This week, Eitan & Carl look at the NBA's options for the next decade of basketball streaming rights.
No episode next week – the boys will be too busy playing LinkedIn games!
Buying Paramount's a lot trickier than you'd expect. Carl & Eitan detail the potential paths for Skydance, Apollo and/or Sony to acquire the Redstone's National Amusements holding company and/or Paramount outright. The boys also discuss Netflix's latest investor obfuscation tactic and Alex Garland's brilliant Civil War.
We start the episode with Eitan recounting an unconventional book presentation experience, and then launching into a conversation on some of the nuances in book distribution and overall business tactics in the current literary world.
The boys then dive into spoiler-free analyses of their recent silver screen experiences. Hear Eitan's thoughts on 'Monkey Man', Dev Patel’s intriguing directorial debut, alongside Carl's perspectives on 'Civil War', the gripping new picture by SID-darling Alex Garland.
On the boys' first-ever Friday episode, Carl & Eitan loopily discuss Cinemacon announcements & early reviews of the Humane Ai Pin.
A 20-rundown of the latest big media and entertainment business news? You got it!
Carl and Eitan start by exploring the news and impact of Endeavour, Ari Emmanuel's modern media conglomerate, being taken private by Silver Lake for $13B.
After that, they check in on the latest of Disney's corporate drama and their proxy fight with activist investors.
Finally, they close out with more thoughts on Netflix's 3 Body Problem!
This week, Carl & Eitan look into rumors surrounding a potential exit for Alamo Drafthouse from its private equity overlords. They also catch up on Shogun and 3 Body Problem in a quick WAW segment.
Paramount Mountain is starting to look like a hill.
In this week's episode Carl and Eitan analyze the bid to acquire Paramount's studios business by private equity giant Apollo.
After that, they preview a potential DOJ suit against Apple.
Join us!
Resident Oscars correspondent Kevin Sachs joins Carl & Eitan to discuss the 2024 Oscars ceremony. Beyond the ceremony itself, the boys name the most deserving snubs that should have been in the conversation. Carl also crowns the 2024 Goldfinch Award winner.
Despite Oppenheimer's strong performance at the Oscars, Eitan & Carl refuse to concede the Awards Draft to Kevin until the WGA Awards are finalized.
(Oscar recap episode coming later this week!)
In this week's episode, the boys talk about Dune's sandstorm taking over the box office, including Eitan's spoiler-free review.
After that, they go Apple's decision to cancel their car project and explore what might have driven them to do so.
Come for the in-depth business analysis, stay for the Meme 101 class.
Eitan is worried; is AMC dead?
Spulu? Sony? Sawesome!
In this episode, Carl and Eitan explore the latest in the Spulu saga (Sports + Hulu, very creative media Twitter) before exploring why no one has thought about Sony's media assets as an M&A opportunity, especially considering their we-don't-have-a-streaming-channel-and-license-to-everyone strategy.
After that, Carl shares his long-awaited thoughts on the Apple VisionPro after being able to take it for a spin.
After briefly touching on it last week, Carl and Eitan dedicate most of this episode to a deep dive into Disney, Fox, and WBD's new sports venture.
They explore potential repercussions, how rights licensing might work, and even brainstorm some potential (bad) names.
In the movie front they catch up on American Fiction and The Taste of Things.
1 hour. 6 bold predictions. 2 corrections from the future. 1 new Stuck in Development award: Best Something Of How Things Operate in a Take.
Every year Carl and Eitan make hot takes about what they think will happen over the next 12 months. That's the fun part.
A year later, its time to check the receipts. In this episode, Eitan and Carl go through their 2023 predictions and explore what they got right and what they got wrong, paying special attention to the causes of each action.
Join us for this review episode to get ready for next week's 2024 hot takes!
The SID Awards draft heats up (for Carl & Kevin, at least) as Carl & Eitan review the Oscar nominations. The two also try to make sense of Netflix's WWE deal.
After a hectic first three weeks of 2024, Eitan and Carl are finally back!
In this episode, they catch up on two movies that overperformed a bit in Oscar nominations (even though this episode was recorded before they came out): Maestro and The Zone of Interest.
They also check in on Apple's rocky start of the year ahead of what seems to be a critical 2024 for the Cupertino company.
Happy new year!
Carl and Eitan are back in the swing of things after a small break for Eitan's wedding (!!).
The main topics in this episode are Carl's love for the latest installment of the Hunger Games universe, and trying to figure out what Bob Iger means when he says some Disney movies are not performing well because they didn't have "enough on-set supervision".
They also talk Eileen, Godzilla Minus One taking over the world, and anticipate how great December will be in terms of movie releases.
SID has become unstuck in time. In this episode from 2.5 weeks ago, Carl and Eitan discuss whether Warner Bros' Coyoto vs. Acme could ever be a wise (or moral) decision; quickly discuss the now-very-wrapped-up SAG-AFTRA strike's implications on streaming numbers; and catch up on The Killer and The Holdovers.
Have you ever wished there was a contest where 3 media strategy nerds drafted movies and tracked how many nominations and wins each one gets across 10+ different awards shows to ultimately crown the 2023 Movie Award Champion? You have? Well, do we have a treat for you!
In this episode, Carl and Eitan are joined by award and game master Kevin to draft the slate of movies more likely to reap the highest number of points. They also use this exercise to share their predictions of how things might shake out.
We'll be tracking scores after every award ceremony, updating you with rankings and how quickly Carl, Eitan, and/or Kevin start losing faith in their picks.
This is a fun one. Join us!
Carl and Eitan jam-packed this week's episode with a few pet topics. At the Box Office, they dissect the appeal of Five Nights at Freddy's and discuss Eitan's experience with Killers of the Flower Moon. They then attempt to read between the strategy lines of Disney's (full) Hulu acquisition and Apple's primetime "Scary Fast" event. The two spend the most time reveling in the schadenfreude of the collapsing multiverse that is the MCU.
The remaining movie schedule for 2023 looks good. The streaming price increases look bad (but make sense).
In this episode, Carl and Eitan take stock of what's left of 2023. Join us!
Carl & Eitan discuss The Creator and Satya Nadella's testimony against Google in the U.S. and Plaintiff States v. Google LLC antitrust case.
A single canary in a coal mine is usually a signal of change to come. But multiple canaries? In multiple coal mines? A wave of changes is coming.
In this episode Eitan and Carl go through many different cracks the media market is showing, what they mean, and how they might play out. They include content licensing, targetting, acquisition valuations, new weird streaming ad-tiers, and many more!
Join us.
Eitan provides Carl with a free therapy session on – what else – the state of streaming media. Also covered are Charter's updated contract with Disney as well as Disney's non-announcements about the future of Animal Kingdom.
This is an episode about moving past clinging to the past.
Eitan and Carl delve into the latest news regarding potential farewells in the near future. They discuss what the fight between Charter and Disney could signify for the future of the cable TV industry, and speculate about a possible goodbye to the DinoLand U.S.A section of Animal Kingdom.
Join us!
PS - There have already been updates to some of the topics of this episode since we recorded it, Eitan and Carl will catch everyone up in the next one!
PSS - Eitan said Anne Hathaway was the lead actress of Gravity instead of Sandra Bullock, please forgive him
Carl's a ramblin' man after a week off from recording with Eitan. While essentially rehashing Eitan's solo episode, the two chat wade through a variety of tangents (Ready Player One! Warner's 2024 release calendar!) before discussing ESPN's sports betting gamble and the iPhone's prophesied transition to USB C chargers.
At first, this episode wasn't supposed to happen. And then a lot of things happened.
With Carl unable to record this week, we first thought we wouldn't record.
But then Microsoft tweaked its acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. And then Warner Brothers Discovery delayed Dune 2 to 2024.
So Eitan had to act. Join him as he quickly powers through a crazy week!
Carl and Eitan are NOT here for the modern streaming era today. The two are unable to easily find the movies they want to stream, and they're dismissive of perennial "you know, Disney could buy Apple..." takes.
