardem opens up to D’Addario about the arc of his career, his advocacy for Palestinians […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, we hear from top movie marketers who discuss the uptick in Gen Z and Gen Alpha moviegoing that is helping to drive this spring’s strong box office. And Variety’s Michael Schneider brings us a bonkers “10 Questions With” Colin Hanks and Ryan Reynolds, who collaborated on the 2025 […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Jack Dunn breaks down the eye-popping opening weekend for 20th Century’s “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and a strong week 2 hold for last week’s surprise hit, “Michael.” The triumphant return of Miranda Priestly and Co. adds momentum and diversity to what […]
As the 2026 box office finishes its spring run with “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” on top and a controversial Michael Jackson film nabbing a record opening for a biopics, no one can argue that transmedia isn’t a key strategy for Hollywood. Nic Hill, co-founder and chief innovation officer at creative agency Sawhorse Productions, knows […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, we look ahead at plans for Variety’s TV Week celebration in a conversation with Variety’s Emily Longeretta. And we take a Vintage Variety look back at the momentous launch of television in the U.S. on the opening day of the New York World’s Fair in 1939, some 87 years […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Cover Story segment, Variety’s Chris Willman details his interview with country star Kacey Musgraves as she begins a new chapter of her life and her career. It’s a revealing interview, just like Musgraves’ new album “Middle of Nowhere,” which bows May 1. Willman, Variety‘s chief music […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin breaks down the recording-setting opening for Lionsgate’s musical biopic “Michael.” And Marc Malkin brings us a Just for Variety report on Madonna’s surprise visit to the Abbey in West Hollywood. Listen to the full episode here: Lionsgate had high hopes […]
On today’s episode of Variety’s “Strictly Business” podcast, NBCUniversal’s Pearlena Igbokwe details the company’s key areas of focus following its transition with the Versant Media spinoff at the start of this year. Igbokwe, who is NBCUniversal’s chairman of Television Studios, NBC Entertainment and Peacock scripted, discusses the return of the pilot process at NBC, the […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, entrepreneurs Tina Knowles and Ashley Graham explain how they have blazed trails to build powerful media and retail brands in highlights from a day’s worth of conversations held at Variety’s annual Entertainment Marketing Summit. The daylong event held in Beverly Hills featured sessions with the industry’s top marketers, […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, breaks down the Warner Bros. Discovery sale saga as the company’s shareholders prepare to vote on the sale to Paramount Skydance. Gordon, who studies mergers and acquisitions and has used Warner Bros. Discovery as a […]
On today’s episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Aleen Dreksler, CEO and founder of Betches Media, details the digital media brand’s origin story and why it blossomed into a hub for comedy and community designed for women. The episode also features a separate conversation from the SXSW festival that highlighted Variety‘s recent 10 Creators to Watch […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Todd Spangler details the growing opposition within media and entertainment to Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. And Marc Malkin talks to documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville about his Focus Features documentary “Lorne,” about the enigmatic “Saturday Night Live” leader. Actor Mark Ruffalo delivered a passionate…
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Gene Maddaus details the Writers Guild of America’s four-year contract agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that will be sent out to members for a ratification vote on April 16. This time around, the guild’s focus was all about shoring up its health […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety music mavens Jem Aswad, Chris Willman and Steven J. Horowitz unpack the first weekend of the Coachella music festival. The three debate the experience of attending the desert gathering in person versus taking it in as “Couchella” via the expansive YouTube live stream options. They also break down […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Jack Dunn unpacks another big weekend for “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” as well as the art of analyzing Friday night box office numbers. And Marc Malkin brings us a Just for Variety interview with John Waters, the iconoclastic director who turns […]
On today’s episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety’s Brent Lang and Elsa Keslassy analyze this year’s Cannes Film Festival lineup, which puts the accent on European auteur filmmakers. And top Hollywood litigator Patricia Glaser talks tough about social media, the Southern California economy, and she offers a full-throated defense of the embattled Casey Wasserman, in […]