Friday, June 19, 2026

Exclusive: Peter Travers Exits Rolling Stone after 36 Years as Chief Film Critic, Made Magazine Important in Hollywood: “It’s been a hell of a ride”

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The great movie reviewer, Peter Travers, has exited Rolling Stone as full time movie critic after 36 years. He started there in 1984. Peter literally took Rolling Stone into Hollywood and made them a must read for his reviews. His critic’s quotes have been on every ad (for movies he liked). Peter has great taste, so that imprimatur meant a lot to filmmakers. And god forbid he didn’t like a film, watch out! Rolling Stone loses a lot of influence and importance now without him.

Travers told me this morning that he’s excited about the changes:

He said, “In addition to continuing my Popcorn interview show at ABC, remotely for the time being, I’m also doing reviews of movies and tv for the websites on ABC and GMA. Nice to have such a large audience. And to add TV and streaming reviews to my portfolio.  Re Rolling Stone, my contract was up and they wanted “new voices” across the platform.  No arguments from me on that score. I’ve been there for three decades. And will continue to be on masthead as a Contributing Editor for major film stories. Change is good. I feel fortunate to start at ABC exactly one day after my regular RS gig ended.
It’s been a hell of a ride. I’ll just be riding a new horse into a future none of us can predict.”

Peter’s “Popcorn” show is must see for cinema fans. Rolling Stone’s loss is ABC’s gain. As for Rolling Stone, they’ve named contributor K. Austin Collins as Peter’s successor. He’s stepping into big shoes.
 

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009, where he covered Michael Jackson, and previously wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine in the mid-1990s, where he covered the O.J. Simpson trial. He also edited Fame magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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