Netflix added 5.9M subscribers in Q2! The password sharing is working! Or is it?
In this episode, Carl and Eitan dig deep into Netflix's results and analyze if all the hype around their earnings number is warranted.
They also spend some time finally talking a bit more about Barbie, and close out by sharing some Kickstarters that they've backed over the years.
Matt Stevens' 'Good Movies as Old Books' Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mattstevensclt/good-movies-as-old-books-vol2/
Kronecker Wallis Books: https://www.kroneckerwallis.com/
As part of SID's eternal quest to not not be a Disney strategy podcast, Carl & Eitan bring numbers (and Eitan's sports perspective) to a number of rumors concerning ESPN, ABC & former top Disney execs Tom Staggs & Kevin Mayer. They also spend another 15 minutes on Oppenheimer while only giving Barbie 2 minutes... an offense that will be rectified next week.
It's not common for an episode of Stuck in Development to focus on movies that Eitan has seen but Carl hasn't. This week is one of those.
To make it even more unexpected, it happened during Oppenheimer + Barbie weekend. In this "first version" of the episode the boys marvel at the performance of these summer blockbusters, as well as their perceived cultural impact after one weekend.
After that, Eitan gives his spoiler-free review of Oppie and Barbie, before closing with some (very positive) thoughts on the second season of The Bear.
Did you ever see a news headline start with "Fire at...[insert place here]" and expect it to be a metaphorical fire given all the problems said place is going through, just for it to turn out to be an actual fire? Well, that's what happened to Warner Brothers Discovery.
In this episode Carl & Eitan explore the latest problems the water-tower studio has faced, check in on the now tweet-limited Twitter, and run through quick reviews of Indiana Jones and Elemental.
Oh, and Eitan is back!
It's an Oops! All WAWW! episode on SiD this week as Alex Szmutko steps in for Eitan. Alex & Carl discuss a host of movies & TV shows they've been watching & debating lately. Topics include:
TV: Halt and Catch Fire, The Bear, Black Mirror, The Other Two, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Film: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, Master Gardener, Past Lives, You Hurt My Feelings, Across the Spider-Verse, and Asteroid City
After many years of joking Eitan actually had his bachelor party at Disney World. He was joined by close friends (including Carl!), and this week's episode is all about reviews and reactions!
With the help of votes from all of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Friends, Carl and Eitan go through their favorite rides, snacks or drinks, and vibes. They also touch on the things they thought are underrated in Disney World, as well as some overall takeaways from the trip!
Come for Tower of Terror appreciation, and stay for the Living With the Land love.
Shelby Vanhooser and Nick Sparks join Carl & Eitan to break down Apple's Vision Pro announcement at 2023 WWDC 2023. The boys approach the product from a variety of perspectives, from a historical tour through Apple's post-iPhone product launches to some galaxy-brained (but plausible) Meta-crushing conspiracy theories. Ultimately, they try to answer one thing: who is this device possibly for?
Follow us on socials @stuckindevpod
With that title...is this another movie review episode? Right? Not this time!
Carl and Eitan kick off the episode by analyzing Disney's announcing the closure of the Galactic Starcruiser multi-day experience. They go through its history, explore why it might have failed, and predict whether the Mouse should give it another shot at the concept.
After that, the boys analyze Disney taking content out of Disney+, and GM + Google's joint venture around car infotainment systems.
Hello... Imaginears? This week, Carl and Eitan check in on a wave of developing topics including the WGA Strike and Disney streaming & theatrical news. They also (surprisingly!) come down favorably on a new flash-in-the-pan-sounding startup called Telly.
"What? Another SID episode where the title is an English saying Eitan gets wrong? Typical..."
The boys kick off the episode by blasting into Eitan's review and thoughts about Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Marvel's latest try to regain their magic. After that, they check on the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike and finish by looking forward to a potential box-office record-breaking weekend later in the summer.
Join us!
Carl & Eitan discuss a number of developing stories with familiar and favorite themes: executive shakeups, theme park disasters, MoviePass and impending strikes!
If a major streaming service changes its name, but nothing really changes (apart from adding "not high quality" content), does it make a sound?
That's what HBO Max announced this week, and Carl and Eitan break it all down.
After that, they check in with Netflix's weird week, where they announced they are (finally?) shutting down their DVD delivery/rental services, and had a nightmare scenario during their second-ever livestream.
They close the episode by checking in on the latest Twitter Twitter, before trying to cleanse their palate with a quick AUA.
Carl & Eitan keep saying this, but... theaters are back! You know theaters are back when projects like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Air, and How to Blow Up a Pipeline are filling seats at cinemas. Streaming, on the other hand, isn't the hot market it (somehow) once was. In this week's main topic, the boys dive into the hopes Warner Bros. Discovery is pinning on their ""Max"" rebrand.
At the end of the episode, the two finally do a properly-quarantined spoiler segment to chat about the bombshell 3rd episode of Succession's final season.
$17B, $10B, $1B.
There are the three numbers that drive today's episode. One is an acquisition, one represents a future investment, and the third one is a yearly goal.
Who signed up for each one? What do they represent? Are they a good idea? Join us and find out!
Carl and Eitan discuss the (ongoing) implosion of the DC and Marvel franchises. In better news, Eitan had a great time seeing John Wick 4!
In part 2 of his 4th SID appearance, Kevin Sachs returns to debrief the Oscars. Carl, fresh from his move to Texas, reviews last week's "Snub Brackets". Carl also gives out The 2022 Goldfinch Award For The Wide-Release Film From An Established Director That Was Widely Reviled Or Ignored But I Also Loved!
Pre-Oscar episodes are one of SID's yearly traditions. This year also marked a milestone with the first episode without one of the boys, as Carl is moving to Austin! If they were ever going to miss an episode, it had to be for a great reason. This is as positive as it gets!
Filling in for Carl, but also filling in his newly appointed role as 'contemporary Holywood historian', is friend of the pod Kevin. In this episode, Eitan and Kevin go through some predictions, check-in on the historical run of EEAAO, share some potential surprises, and take part in Stuck in Development's first ever Oscar Snub Draft (which Carl will decide the winner of next week).
Before they dive into these topics, Ariela joins the podcast to share her experience in a special early screening of Cocaine Bear.
This is a long one but a good one!
Eitan joins Carl in SID's West Coast recording studio (Carl's bedroom) to discuss a very slows news week. Topics include Angela Basset Doing The Thing, first QuANTuMANia reactions (public reactions, not ours), Alamo Drafthouse subscription pricing, and The Last of Us.
Price Discrimination is expanding into new frontiers!!
From AMC's seat-based pricing, Netflix'ss push to block password sharing, Twitter Blue, and the newly announced Meta Verified (announced a couple of days after we recorded), the media and entertainment business is taking another round at using the good ol' concept to organize customer offerings based on willingness to pay. In this episode, Eitan and Carl break down AMC and Netflix's latest attempts.
Before that, Eitan joins the Babylon Hive. Will Carl try to pull him? Would he encourage it? Listen to find out!
Eitan
2023 is up and running. Layoffs, antitrust, and even already a correct prediction by one of the hosts!
After catching up on some of the latest musings, Carl and Eitan go through the Oscar nominations they found surprising (for either positive or negative reasons).
Carl & Eitan place their bets on the trends & developments that will shape media & technology in 2023. They have a wide-ranging discussion from *sigh* 3 different Disney-adjacent predictions to Netflix to Apple's expected entry into VR.
Spoiler: One of Eitan's predictions already came true!
It's 2023!
This means it's time to look back at our predictions for 2022 and try to find ways to prove them right. Eitan and Carl go through each other's predictions and share why things panned out the way they did.
After that, they shared some of their favorite highlights of the past year in the world of media and entertainment.
Come listen and help us decide if 2022 was a good year.
Note: Eitan's audio is not great in this episode, but he is back to his regular setup and things should be back to normal by next episode!
