Fox Nation is getting into the (lady) movie business. After realizing that movies are the “unsung heroes” of streaming services, the right-wing platform is rolling out four films geared towards female Fox News fans. Think Lifetime movies, but everyone’s armed to the teeth, probably. According to a Fox Nation spokesperson, the filmmaking idea was sparked after the success of Duck Family Treasure, which for the record, isn’t a movie, but man, if it didn’t boost streaming views amongst women, somehow.
The first project to capitalize on this new strategy is an adaptation of the Nancy Neigle novel, The Shell Collector, which will apparently try to connect with the same audiences who watched the cast of Duck Dynasty look for buried treasure in real life. (No lie, that’s the premise of the show.) Via The Hollywood Reporter:
“I think first and foremost, we saw the success of film, and it fits into the whole idea of expanding into a lifestyle and entertainment service,” Klarman says, adding that by having direct control over the development process Fox can pick individual projects in genres that best fit with their strategy. And that strategy, at least with films, is about reaching female viewers.
“These films are definitely targeting the female Fox News fan, and we know that this is the kind of title [The Shell Collector] that will absolutely attract her, and creating unique originals that she can’t get anywhere else is certainly part of the strategy to drive growth,” Klarman says.
Will the same people who watched the Duck Dynasty family hunt for treasure actually watch a feature-length movie based on a book? Who knows? But hey, if that’s what Fox Nation says female Fox News viewers want, it’s their money.
The Shell Collector premieres September 1 on Fox Nation.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)