New York, January 16, 2025 – Realm, an audio-first digital media company with a global podcast network featuring over 12M monthly downloads, today announced Unspooled, the popular film podcast hosted by actor and comedian Paul Scheer (Black Monday, The League) and film critic Amy Nicholson (Los Angeles Times), has joined its rapidly growing podcast network.
With the exclusive partnership, Realm will represent the show for ad sales and provide robust marketing and production support to scale the show’s reach and increase listener engagement. Previously at Earwolf, Unspooled’s move to Realm marks an exciting evolution for the series, complete with a revamped theme and fresh artwork to come.
Debuting at #1 on iTunes’ Film & TV podcast rankings and #4 on the overall charts, Unspooled has been recognized as “an essential film history podcast” (Hollywood Reporter) and “one of the best podcasts” (Esquire). Since 2018, the show has blended sharp humor and thoughtful critique to dissect cinema’s greatest works with over 340 episodes and counting. From questioning the enduring legacy of classics to spotlighting overlooked gems, Scheer and Nicholson bring a fresh, entertaining perspective to every discussion.
“We’re beyond excited to add Unspooled to the Realm portfolio,” said Sarah Bentley, Realm’s Head of Network. “Paul and Amy have built an amazing community of film lovers who share their passion for deep dives, paired with their own hilarious commentary. They’re exactly the kind of smart, creative partners we love working with at Realm. We specialize in helping exceptional shows like Unspooled reach new heights with top-notch sales, marketing, distribution, and production support, and we can’t wait to see what we can build together.”
“Joining Realm feels like stepping into a space that truly understands the value of talent and growth. The team’s commitment to innovation and fostering creativity is inspiring, and I’m excited to contribute to this dynamic vision. Plus, they have great snacks,” said Paul Scheer, co-host of Unspooled.
Unspooled joins Realm’s network of award-winning and top-charting podcasts, which span entertainment, kids & family, and culture & lifestyle categories. Realm’s full-service approach offers development, production, monetization, and strategic marketing services to position shows for success in the growing podcast landscape.
Scheer is represented by UTA and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.
New episodes of Unspooled will continue to release weekly, now under the Realm banner, starting today. Fans can listen wherever they get their podcasts.
About Unspooled
Each week actor & comedian Paul Scheer (Black Monday, The League) and film critic Amy Nicholson (LA Times Chief Film Critic ) watch and discuss the best movies out there. From the classics to new releases and every indie film in-between. Along the way, they’ll dissect iconic scenes, spotlight their favorite characters, and decide if these movies still stand the test of time.
About Amy Nicholson:
Amy Nicholson is the film critic of the Los Angeles Times and the host of the podcast “Unspooled.” She is a current on-air voice at LAist and KCRW, and a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Society of Film Critics. Formerly, she was the chief film critic for MTV News and LA Weekly. Her other credits include the New York Times, the Washington Post, Variety, Rolling Stone and the Guardian, plus the podcast miniseries “Zoom,” “The Canon,” “Quentin Tarantino Presents,” “Halloween Unmasked,” and “Skillset.” She has served on the juries for Sundance and SXSW, as well as the FIPRESCI juries for the Moscow International Film Festival, Cairo International Film Festival and Eurasia International Film Festival, among others. Amy holds a double B.A. in Film Studies and Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma as well as a Masters in Professional Writing from USC. Her first book, “Tom Cruise: Anatomy of an Actor,” was published by Cahiers du Cinema, and her second, “Extra Girls,” will be published by Simon & Schuster.
About Paul Scheer:
Paul Scheer is a SAG Award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, and podcaster. With a career spanning countless shows, he’s appeared in iconic series like 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Star Trek: Lower Decks, The Good Fight, and The Afterparty. He’s also been a standout on critically acclaimed programs like the Emmy-nominated Showtime series Black Monday alongside Don Cheadle, FX’s long-running hit The League, and ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat. as well as co-creating MTV comedy show Human Giant and the Adult Swim hit NTSF:SD:SUV::
Paul’s debut book, Joyful Recollections of Trauma, was a New York Times bestseller and appeared on multiple “Best Books of 2024” lists. It also earned universal praise from outlets like the LA Times, Rolling Stone, and People.
On the big screen, Paul has showcased his versatility in films such as the Oscar-nominated The Disaster Artist, Long Shot, Twisters, Bride Wars, Happily, Family Switch, and Archenemy.
A multi-platform creator, Paul co-hosts the award-winning podcast How Did This Get Made? with his wife June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas. The show has won two iHeart Radio Awards for Best Comedy Podcast (2022, 2023) and two Ambie Awards for Best TV & Film Podcast (2021, 2023), among other accolades.
About Realm:
Led by Molly Barton and team members from CAA, Disney, Warner Brothers, and NBC Universal, Realm is a podcast-first digital media company with an award-winning studio, global podcast network, and the popular audio streaming service Pinna, developed and curated exclusively for kids and families.
Realm partners with top-tier brands including Blumhouse, Netflix, Paramount, Warner Bros, DC, AMC Networks, Marvel, Spotify, and iHeart to develop, produce, distribute, monetize, and market premium audio content that deeply engage audiences. Podcasts produced by Realm have been nominated for and won numerous awards, including Audies, Ambies, Webbys, Signal Awards, and iHeart Podcast Awards. Realm has brought more top-charting fiction shows to audiences than any competitor, with eight shows hitting #1 on Apple Podcasts.
The Realm Network encompasses over 12M monthly downloads across entertainment & fiction, kids & family, and lifestyle & culture with ad sales partners including IGN, Adelicious, and Rebel Girls.
Notable titles include the #1 Spotify podcast HARLEY QUINN & THE JOKER: SOUND MIND starring Christina Ricci and Billy Magnussen, POPCORN BRAINSTORM for Netflix, BUSINESS DAD hosted by Alexis Ohanian, DREAM SEQUENCE with iHeart and Blumhouse, IF I GO MISSING THE WITCHES DID IT starring Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe; Kidscreen Award winner GRIMM, GRIMMER, GRIMMEST, ORPHAN BLACK: THE NEXT CHAPTER and POWER TRIP starring Emmy-winner Tatiana Maslany; and ECHO PARK starring Harry Shum Jr. Follow us on X and Instagram.