In classic Stuck in Development fashion, Carl & Eitan spend their first episode of 2023 catching up with each other about their favorite books & films they devoured during the holidays. Discussed are the novel Babel, or the Necessity of Violence as well as films Glass Onion, Avatar: The Way of Water and Wendell & Wild.
After a thrilling 10-minute discussion about credit card benefits, Carl & Eitan visit dramatic new developments in some pet interest areas:
- Twitter!
- weird fiscal decisions by HBO!
- Star Wars development hell!
- Apple-targeting antitrust regulations!
- Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio!
- Avatar!
- Roger Deakins!
An episode with a check-in on the tech world, movie reviews, box-office analysis, and bold Netflix-related predictions? This is a prototypical SID episode.
After Eitan shares some exciting personal news the boys go through the now usual Twitter Twitter, the still baffling decision by Netflix to release Glass Onion for only a week, the reaction to Disney's Strange World, and a quick WAA of Bones and All, The Fablemann's and the aforementioned Knives Out sequel.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
Eitan & Carl discuss the implosions of Twitter & Harry Potter before touching on the impending World Cup. They also check in with each other on a host of recent films: Bardo, Armageddon Time, The Banshees of Inisherin and Black Panther.
Most importantly……Star Wars might be good now?
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
Drama at the House of Mouse! Chapek out, Iger in. Out with new, in with the old-that-is-also-new.
As if Carl and Eitan didn't already love Disney's executive history, they can finally react live to this market-shaking moment.
In this emergency episode, they explore what might have led to this move, how Chapek's time will be remembered, and what is likely to be at the top of Iger's to-do list.
Join us!
What a week. Carl and Eitan are confused.
Box Office? Confusing. Everything happening at Twitter? Confusing. Netflix's ad-tier having a super bumpy roll out? Very confusing.
Join the boys in this episode as they try to make sense of this topics and more!
It’s not a surprise that Carl & Eitan have lots of thoughts on Elon’s Twitter acquisition & Meta’s stock collapse. It *is* a bit of a shock that they have… 20 minutes worth of thoughts on Pantone color licensing.
They also briefly discuss new DC CEOs James Gunn (!!) and Peter Safran.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
Join Eitan and Carls for Stuck in Development's 100th episode!! (*insert celebratory music here*)
The boys start this special episode by going through the WAAW segment for Triangle of Sadness, Ticket to Paradise, and Decision to Leave before checking in on the latest news in a galaxy far, far away.
Then, they spend the rest of the time looking back at their journey through the last 99 episodes, sharing how they've seen themselves and each other grow, and how they've seen SID impact the way they perceive not only the entertainment industry but also the world at large.
Here is to the next 100th episodes!
Lydia Tár, BTS, Kanye West – everyone’s getting CANCELED!
As promised last week, Carl & Eitan make a promised transition away from film criticism and into business strategy, but not before spending a few minutes in TÁR Corner. They discuss the government-mandated breakup of K-pop giant BTS, and they spend the majority of the episode digging into the twin horrors of a Ye-owned Parler and an Elon-owned Twitter. This also offers Eitan & Carl a chance to talk through the plausibility of WeChat-like “super apps” in an American market.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
After a mini fall break, Carl and Eitan are back in full swing.
They start by catching up on their reverse reviews for Avatar and Don't Worry Darling, before going through their now ongoing segment "Flight movies: the ones you love to hate". In this instance, they go through Jurassic World Dominion, Lightyear, and Thor: Love and Thunder.
After that, they share their disbelief at yet another Netflix strategy decision (shocking, we know), and then close the episode with a report about Eitan's trip to Walt Disney World.
Come for the talk of theme park infrastructure, and stay for the comparison of the sci-fi depth between Lightyear and Interstellar.
We'll be back in a week!
Don’t Worry Darling and Avatar have dominated film discourse over the past few weeks, so Carl & Eitan took it upon themselves to report on each film from the front lines of their AMC recliners. In this episode, they also touch on NBC’s newly-minted one-year deal to bring the Golden Globes back to TV in 2023.
There is an Inside Out 2 in development? A Magic Mike 3!?
Carl and Eitan start the episode talking about the latest contract mishap in the House of Mouse, with Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling reportedly not coming back to reprise their roles in Inside Out 2.
Later, they chat about the announcement that Magic Mike 3 going theatrical instead of directly to HBO Max, with Eitan using it as a springboard to expand his famous Encanto Paradox.
Finally, they bemoan the latest M&A speculation around WarnerDiscovery and explore if the potential merger with NBCUniversal is as telegraphed as the market seems to wish.
Throughout their first 94 episodes, Carl and Eitan have talked about theme parks countless times. From their love to solve the logistical puzzles they represent to their favorite rides and even what their perfect day at Disneyland looks like (check episode 8 for that one). Throughout those conversations, something they've never done is explore in-depth the role they represent within Disney's business, especially as they relate to market competition. It was long overdue, and they finally did it this week.
As part of their conversations, Carl and Eitan use last week's D23 conference as a springboard to chat about Disney's lack of big announcements around their parks, the threat that Universal's upcoming Epic Universe could pose, and how competitive forces and timing impact companies' ability to adapt.
In news this week they quickly run through the Emmy's, which they may or may not have known were happening until they appeared on their timeline.
As Tom Cruise and Paramount continue to shatter records, Carl and Eitan look at two high-stakes new releases: Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and Warner Brothers' Don't Worry Darling. Both properties threaten to tank their respective studios, but the latter has even Wilder cultural implications.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
After two weeks away, Eitan needs to be caught up on everything that happened in the world of entertainment!
The news list is long and varied: a potential MoviePass renaissance, Netflix's pricing for their ad-supported tier, yet another plane WAWW, and AMC's latest APE-driven business decision.
In the early days of streaming, Hulu was an idyllic neutral zone between the major TV networks and studios. Fifteen years later, it’s a lame duck. Despite having best-in-class originals and content from FX, the service fits awkwardly within Disney’s distribution portfolio. As major competitors such as Netflix and HBO Max evolve to fit a changing market, it’s unclear what will happen next for Hulu. This week, Carl & Eitan try to make that question a little clearer.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
HBO Max and WarnerDiscovery took the Hollywood news-cycle hostage for a week. It didn't let it take even a bathroom break.
In this week's episode, Carl and Eitan dissect all the twists and turns the newly created content behemoth went through over the last 7 days. They touch on the canned Batgirl movie, the curious case of the disappearing HBO MAX originals, and the not-so-great earnings report.
Are these moves an overreaction to the market dynamics? Is the panic showing in a company that has long touted its plans to be acquired? Do any of the moves make sense? What might come next? Join us as we go through these and many more questions.
For Stuck in Development's 90th episode (thank you, everyone!!), Carl and Eitan deliver a quintessential SID episode: a mix of business strategy (including some ARPU calculations), Holywood <> Silicon Valey dealmaking, a movie review, and an AUA around a feature AMC is using to try to lure viewers back into theaters.
In the first of two main topics today, they start by exploring Netflix's decision to choose Microsoft as their ad-serving partner for the new tier, and why it makes more sense than what the initial industry reaction may suggest.
Later, they take a tour through Agua Dulce Canyon and share their thoughts around the latest Jordan Peele release, Nope.
Nick Sparks returns to SID to guide Carl & Eitan through the future of college football. Major conference realignments and new NIL rules have up-ended the existing power structures, ultimately affecting the negotiation power of universities within the sports media distribution landscape.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
Do Carl and Eitan ever disagree? If they do, is it ever strongly? This episode answers this question. Multiple times.
In this week's episode, the boys spend most of their time checking in. From its updated UX, to the news about a potential comeback into Amazon Prime Channels, this top-tier streamer leads Eitan and Carl into uncharted waters: strong disagreements.
In other topics, they touch on Disney's newest cruise ship, and spend 7 minutes more than they wanted check-in on the latest Twitter v Musk battle.
Come for the analysis, stay for the spice.
