Rightwing forces in the U.S. have long coveted a key fixture of American liberalism’s soft power: Hollywood. The “dream factory” that deeply influences the ways Americans see themselves and the world around them has often been accused of (perhaps rightfully so) having a liberal bent. Now, it appears that a group with ties to America’s military-industrial complex has a plan to take over Tinseltown and mold it in their own image.
Semafor writes that a new production company with ties to a current and former executive at Peter Thiel’s creepy defense contractor Palantir has its sights set on transforming the entertainment industry into a bastion of neo-conservatism. Founders Films (which sounds a lot like Thiel’s Founders Fund, don’t you think?) wants to “co-finance projects, distribute films, and engage in brand partnerships,” Semafor writes. The company wants to produce projects that “celebrate American military action, push for confrontation with China, and elevate heroes of the right from Rand to Elon Musk,” the outlet notes.
Key figures raising money for the firm include Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Sankar, Christian Garrett (whose firm has invested with companies belonging to several MAGA figures, including Palantir, Musk’s SpaceX, and Palmer Luckey’s Anduril), and Ryan Podolsky, an early employee at Palantir, Semafor writes.
The outlet cites a pitch deck for the new production company that gives a good snapshot of what the firm is envisioning for Hollywood’s rightwing glow-up. “The American Brand is broken. Hollywood is AWOL. Movies have become more ideological, more cautious, and less entertaining. Large segments of American and international viewers are underserved. Production costs have soared and sales are flagging,” the deck reportedly reads. The company has also said of its brand: “Say yes to projects about American exceptionalism, name America’s enemies, back artists unconditionally, take risk on no