Fox Feeds the Flock

Twentieth Century Fox recently announced the launch of FoxFaith, a new division that will distribute films and other programming specifically aimed at the Christian market.

FoxFaith Movies makes its theatrical debut this week with Love's Abiding Joy, the fourth in a series of films directed by Michael Landon Jr. that are based on Janette Oke's popular Love Comes Softly books. The second FoxFaith theatrical release comes just a week later when One Night With the King, adapted from the biblical book of Esther, hits the big screen on October 13.

FoxFaith plans to acquire as many as 12 new films per year, movies that specifically include Christian content, and they plan to release at least six of those to limited theaters. 

The new brand, with its motto "Films You Can Believe In," already has a number of previously released DVDs available, including End of the Spear, The Hiding Place, Hangman's Curse, and many others. They even have a FoxFaith Film Club.

We wanted to learn a little more about FoxFaith, so we spoke with Steve Feldstein, senior vice president of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Why is Fox doing this?

Steve Feldstein: It's really simple. We saw an opportunity to fill a need in the marketplace. The Christian market, in terms of filmed entertainment, has been drastically underserved, and we intend to correct that.

Was that market first noticed with The Passion of The Christ?

Feldstein: Well, I think that opened all of Hollywood's eyes. We were interested in the marketplace and actually dipping our toe in years ago, actually years before that. Our head of sales, Simon Swart, is very active in the Christian community and friendly with Ralph Winter (producer, X-Men, Fantastic Four), who's also very active in the Christian media community. They struck up a conversation with a retailer and basically the nugget of Fox Faith was born.

But you didn't act on it until now?

Feldstein: No, we've been acting on it. Up till now, Fox Faith has been a trade marketing umbrella for a collection of movies for the CBA [Christian Booksellers Association]. Now, we're rolling it out to the consumers. The first movie we were involved in specifically for the audience was based on a Frank Peretti novel—a movie called Hangman's Curse. It had very limited theatrical release, but was extremely successful in home video.

Why just movies for a Christian audience? There are a lot of people of all kinds of faiths out there?

Feldstein: It was a clear opportunity with the Christian audience. Among the audiences of faith, the "loudest" was Christian, honestly.

Did Fox do some research about whether, for instance, a Muslim or a Buddhist audience or a Jewish audience might be worth marketing to?

Feldstein: We're actually focusing on the Christian audience right now.

Is there a possibility it could expand to other faiths, or will FoxFaith be exclusively a Christian brand?

Feldstein: For right now we are focusing on the Christian audience.

Christians will be happy to hear about FoxFaith, but some cynics would say that Fox is just doing it for the money. How would you respond to that cynical response?

Feldstein: I think, unfortunately, there have been interlopers in the business that weren't committed to it. And to those people I would simply say, watch us.

What are some of the things you're doing that would show that commitment?

Feldstein: We're doing up to 12 movies a year—and that's just the theatrical stuff. We have no intention of flooding the marketplace. We are focused on quality, not quantity, and bringing true production value to this storytelling. Some of it is more polished than others. We intend for all of ours to be of the highest production value.

That's good, because some of us are getting tired of saying, "Oh no, not another crummy Christian movie.?

Feldstein: That's not our business. Every one of these movies will have a message of faith. Some will be more overt than others, but that is the common link amongst all of them—like with the Janette Oke stories, with Love's Abiding Joy coming out. The trials and tribulations of that family, it's their faith that keeps them together. You look at Hangman's Curse, it's their faith that gives the kids the strength to go forward.

True, but I'm not talking about that thread of faith. I'm talking about Christian movies that can be so "agenda driven" that art is sacrificed on the altar of the message?

Feldstein: Let me be very clear: We are in the business of entertainment. First and foremost, FoxFaith releases will be quality entertainment. We have no agenda and we are not in the business of proselytizing or preaching.

How are you finding and acquiring the movies for this brand?

Feldstein: I can't tell you that, because that would be a trade secret.

Well, let me rephrase the question: Will Fox commission films to be made specifically for the FoxFaith brand?

Feldstein: Honestly, the way we structure the deals for our films is not something I can talk about.

Okay, how will you acquire the films?

Feldstein: There are a lot of different ways of acquiring films. Beyond that, no, I can't say.

Would FoxFaith ever consider making a big budget movie like The Passion of The Christ or The Nativity Story, coming this December?

Feldstein: Understand, FoxFaith is not making these movies. We're acquiring them. Look at something like End of the Spear. I don't know if you liked that or not. I thought it was a good movie. And I don't think that that movie would turn off secular audiences.

It actually finished in the top ten at the box office the first week out?

Feldstein: Yes. It was a great movie, terrific production values, and it was a FoxFaith release and it had a budget of $15 million, I believe.

I think it was a little closer to $20 million, but …

Feldstein:One Night with the King.

Okay, those are movies that were made independently that you guys have acquired after the fact?

Feldstein: Exactly.

How about the big studio? Will Fox Movies ever commission films to be made for the FoxFaith brand?

Feldstein: I really can't speak on behalf of the studio. I speak on behalf of Home Entertainment, and the FoxFaith initiative is a Home Entertainment-driven business. FoxFaith is a brand of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The connection to the bigger Fox studio is that 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the vision of the studio. That's the connection. The only one.

What else have you got in the can besides Love's Abiding Joy and One Night with the King?

Feldstein: Take a look at the website. There's a lot of different things coming up.

What will determine if this is working, if it's successful?

Feldstein: It's a success already.

Why do you say that?

Feldstein: We've got dedicated FoxFaith fixtures in 1,100 retail outlets that are right in our core demo. So we're already a success with our partners at retail. Everybody wins.

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