This episode may as well be your grandmother’s Facebook feed, because it is jam-packed with Minions content (despite the fact that neither Carl or Eitan have had the chance to catch up with this weekend’s Minions: The Rise of Gru). The two use the record-breaking success of the new film to reassess the premium video-on-demand (PVOD) fever that swept studios in summer 2020 and resulted in some strange deals between Universal and theatrical exhibitors.
In news, they also look Bob Chapek’s renewed contract at Disney.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
Carl & Eitan talk baseball (Eitan’s favorite sports topic) and sports media rights (Carl’s favorite sports topic) as they walk through the pricing strategy of NESN’s new DTC offering for Red Sox fans. In news this week, they debate the effect of Lightyear’s dismal box office performance on the future of Pixar’s placement in the Disney portfolio, and they take a look at announced streaming investments from Paramount & Apple.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @stuckindevpod
Driven by a schedule-constrain creative rush, Carl and Eitan introduce a new episode type: The Mystery Topic! From time to time, especially during weeks when time is short, one of the boys will prepare a topic to get the other's live reaction.
For this first one, Eitan runs Carl through some viewership numbers that compare two major streaming releases. Curious about Carl's reaction? Listen to our first under-20-minute episode and let us know what you think of this new format!
Before jumping into the mystery topic, the boys spend 5 minutes checking in on Apple's WWDC announcements!
Carl, Eitan and guest Ariela Rudy Zaltzman feel the need – the need for watching Tom Cruise fly at high speed! Before dissecting the critical and box office success of Top Gun: Maverick, they check in with a slate of new releases including Disney’s Obi-wan Kenobi and Bo Burnham’s Inside outtakes.
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After a month long hiatus, we are back! Life got in our way, but we are very excited to jump right back into things.
After a quick side trip into a month-worth of WAWWs where Eitan shares an inexplicable newfound love for watching cartoon musicals during flights, we dive into the man, nay the legend, of the hour: Tom Cruise. While this episode was recorded before we watched Top Gun: Maverick, we use its hype to talk about how it's differentiated from other nostalgia sequels (nosquels?), and the impact Cruise tends to have in the creative details of his projects. Lastly, we check in on the current iteration of "peak TV" by discussing the upcoming tent pole releases from the big 4 streamers.
We missed you!
For years, Carl and Eitan have been fighting an uphill credibility battle. In their professional circles, they’ve been the town loons proffering doomsday prophecies about Netflix’s business model.
Unfortunately, the boys were right.
Now that almost every Hollywood studio has reorganized around streaming and pumped billions of dollars into fleeting and brand-diluting original content, Netflix has revealed projections showing staggering future subscriber losses. Eitan & Carl look at what’s next for the firm and dissect Netflix's plans to create a cheaper AVOD tier.
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After a 1-episode run where the boys recorded together from the same location, Carl and Eitan are back on different sides of the country. Even with the geographical distance, they were both able to catch Everything Everywhere All at Once in theaters and they have thoughts. Same thoughts? You'll have to listen to find out!
In the news, they check in with the finally-closed Warner Brothers Discovery merger, and play a round of "Imaginary Investor".
This episode was recorded on Monday April 11. Eitan and Carl have been dealing with some personal stuff, but will be back the week of April 25th!
After over a hundred hours of recording, Eitan & Carl finally found a chance to record together in person! They chat about Elon’s massive Twitter investment, grade Disney’s ultimate response to Florida’s abhorrent “Don’t Say Gay” law, and – of course – perform an autopsy on the bloated corpse of The Slap Oscars.
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This week, Carl, Eitan & guest Kevin Sachs recorded themselves reacting live to the Oscars devolving into chaos.
Ah, the week before the Oscars. Could CODA really pull an offset? Do "for your consideration" campaigns actually help the chances of any movies to get an award? Is earnestness truly out in Hollywood? Carl and Eitan dig into all these questions.
On non-Oscar news, they check in on the latest Disney corporate gossip before moving on to this week's 'main' topic, Netflix's incoming crack down on password sharing.
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Carl's in a poor mood this week as he and Eitan catch up on Disney's newest astral and terrestrial developments.
In this special episode, Carl and Eitan are joined by Roman Milan from the All Sequels Go To Heaven podcast to talk wrestling and all the aspects that make it a unique form of entertainment in the current over-caffeinated world of content.
Roman walks the boys through US wrestling's history, from its roots as a purely regional business, the emergence of WWE, the evolution of its business models, all the way to its current status. This episode is filled with stories of glorious scripted slaps and superstars asking if "people can smell what they are cooking?" (even though they are very obviously not cooking anything).
In the news this week Eitan talks about his not-so-glorious return to theaters before discussing the SAG award winners
Follow Roman on @skankinontables!
Another week, another new term that Carl & Eitan can use to describe a very specific early-2020s media business trend. After a bizarre format experiment, the two spend this week clearing out their news inboxes. They start off with a requisite chat about the Oscars before chatting about the Uncharted box office and Skydance Animation’s successful coup to steal Brad Bird from Disney.
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In this strangely produced and edited episode, the boys follow the old adage of "when life gives you lemons (lemons being one co-host's travel plans being impacted by a snowstorm), record 6 individual sections and edit them together to come up with a surprisingly coherent and effective episode."
In terms of topics, the boys explore ViacomCBS's new/old name, MoviePass' creepy potential comeback, the latest Soderbergh pandemic-produced film, and a weird Disney tweet. They close by exploring which new categories the Oscars could create to make them more interesting... for Carl and Eitan.
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It will come as no surprise to listeners of Stuck in Development that Carl and Eitan have takes on the new crop of Oscar noms. Overall, there were few surprises, but the two still found plenty to celebrate and lament.
In news, Carl takes the lead on 2022 predictions in the aftermath of Meta’s stock downturn. The hosts also discuss a new lawsuit between Village Roadshow and Warner Bros. that threatens to undermine the power of independent producers across the entire film industry.
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With "2021 month" in the rearview, Eitan and Carl transition to looking into the future by going through the movies they most look forward to in 2022. The boys go through their top 5, their honorable mentions, and the newly christened "movies we wish we were more excited about" category, especially enjoying the rush of finding the overlaps (or lack thereof!).
The news this week includes a quick update on the gaming market, and Eitan's surprise at finding a highly anticipated movie dropped on HBO Max and Hulu.
Bonus: Stay for a special blooper at the end of the episode!
As “2021 Month” stretches into February, Carl and Eitan take a look back at the best TV, film and media moments of 2021. (Debatably) More importantly, Carl also gives out the inaugural The Goldfinch Award For The Wide-Release Film From An Established Director That Was Widely Reviled Or Ignored But I Also Loved.
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After being pleasantly surprised around how their 2021 predictions played out, Carl and Eitan shell their top 3 boldest takes for 2022. From the future of movie distribution, the need to add more diverse types of content into streaming subscriptions, all the way to a tech giant path to irrelevance, the boys really shoot far and wide.
Before jumping into their predictions Carl and Eitan react live to Netflix's terrible, no-good earning report.
Come from the takes, stay for the Netflix bearish commentary.
Carl and Eitan, like most of the world, learned about this years’ Golden Globes after they already happened. After a longer-than-planned analysis of the winners, the two take time to review their 2021 media business predictions. Both ended up (mostly) happy with their performance!
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This week, Eitan and Carl are joined by Eitan’s extended family. Though none of the family have speaking roles, the hustle and bustle of the holidays adds to the poorly-mic’d ambience of the episode.
Family is a running theme through the episode. As proud skeptics of the democratizing power of Web3, the two discuss Jack Dorsey’s freshly-minted Block family of companies. No winter 2021 SID episode would be complete without a box office analysis, and the two are dismayed to discover just how much of the 2021 box office was dominated by the Disney family.
Enjoy your holidays, and we’ll see you in 2020, too!
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What’s that smell? A discrepancy between critic and audience scores around the beautiful art form that is cinema? Preposterous or expected?
