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Every Tuesday, we’ll deliver insights on the top stories and trends, including the competition between Netflix and YouTube, the collapse of the production economy in California, the state of influencer culture on TikTok and the recovery of the box office from COVID-19 shutdowns.
We’ll highlight the best and most awkward marketing tie-ins and the most plausible and implausible explanations for the latest flop. We’ll take you through the nuts and bolts of the biggest stories from our Hollywood Inc. team, including our investigations, scoops, profiles and analyses.
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Your host
Hi! I’m Samantha Masunaga, and I write about the business of the Hollywood movie studios for The Times’ Hollywood Inc. team.
I’m a Southern California native and have spent nearly my entire life in California (so when the weather gets below 70 degrees, it’s time for a jacket). I’ve been at The Times since 2014, most of that time on the business desk, where I primarily covered the aerospace industry. I joined the Hollywood Inc. team in 2024 to cover the business of film. So far, I’ve written about topics like film and TV tax credits, the Hollywood production slowdown, Paramount’s acquisition by David Ellison’s Skydance Media and the Walt Disney Co.
I grew up watching a lot of animated movies and have a special soft spot for rom-coms, musicals, period dramas and unique horror films. In my spare time, I like to crochet, visit national parks and play Dungeons and Dragons.
Got some good gossip, feedback or thoughts on the future of entertainment? Email me at: [email protected] or get in touch on LinkedIn.
Latest Wide Shot Newsletters
Netflix might be known for its shows, but the streamer’s investment in film, including the recently released “Frankenstein” from Guillermo del Toro, is all part of its strategy.
Stung by the loss of subscribers, cable and satellite services are aggressively developing ways to court cord-cutters.
Taylor Swift’s reign at the box office this weekend highlights the importance of nontraditional fare at theaters.
It’s been a tough year at the box office, but one silver lining has been the success of original films.
Pressure mounted on Disney since its decision Wednesday to take the late-night show off the air after threats from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and a revolt of major station owners who objected to Kimmel’s comments about the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
Another major movie studio lost? A combination of two mass-market streaming services? Get ready for more turmoil and little pushback.
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” gave movie theaters a much needed jolt. But it will take more than supernatural scares to ease Hollywood’s jitters after a weak summer movie season that exposed more challenges facing the film industry.
For Law, producing partner Ben Jackson and their production company, Riff Raff Entertainment, “Black Rabbit” marks a big step as their first episodic TV effort produced from inception.
People who advocate for the multiplex keep hoping that something like the “KPop Demon Hunters” screenings will prove that Ted Sarandos is mistaken and theatrical windows will actually benefit Netflix. Don’t hold your breath.
Movies from India have found success on the world stage before. But the filmmakers behind ‘Ramayana’ — an upcoming two-part epic based on one of the most important texts in Hinduism — have something more ambitious in mind.
