Strictly Business

On today's episode, Luminate analyst Tyler Aquilina details his report, "Hollywood Exodus," on the production crisis in L.A. in a conversation with host Andrew Wallenstein. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three years after he signed off CBS’ “The Late Late Show,” James Corden is having the time of his life hosting the World Cup after show for Fox, “After Hours With James Corden.” The multihyphenate discusses the joy of indulging in his lifelong love of football and why the call from Fox Sports was the one hosting gig that he's been offered in recent years that he could...

On today’s episode, Variety ’s Elsa Keslassy explains the battle that is brewing in France between Netflix and other streamers over the country’s programming quotas and its theatrical movie windowing rules. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Variety’ s Jennifer Maas details Microsoft’s massive overhaul of its Xbox unit with 3,200 layoffs and a realignment of operations coming under newly appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Variety ’s Rebecca Rubin breaks down a muted July 4th holiday weekend at the box office with a tepid U.S. opening for Universal and Illumination’s “Minions and Monsters” but a solid turnout for indie Angel Studios’ “Young Washington.” And Variety 's K.J. Yossman explains why Comcast's Sky has struck a deal to buy U.K. broadcaster ITV for $2.1 billion. See...

Top leaders from NBCUniversal, IBM, State Farm, Autodesk and Coinbase talk shop and compare notes on marketing, tech and consumer trends in conversations with Todd Spangler, Variety's business editor. Recorded June 22-25 in the Canva Creative Cabana space at the  Cannes Lions international festival of creativity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Variety ’s Jennifer Maas explains how notable directors David Fincher and Zach Cregger helped shape Netflix’s ambitious new property “Unhinged,” which is a video game that plays like a TV series and your smartphone is the controller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Variety ’s Marlow Stern unpacks LeBron James’ decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons and one championship title. The shakeup leaves one of the NBA’s most high-profile teams a little short on star power. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, CNBC president KC Sullivan discusses the channel’s evolution following the Versant Media spinoff. The preeminent financial news network is transforming from a business rooted in linear cable to multiplatform digital. “We’re very much on offense,” Sullivan told Variety during last week’s Cannes Lions festival. See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

On today’s episode, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Jack Dunn breaks down a rough weekend for “Supergirl” and a big frame for “Toy Story 5” and “Michael.” And Todd Spangler explains why Comcast is hauling out the corporate meat cleaver t o separate NBCUniversal and Sky from the core Comcast cable and tech assets. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

On a special Cannes Lions edition, top leaders from AWS, Deloitte and Sony Pictures Entertainment get into the details of how organizations can best use new technology and data tools for transformation. Executives need to get their "hands dirty" in order to harness the power of tech to streamline and address complex problems. That was one key takeaway from the Variety  “Strictly Busines...

On today’s episode, writer and showrunner Justin Halpern speaks with Variety’s Michael Schneider about the road to writing his novel “Get Lost,” which will be released next month. Halpern updates Schneider on a few TV development projects, including  the status of high school memoir “I Suck at Girls” at Netflix and the upcoming season of ABC’s “...

On a special Cannes Lions edition of "Strictly Business," Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade explains why the company is going all-in on the creator economy with the launch of the Fox Creator Studios division to partner with promising creators who are eager to grow. Josh Richards, one of the first wave of creators to align with Fox, explains the appeal of the effort to bridge old and new school in med...

On today’s episode, Apple content chief Eddy Cue and producer Jerry Bruckheimer speak to Variety at the Cannes Lions festival about the tech giant’s influence in entertainment, how they’re working to get Brad Pitt back into a fast car for an “F1” movie sequel and how Apple’s incoming CEO feels about the company's expansion into TV and film. See omnystudio.com/li...

On today’s episode, in our Box Office segment, Variety’s Rebecca Rubin breaks down 2026’s biggest weekend at the turnstiles to date with “Toy Story 5” delivering the goods for Disney and Pixar. That turnout has lifted the summer-to-date box office to within striking distance of 2019. And the Cannes Lions festival gets off to a busy – and muggy – start on t...

The elder statesman of Hollywood attorneys, Ken Ziffren has logged more than 50 years in Los Angeles’ legal community. He’s represented a wide range of players from the late great showrunner entrepreneur Stephen J. Cannell to the Television Academy to the Directors Guild of America. In this conversation with host Cynthia Littleton, Ziffren touches on his effort to re-establish some con...

On today’s episode, Owen Gleiberman, Variety ’s chief film critic, sings the praises of Pixar’s “Toy Story” movies as the fifth installment arrives in theaters on June 19. Pixar’s pioneering CG animated series, which began in 1995, amounts to “some of the greatest movies ever made about childhood,” Gleiberman enthuses. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

On today's episode, Ana Valdez, president and CEO of the Latino Donor Collaborative, details the nonprofit organization's work with McKinsey & Co. on their l atest report on Latino representation in mainstream movies and TV shows. The numbers are going in the wrong direction, and that means Hollywood is leaving money on the table, as Valdez explains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

On today’s episode, in our Cover Story segment, Variety ’s Gene Maddaus unpacks the brawl that has erupted as Hollywood’s systemic problems become a pivotal political issue in the race for L.A. mayor and California governor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, in our Box Office segment, Variety ’s Rebecca Rubin weighs the opening weekend of Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day." And Todd Spangler breaks down the surprise news of Fox Corp.’s acquisition of Roku. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, gives a wide-ranging interview on the evolution of Amazon’s media strategy, how the MGM acquisition has changed the company, why the streamer is investing heavily in sports and why Amazon has no regrets about the Melania Trump documentary film and upcoming docu-series. Hopkins also touches on the Amazon channels bu...

On today’s episode, 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 Carpet Rundown with Taylor Swift and Joan Cusack f...

On today’s episode,  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 Beach TV Fest. The two reflect on the “ongoing documentary...

On today’s episode, 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 that the mood among insiders was better at this year’s event compared to last year, when the games sector was hit by layoffs and disappointing release...

On today’s episode, Variety ’s Brent Lang breaks down a busy weekend at the turnstiles as “Scary Movie” returned for its first installment in 13 years – and first in 25 years with a Wayans at the helm. And it was a truly scary weekend for Amazon MGM Studios’ “Masters of the Universe,” which stumbled in its opening weekend. See omnystudio.com/listener...