In this week’s episode, Carl and Eitan are joined by frequent guest Kevin in exploring different interesting trends in Rotten Tomatoes land. From 2021 films that are beloved by both audiences and critics to the ones with the biggest gap in history, this episode is filled with trivia and (mostly failed) guesses.
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As the winter sun gets lower and the laziness of the holidays sets in, all Carl and Eitan want to do is catch up on the latest TV and movies. This, of course, is what they always want to do, but in the spirit of the season they do an all-WAWW episode to catch up with each other. The death of Stephen Sondheim – on the heels of the Sondheim love letter Tick Tick Boom – also serves as an introspection point for the two as they (once again) question the merit of success at all costs.
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The 30 minutes Stuck in Development podcast you didn’t know you needed! In a week all about being thankful, the boys share their gratitude for Netflix finally sharing more granular viewing data, and continue to be surprised about Bird Box being a full 50M more viewed hours than the second most viewed movie, even though it looks like Red Notice might have to say something about it. Later, they quickly dive into the latest Disney+ numbers, before closing it out with an AUA/WAWW mash-up.
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For the first time in an embarrassingly long time, Carl and Eitan had the chance to discuss a new release that they have both seen. Despite finding The French Dispatch frustrating, they were ultimately enchanted by Wes Anderson’s new film. The two also chat about Eternals’ impressive $71M opening and this week’s episode of Succession.
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Could it be? The first week with two SID episodes!? (Let’s all just agree that this was the plan all along.)
In another fast-paced news roundup episode, the boys start by chatting about the latest IP property on the selling block. Then, after Carl shares with Eitan the magic that is The Demo of all Demos (seriously, look it up on YouTube), they move quickly through a seemingly disconnected set of topics that actually have a connecting thread, at least if you squint very hard. From financial comps in M&A, to the Eternals opening weekend projections, and Facebook’s new super meta name, this is a fun one. Join us!
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The spicy takes must flow!
It was a calmer week in both the world of media and the lives of Carl and Eitan. A random smattering of IATSE and tech topics lead the episode, and the boys check in on the surprising crossover success of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. For once, Eitan beat Carl to the theater!
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What a week.
In the first-ever morning-recorded episode, Carl and Eitan check in on the different PR disasters plaguing Hollywood this week. From Netflix's botched response to the Dave Chappelle backlash, to Disney’s lack of marketing for The Last Duel, this was a rough week for the crisis management departments. But hey, at least looks like IATSE will not go on strike (even though the deal does not seem to be perfect).
The boys also celebrate Dune day, react live to Uncharted’s 13-years in the making trailer, and answer an AUA from Cartoon All-Star friend Nick.
Join us!
In this week's (relatively) short episode, Carl and Eitan close the royale door on Daniel Craig’s time as the world’s most famous spy.
After Eitan finds solace in being back home after a couple of weeks of travel before diving, the boys break down the franchise's latest installment and share their top-5 lists on many things Bond before spending a quantum second looking at the latest IATSE strike news.
Come for the search of specters in 007’s closet, stay for the “sky is falling” takes.
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Is Stuck in Development a podcast about exploring different socioeconomic theories? This week it kind of is!
They use Steve Jobs’ death 10-year anniversary as a springboard to chatting about ‘greatness’ and the different ways to measure ‘worth’ before diving head-first into an exploration of IATSE’s authorization of a potential strike and the impact it could have in Hollywood. Come for the reminiscence of WDW’s cake castle, stay for the Ayn Rand takes!
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Join Eitan and Carl for a fireside chat live from Oaxaca and San Francisco! In a new episode format that definitely didn’t come about from a lack of preparedness, the two speedround through a series of pet SID topics:
- Disney’s Star rollout in Mexico!
- The Tonys!
- Nightmare musicals!
- Netflix viewership stats!
- ...and more!
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Carl and Eitan have never felt so unprepared to discuss an awards show. Somehow, an entire year has elapsed since Schitt’s Creek, Watchmen and Succession took home the lion’s share of statues at the 2020 Emmys, and the boys haven’t watched as much TV in the year since then. Instead of diving deep on the big winners and losers, the two discuss the very soul of the Emmy Awards itself.
In news this week, Carl bought an AMC A-List membership and Netflix bought a Roald Dahl catalog.
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Carl and Eitan are back in full swing after a quick break.
After Eitan catches Carl by surprise with some quick theme park news, they spend the episode going through everything that happened in the last couple of weeks: from Disney's decision to release the rest of their 2021 movie slate in theaters only, reviewing the temporary conclusion of the Epic v Apple case (including a philosophical conversation around 'fairness'), all the way to the adventurous trek studios made to Christopher Nolan's Beverly Hill compound.
Join them for the ride!
In the strange sideshow world of theatrical distribution, CinemaCon is the biggest week of the year. Among the endless reports from studio presentations at this year’s conference, JPMorgan analyst Alexia Quadrani made an interesting observation: “Netflix desires its movies to have a bigger cultural impact.” Regular listeners of Stuck In Development will not be surprised that Carl and Eitan felt absolutely vindicated by this statement.
After a quick jungle cruise through chaotic box office reports and WAWWs, the two spend this episode reviewing Netflix’s film strategy in a world where almost every studio has a streaming play.
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In the middle of a crazy week for both of them, Carl and Eitan carved out a half hour to check in with each other on Disney’s latest dastardly plans. They quickly recap updates on the ScarJo vs. Disney saga before getting into A LOT of detail around the topic that’s been dominating Theme Park Twitter for the last week: Disney’s new Genie service. The boys track the evolution of this service from the days of E-tickets through the fragmented rollout of FastPass globally. They also chat about what makes FastPass and Genie a core component of Disney’s park business.
Most importantly, it’s Stuck in Development’s 1st anniversary!
Carl and Eitan devote this week’s episode to three of their pet topics: Hollywood talent compensation, Apple’s privacy claims and… South Park, apparently. The two use Emma Stone’s Cruella sequel deal to dive into the previously under-discussed role of talent agencies in the streaming future. There’s a surprisingly straight line between this deal and Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s near-billion-dollar South Park check for 6 new seasons and 14 (!!) streaming movies. Apple’s CSAM debacle rounds out this diverse set of topics, and Carl and Eitan contrast this PR disaster with Disney’s Black Widow lawsuit.
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It’s here! After building it up for a long three weeks, the boys are joined by Nick Sparks to FINALLY do a live commentary of the anti-drug PSA Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue. (Note: the characters are more like the Cartoon Reserve Forces)
Before the main event, they spend some time checking the latest box office numbers with The Suicide Squad, leading Eitan to boast about his prediction that Warner Media would walk back their day-and-date release strategy by the end of the summer. The three also break down the #DisneyBoys (Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs) deal for Reese Whitherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company.
Come for the crazy commentary on a timeless piece of corporate propaganda, and stay for the timely corporate finance takes.
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It’s an all-Disney news week as Carl and Eitan react to Scarlett Johansson’s bombshell Black Widow lawsuit. The two discuss what this lawsuit means for the future of Hollywood talent compensation, and they contextualize this suit within broader trends in antitrust, labor and talent management. They also spend far too long dissecting the pricing structures of both Disneyland’s new Magic Key program and the underwhelming-seeming Galactic Starcruiser hotel (resort? experience? land cruise?).
Links:
Entertainment Strategy Guy: You Can't Split the "G"
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This week’s episode is full of aggressive metaphors by Carl and mispronunciation of people’s names by Eitan – so, a regular week for Stuck in Development. The boys start by analyzing yet another precipitous fall in the box-office (this time by Space Jam), try to figure the rationale behind Universal’s $400M deal for The Exorcist, and break down NBC’s baffling Olympic distribution strategy. Finally, they dive into a beach that makes you Old, and explore the way they tend to connect (or not) with documentaries through the lens of Roadrunner.
