It looks like Netflix has found another competitor in the form of...Chick-Fil-A? The American fast food giant has plans to fly the coop by launching its own streaming service – and the creator of 13 Reasons Why is involved.
Deadline has reported that Chick-Fil-A is moving rapidly into the entertainment space with plans to launch original content for its own streaming platform. According to the publication, the chain restaurant has been working with a number of major production companies and studios to create "family-friendly shows." Chick-Fil-A is reportedly focused on developing original unscripted content (ie, reality shows), but is also in talks to license and acquire titles.
The budgets for the reality shows is believed to be in the range of $400,000 per half-hour episode, and there are also rumors of scripted projects and animated titles in the works. Move over best Netflix shows, we might need a new guide to the best Chick-Fil-A shows.
Chick-Fil-A to Flick-Fil-A
Chick-Fil-A's streaming service is expected to launch later this year and television executive Brian Gibson, who worked on The History Channel's Top Gear remake and The X Factor on Fox, is reportedly in charge of the programming for the streamer.
The fledgling streamer already has some shows in development, including from producer Michael Sugar's Sugar23, which is behind Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why, which as reportedly received a 10-episode order There will also be a family-friendly gameshow from Glassman Media, which produces the popular NBC gameshow The Wall.
A source apparently told Deadline that it was a positive move for the reality TV industry, a genre that's been dwindling in recent years, while another source revealed that it "was a good opportunity." Chick-Fil-A isn't the first company to dive into the unfamiliar waters of the entertainment industry, with the likes of Lyft and Airbnb producing series such as gameshow Lucky Lyft and MTV documentary Gay Chorus Deep South. There's also a long history of surprising streamers: free service Crackle has long been owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul, as was Redbox.
Chick-Fil-A may be known for its chicken sandwiches, but it already produced a series of short animated films, collectibles, and experiences called Stories of Evergreen Hills for its own website, as well as children's puzzles and games (there's a 1000 piece chicken sandwich-shaped puzzle you can enjoy).
Now the question remains: which fast-food chain will be next to compete against the best streaming service? Is Dunkin' Donuts going to become Dunkin' Shownuts, or will Pizza Hut transform into Pizza Hub? Only time will tell.
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