FilmRise, the widely recognized largest independent supplier of programming to ad-supported streaming globally, continues to beef up its FAST-channel portfolio, which it says has grown beyond 380.
On Tuesday, the New York City-based film, TV studio and streaming network announced the addition of six more FAST channels, including one built around TV shows based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic London detective, Sherlock Holmes.
Beyond the Sherlock Holmes Channel, other new offerings include FilmRise Drama Channel, which will offer “character-driven” series and movies "featuring stars like Alexander Skarsgård, Helen Mirren, David Oyelowo and Rosie Perez”; Z Nation Channel, an offering built around Syfy’s post-apocalyptic zombie series; and Continuum Channel, another Sci-Fi-based free streaming channel, this one dedicated to the Vancouver-set time-jumping detective series that ran on basic cable from 2013-2105.
Also included are two new reality-based channels: Sheriffs: El Dorado County Channel, a 24/7 viewing option based on the Reels Channel non-fiction show; and Iron Chef en Español, which seeks to further broaden the cultural reach of Fuji Television’s pioneering 31-year-old cooking-series classic.
FilmRise’s announcement of its latest FAST offerings was made out of MIPCOM in France.
It comes a day after FilmRise touted the acquisition of another series seemingly destined for FAST stardom, fantasy-adventure drama The Outpost, which ran on The CW from 2018-2021 and was produced the prolific Dean Devlin and his Electric Entertainment.
FilmRise obtained exclusive U.S. distribution rights for all 49 episodes of the series, including AVOD, FAST and SVOD.
The Outpost stars Jessica Green as Talon, a young woman bent on revenge after a group of brutal mercenaries attack and destroy her village.
“The Outpost holds a special place as one of our most cherished TV series, and I am delighted that we can reach an even wider audience through FilmRise's extensive distribution network. During its initial broadcast, the series garnered a dedicated following. This partnership is poised to amplify that support further,” said Devlin, in a statement.
Added FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher: "We are thrilled to provide the vast and avid fan base of ‘The Outpost’ with the chance to stream the series across various platforms. Additionally, viewers can enjoy the entire franchise in one go, completely free of charge.”
According to the May State of U.S. FAST report compiled by media analyst Gavin Bridge, FilmRise accounts for three of the six most-distributed FAST channels in America, including Forensic Files, Heartland and Unsolved Mysteries.
Founded by Fisher in 2012, FilmRise is known for its “Moneyball” approach to content acquisition, using advanced data analytics to identify under-appreciated and under-monetized movies and shows in the global market.