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This week is a (space) jam-packed news episode. Carl and Eitan start by discussing the reportedly loathsome Space Jam: A New Legacy and the Carl-approved Pig. They also scoff at various industry reports blaming Disney Premier Access for Black Widow’s box office downturn. After news of Netflix’s impending foray into video games leave them nonplussed, they end the episode by reacting to an excellent op-ed that advocates for heavier antitrust restrictions on Netflix and other streamers.
Links:
LA Times: Op-Ed: How the streaming wars are changing what you watch by Peter Labuza
WSJ: Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and ViacomCBS Chairman Shari Redstone Met to Discuss Streaming Partnership by Benjamin Mullin & Lillian Rizzo
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Once again, the future of entertainment seems to be riding on Disney (*sigh*). Black Widow marks the first time a major studio has simultaneously released digital and theatrical numbers, and Eitan and Carl spend most of this episode parsing how successful the film actually was. These numbers also give them a chance to check in on the state of the MCU.
In brief news this week, the two follow up on last week’s Universal pay-one window discussion by combing through a newly-announced deal that will put Universal films on Amazon’s streaming platforms.
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Every media company is a different beast. Any given company can have a streaming service, an ISP, theme parks, hardware sales or free 2-day shipping to buoy their revenues. Despite this diverse set of revenues, one common measure used to compare the success of SVOD services is ARPU (average revenue per user). This week, Eitan leads Carl in a discussion of why ARPU is largely meaningless. They also discuss the future of Peacock and revisit one of their favorite topics: antitrust!
Article: The honeymoon is over for streaming services: Here’s where the major players stand
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For data nerds like Eitan and Carl, Hollywood used to be a candy store. Decades of stats around productions, contracts and box office receipts were readily available, allowing them to slice and dice the successes and failures of decades past. This data still exists publicly – allowing the two to talk about the returns of In the Heights, F9 and Luca in the news – but it’s rapidly becoming harder to find and understand. This week, Carl and Eitan dig into one question: why?
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Carl and Eitan are back after a pesky honeymoon got in the way of recording last week’s episode. They catch up on Carl’s wedding, debate the merit of some gossip around Jason Kilar’s future at WarnerMedia, unpack In the Heights’ mediocre box office performance, and revel in the last gasps of the Great MoviePass Grift.
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The boys couldn’t fight the urge to record, even during Carl’s wedding week. During this fast and furious episode (no pun intended given that Carl hasn’t seen the movies), Eitan and Carl check in on Cruella and The Quiet Place II box office drop-off after a strong first weekend, talk ViacomCBS following a long-standing tradition of creative Hollywood accounting, gasp at AMC’s latest Reddit-driven valuation, and share their feelings on the opening of Avenger’s Campus.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
The long-rumored MGM acquisition is finally happening, so Eitan and Carl can finally tear into the strategy and analyze what it means for Amazon’s Prime Video, IMDb TV, and Studios teams. The two dig into the corporate strategies and philosophies of Amazon, the eroding value of Prime membership, and a ridiculously high $8.45B price tag that doesn’t even yield majority ownership of the Bond franchise. They also share their predictions around other potential acquisition targets in this media M&A feeding frenzy.
In news this week, they check on Jason Kilar’s WarnerMedia tenure, review developments in Epic v. Apple, and celebrate a healthy box office weekend built upon two movies Carl quite liked!
News starts this week at 33:10.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Carl and Eitan are unstuck in time. They decided to do a 2021 Movies Preview… in late May. A late Oscars ceremony coupled with a pandemic can really mess with your perception of time! This week, the two share their personal lists of the top 5 films they are most excited to see in the back half of this year.
In a busy news week, they chat about the then-rumored Amazon acquisition of MGM; share some flirty details about the Warner-Discovery deal; talk Boss Baby; relay a riveting saga about animatronic replacements at Epcot’s Mexico pavilion; review theoretical theme park food at Disneyland California Adventure’s Avenger’s Campus; and attempt to answer the ultimate question: does Eternals look like a Marvel movie or a Chloe Zhao movie?
News starts this week at 37:57.
Links:
New York Times: Inside the Discovery-AT&T Deal: Cute Emails, a Big Loan and Now, a Media Giant
New York Times: An Alternate Reality for the WarnerMedia Deal
Little Gold Men (podcast): Predicting the 2022 Oscar Nominations
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Every once in a while, a story comes along that stops you in your tracks. For Eitan and Carl, this weekend was absolutely consumed by the announcement that AT&T would spin out WarnerMedia into a new venture with Discovery. This is Stuck In Development’s Big Game and its raison d'être.
Join the two as they take an exhaustive look at the merger and its implications on the future of AT&T and streaming at large. They recap the corporate history of AT&T, assign a valuation to WarnerMedia’s current business, and try to discern the rationale behind the merger from the perspective of both AT&T and Discovery. This week also features the return of former SID character Kevin Mayer and the ascendance of legacy media titan David Zaslav to the streaming big leagues. Carl and Eitan also touch on a potential Amazon-MGM acquisition and Shrek’s 20th anniversary.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Step into the Stuck In Development multiverse! This week, Carl and Eitan spent equal time dissecting a framework for modern entertainment companies and discussing the tumultuous future of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the Golden Globes’ awarding body). For the former subject, they return to last week’s AUA to discuss the love that modern studios try to manufacture for their content; for the latter, they look to define the purpose of the HFPA and dream of a world without the Golden Globes. Eitan and Carl are also nonplussed by Disney’s new lightsaber demo.
Links:
Matthew Ball, “What Is an Entertainment Company in 2021 and Why Does the Answer Matter?”
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Eitan and reforming Apple fanboy Carl dive into a few topics this week. They use the Epic v. Apple opening arguments as a springboard for broader discussions about software distribution antitrust and data protection policy. The two also chat about HBO Max’s pricing strategy and offer effusive praise for Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (and a Netflix “Original”).
There is no main topic this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
In his followup to last year’s excellent Let Them All Talk, producer Steven Soderbergh attempted to create a modern, COVID-safe Oscars ceremony. While Carl and Eitan mostly appreciated this year’s changes, they spend this episode debating one question: what is the point of Hollywood’s biggest night when nobody is watching?
In news this week, the two discuss the NHL’s new streaming deal, Sony’s post-pay-one deal with Disney, Roku’s ascendance to the big leagues vis-à-vis threats to deplatform Google, and the impending reopening of Disneyland.
The main topic starts at 24:06 this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Grab your vaccine passport and join Eitan and Carl on an unusually chaotic tour through the world of entertainment. In an episode recorded during the brief wondrous life of the European Super League, the two popcorn through a variety of topics: an apathy-inspiring Oscars race; rumblings of stagnation at Netflix; Sony’s blockbuster-based gaming IP strategy and the Sony-Netflix deal’s impact on Starz; the true purpose of leagues in 21st-century sports; and labyrinthine California COVID protocols. Carl also felt inspired to read a passage from Edward Snowden’s autobiography.
News is woven throughout the episode this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Despite repeated threats, Carl and Eitan decided to make this episode about more than just Disney World transit systems. As Eitan wraps up a month living and working remotely from Orlando, they check in on the Walt Disney World Resort in the time of COVID-19. They chat about everything from the 5-hour virtual queue at a cookie bakery to Eitan’s assessment of the cultural accuracy of Epcot’s Mexico pavilion. Eitan also spends quite a bit of time praising Epcot’s ride systems, but these are *technically* not transit systems!
In news this week, they talk about Comic-Con’s purpose in a post-pandemic DTC media world. They also wildly theorize about Disney’s reinvigorated efforts to expand Disneyland and schmooze the city of Anaheim.
The main topic starts at 17:19 this week (with the final news item).
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Much like the return of Darkseid to Earth, the #SnyderCut episode of Stuck in Development was inevitable. Eitan and Carl dive into the torturous history of the DC Extended Universe and chart its evolution against that of the modern superhero-industrial complex. They discuss the hubristic mediocrity of Zack Snyder’s Justice League and what it means for the future of franchises and fan engagement. Carl also spends a lot of time defending Zack Snyder’s artistic credibility.
In news this week, Carl and Eitan bemoan the death of publicly available viewership data. Eitan’s Helios and Matheson run also comes to a depressing end.
The main topic starts at 15:10 this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Kevin Sachs returns to guide Eitan and Carl through the strange, muted 2020 Oscars race. After walking through the nomination and voting process, the three present their predictions, dreams and snubs for most of the awards. Join them as they gush about Minari, throw shade at Soul and bemoan the lack of Borat in the Best Picture race.
In news this week, Carl, Eitan and Kevin have a nifty and bemused discussion about NFTs, and they check in on Eitan's $100 investment in MoviePass. #StuckInDevBump
The main topic starts at 18:20 this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Carl and Helios & Matheson shareholder Eitan welcome guest Alex Pellegrino to retrace the glorious rise and fall of MoviePass. In their attempt to growth hack their way to Hollywood dominance, MoviePass gave away millions of movie tickets before becoming a user-hostile laughing stock. Alex, Eitan and Carl take this chance to fondly remember the lengths they would go to get free tickets through this quirky service.
In news this week, the impending doom of the Snyder Cut accidentally draws even closer, and California finally announces health guidelines for theme park reopenings.
The main topic starts at 21:16 this week.
Get your MoviePass joggers here: https://etsy.me/3vdbCU3
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
As the 2020 awards season and the streaming wars heat back up, Eitan and Carl spend an episode catching up with some major news items. First, they take a look at the Golden Globes and what they mean for this year’s Oscar race. They next check-in with the launch of Paramount+ before reviewing HBO Max’s Q4 results (spoilers: this sparks yet another debate around Wonder Woman 1984’s profitability). Finally, they both answer an eternal question: would you pay $75 to walk around a ride-less Disneyland?
The main topic starts at 00:00 this week. (!!)
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
On Disney California Adventure’s 20th anniversary, Eitan and Carl chauffeur you to the park’s grand opening. This park represented the culmination of a decade of disaster for Disney’s theme parks. Nothing exemplifies DCA's early, dark days more than one garish, dark ride: Superstar Limo. Carl and Eitan use this attraction as a case study to explore the tradeoff between artistic dreams and limited budgets.
In news this week, Eitan and Carl discuss Apple’s new distribution deal with Skydance Animation and the reopening of movie theaters in NYC. They also congratulate former Imagineering boss Joe Rohde on his next adventure at Virgin Galactic, and they take a look at a recently-announced Magic Kingdom Disney+ series from sci-fi legend Ronald D. Moore.
Click here for a ridethrough video showcasing the horrors of Superstar Limo.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Due to internet and power disruptions caused by winter weather, Carl and Eitan are taking an unexpected break this week. They'll be back next week with an episode celebrating Disney California Adventure's 20th anniversary through the prism of its infamously terrible opening day attraction: Superstar Limo.
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Music/FX:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Walking Snow Sound by SPANAC – https://www.freesoundslibrary.com/walking-sound-snow/
Movies! Stars! Bad corporate activations! Specific and annoying logistical challenges! In a normal year, the Sundance Film Festival has everything Carl, Eitan and guest Christina Troitino could ever want. Sundance is the first big event of every film year, and even a pandemic couldn’t stop the festival from dominating the cultural conversation. The three recap the 2021 festival while also providing broader context for why Sundance still matters to Hollywood. They also share some of their favorite Sundance stories and experiences.
In news this week, Eitan, Carl and Christina review the mixed bag of Golden Globe nominations, assign a valuation to the Gamestop short squeeze, and reckon with Marvel’s multiverse future.
The main topic starts at (*sigh*) 37:17 this week.
Follow Christina on Twitter @ChristinaTinNYC and on Instagram @ChristinaTroitino.
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Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Last fall, Eitan and Carl set out on a quest to understand the muted reaction to The Rise of Skywalker and the Galaxy’s Edge lands at Disneyland and Disney World. Along the way, this quest became about uncovering the very soul of modern Hollywood.
In the final episode of their miniseries on Disney’s Star Wars films, Carl and Eitan discuss the merits of Episode XI and Galaxy’s Edge. From reviewing Colin Trevorrow’s lost Duel of the Fates screenplay to nerding out over Disneyland ticketing systems, the two take you deep into the Star Wars rabbit hole to decisively determine what went wrong.
In news this week, correspondant Eitan reports from the (virtual) Sundance Film Festival.
The main topic starts at 17:14 this week.
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Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Fanfare for Space Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Carl and Eitan take a tour of Night City with guest Pete Sampson. Pete talks them through the development and disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077. On one hand, the game is a case study in mismanaging hype, developers, and distribution channels. On the other, it’s a surreal, glitchy mess that is magnificent to behold.
In news this week, Eitan, Carl, and Pete debate the merits of postponing 2020 films yet again. They also begrudgingly accept the news of a new Harry Potter TV series.
The main topic starts at 20:40 this week.
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Follow Carl on Twitter @szmantics
Follow Eitan on Twitter @tanchoco
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Guest Sam Parker joins Carl and Eitan to take them from the sewers of Paris to the top of the Burj Khalifa. They discuss filmmaker Brad Bird and his place in the evolution of franchise filmmaking. The three also dig into how Bird’s influences and animation background shape his films’ visuals and narratives.
In news this week, Eitan and Carl skeptically respond to Netflix’s announcement that they will be cash-flow positive by the end of 2021. They also check in with WandaVision.
The main topic starts at 17:35 this week.
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
A week in, predicting what will happen in 2021 already seems impossible. Eitan and Carl wanted to try anyway. They share their boldest predictions across every Stuck In Development vertical, tracing 2020’s impact on everything from Disneyland’s eventual reopening to visual effects labor reform. One thing is certain: Carl and Eitan will be here all year to make sense of any news story that develops.
In news this week, they address the week’s biggest political story: former T-Mobile boss John Legere’s political ambitions. Eitan also gloats about correctly guessing the sale price for Roku’s acquisition of Quibi’s content.
The main topic starts at 10:50 this week.
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Happy New Year, #OakesHive! Carl and Eitan spent the last two weeks relaxing and watching films with loved ones. They caught the month’s two biggest films – Soul and Wonder Woman 1984 – and walked away (from their couches) with many questions. Join the two as they discuss the film’s releases and what they mean for their respective studios.
In news this week, they react to a rumor that Roku is purchasing Quibi’s catalog.
Soul discussion starts at 30:29; Wonder Woman 1984 discussions starts at 50:51.
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Happy Holidays from Stuck in Development! We're off this week, but we'll be back in January 2021.
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
It’s been a long year, but Eitan and Carl found a lot to celebrate. The two recap their favorite films, TV shows and media moments from 2020.
In news this week, they dissect a rumored MGM sale, react to Alan Horn’s retirement announcement and spend way too long spiraling down a Mandalorian rabbithole.
The main topic starts at 32:10 this week.
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Did COVID-19 simply accelerate disruptive strategies at AT&T and Disney?
As the dust settles from weeks of HBO Max and Disney news, Carl and Eitan check in on the two most aggressive combatants in the streaming wars. They react with both horror and intrigue to Disney’s Investor Day announcements, and they follow multiple tangents through the histories of Disney’s content verticals. They also discuss the multiple lawsuits brewing against Warner Brothers.
In news this week, they gawk at the Cyberpunk 2077 release, try to understand the target customer for Peacock’s The Office tier and debate Disney’s strategy of photoshopping masks onto park patrons.
The main topic starts at 21:01 this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
What does the consolidation of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster mean for the media world at large?
Eitan and Carl take a step into trade publishing to discuss a seismic shift in the industry’s power dynamics. In this episode, they walk through this merger’s potential effects on creators, small businesses, Amazon and Hollywood. This merger also opens up a broader discussion on whether it’s possible for an industry controlled by one monolith to truly champion diversity.
In news this week, they examine the fallout of last week's industry-shattering Warner announcement. Carl also reviews Dolittle.
The main topic starts at 14:12 this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
In a radical move, Warner Brothers announced that they will release all 2021 films simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Carl and Eitan couldn’t wait, so they paused a production meeting to react in real time to this game-changing news.
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Music: News Intro Sound by Maximilien – http://soundbible.com/2041-News-Intro.html
This Thanksgiving, we give thanks for good audio quality and experienced hosts.
Unfortunately, this episode from our archives has neither. Listen to Carl and Eitan’s very first attempt at Stuck in Development. They explore the troubled past and hopeful future of their favorite Disney ride, Splash Mountain.
Eitan and Carl will be back next week with a brand new episode.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
On the heels of another bewildering rumor – Jon Chu’s Lilo and Stitch? – Eitan and Carl dig into Disney’s “live action remakes.” They trace the history of this zombie subgenre and share their hypothesis for its true purpose: replacing the artificial scarcity of the now-defunct Disney Vault.
In the news, they revisit the Wonder Woman 1984 release and discuss director David Fincher’s new Netflix production deal.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Will a COVID-19 vaccine actually save media and entertainment companies?
Carl and Eitan weigh in on whether the market reaction to Pfizer’s vaccine announcement is rational or just bad speculation. First, they dedicate the bulk of this episode to a busy post-election news week. Topics veer wildly between Netflix’s linear ambitions, Harry Potter franchise-keeping, Apple’s ARM transition and next-gen console launches.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Why does horror hold so much power?
As the Halloween moon wanes, Eitan and Carl wax “eloquent” about the power of genre entertainment. From disturbing horror to traumatic childhood films, they use the season as a jumping off point to explore how death and despair onscreen make us more resilient and less afraid.
In news this week, they review AMC’s insane Q3 2020 earnings call, comment on Netflix price hikes and debate the merits of turning the now-defunct Quibi Quibi segment into a Mandalorian Mandalorian segment. At the end of the episode, they share the first voicemail they've gotten!
The main topic starts at 32:33 this week.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Carl and Eitan return with the second part of their investigation into what went wrong with Disney’s Star Wars franchise. Disney followed up the record-breaking The Force Awakens by firing 3 directors and releasing 3 films. Two films had troubled productions, and one ignited hatred on certain corners of the internet. Will Eitan be able to convince Carl of Rogue One’s brilliance? Can Carl finally show the world that The Last Jedi is a masterpiece? Join us to find out.
In news, they eulogize Quibi and try to convince Apple to buy MGM rather than license No Time to Die.
The main topic starts at 17:18 this week.
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Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Fanfare for Space Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
On the day before Quibi (RIP 2020-2020) announced its shutdown, Eitan and Carl opened the virtual Stuck in Development mailbox.
In answering your questions, they double down on their Netflix skepticism, pitch a theme park in Mykonos and sing the praises of a chaotic 2021 Oscar race. In news this week, they chat about Disney+ content advisories and California guidance around theme park reopenings.
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Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Should you be bullish or bearish on Netflix?
In a streaming-heavy news week, Carl and Eitan chat about Netflix’s evolving content strategy as well as Disney’s plans to focus on digital distribution. They also check in on Quibi’s acquisition prospects.
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News and main topic conversation are interspersed this week.
Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
As live-action production slows to a crawl, American movie studios are turning toward animation to keep their content stables full. In a spiritual sequel to their very first episode, Eitan and Carl dive into the quirky animation production landscape. By contextualizing the evolution of modern animation, they prove that these companies operate in a small world after all.
This week’s news developments include theme park legal disputes in California, Universal’s freshly-unveiled VelociCoaster, the closure of Cineworld cinemas and Bad Robot’s plans for the world of Dr. Seuss.
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Main topic discussion begins around 15:00 this week.
Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
What’s the best restroom in Disneyland? Should you go left or right at the fork in Pirates of the Caribbean? Is Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! an improvement on the Tower of Terror or an annoying monstrosity? This episode answers these very important Disneyland questions and more.
This week, Carl and Eitan finally head back to Disneyland – to a Disneyland state of mind, that is. They do a deep dive on the logistical challenges of a day at Disneyland Resort and share their tips and tricks for getting the most out of a visit to the Happiest Place On Earth.
News this week includes Disney layoffs, Quibi's potential acquisition and Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins’ next film: The Lion King… 2……?
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Main topic discussion begins at 19:36 this week.
Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
As the stardust settles on Hollywood’s second- or third- biggest night, Eitan and Carl are joined by guest Kevin Sachs to recap this year’s Emmys. The bulk of this week’s episode is focused on analyzing who won and who should have won, but they also touch on emerging streaming entrant Paramount+ and Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda. Discussion also includes the state of televised awards shows, category fraud and the existential identity crisis of the “television movie” in the streaming era.
Follow Kevin Sachs on Twitter @kevinosachs
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Approximate Timestamps:
News: 3:00
Discussion of Emmys and awards shows: 12:35
Comedy awards: 42:50
Limited Series awards: 57:00
Drama awards: 1:18:30
AUA: 1:42:40
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Disney’s first attempt at reinvigorating the Star Wars franchise fizzled in 2019 with the muted response toward The Rise of Skywalker and Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney World. What happened to this storied intellectual property?
In the first episode of a 3-part investigation, Carl and Eitan trace the Star Wars saga from its 2012 acquisition by Disney to the successful release of The Force Awakens in 2015. Like the first episode of any Star Wars trilogy, this episode ends on a false positive note while laying the groundwork for the drama to come. Beyond Star Wars, they briefly preview the Emmys, discuss changes to Apple’s App Store rules, and check in on the Tenet and Mulan box offices.
The main topic starts at 16:00 this week.
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Show note:
John Boyega’s GQ UK interview: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/john-boyega-interview-2020
Music:
Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Fanfare for Space Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
Should you pay to see Hollywood’s biggest releases in 6 months?
The Labor Day weekend releases of Mulan and Tenet have become flag-bearers for the future of movie releases. Eitan and Carl review the films and their release strategies. First, they spend some time discussing the news of Netflix’s new adaptation of Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
In their first mailbag episode, Carl and Eitan answer your questions about film development and copyright quirks. They also open up about discovering their love of theme parks and the entertainment business. In the news this week, Carl and Eitan celebrate the life of Chadwick Boseman and check in on Tenet and Mulan.
Links:
Book: Shooting to Kill: https://bit.ly/3gPdsCl
Film: The Last Black Man in San Francisco: https://bit.ly/31TIVzb
Carl’s LOWKeynote: https://bit.ly/3biVqqQ
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Epic Games, Apple and Google are weeks into a battle royale over the fate of digital sales platforms. Who will prevail?
In news this week, Carl and Eitan discuss the evolution of DC’s superhero programming and a rumor threatening Hulu’s future. For this half-fortnight’s major topic, Carl and Eitan dig into the history of the Apple App Store and draw parallels between Epic’s antitrust fight and the ongoing streaming wars.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
The House that Walt Built reported Q3 earnings last week. They weren’t great… or were they? Carl and Eitan walk you through what you need to know.
There was too much news to skip straight to Disney, so they begin with discussions of AMC’s reopening, Tenet rapidly-approaching theatrical release, the official end of the Paramount Decrees, and a Quibi Quibi. They next analyze Disney’s Q3 earnings, their impact, and share what these earnings might mean for the future of the company. Finally, they deep dive into the big news of the call: the launch of Mulan on Disney+ and Disney’s secret development of an in-app premium VOD service.
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Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
Are movie theaters dead?
In light of AMC and Universal clinging to each other for dear life, Carl and Eitan explore the century-long evolution of the movie industry. From Fantasia to Trolls World Tour, they trace the destruction of Hollywood's ‘Golden Age’ via the Paramount Decrees to the streaming wars and the rise of modern theatre chains.
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Follow Carl on Twitter @szmantics
Follow Eitan on Twitter @tanchoco
Music: Feather Duster by Silverman Sound Studios – https://www.silvermansound.com
