Cinephile eyebrows were raised earlier this year when Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese announced that he’d partnering with Fox News Media’s streaming service, Fox Nation, for his new TV venture, Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints. But the show’s executive producer, Matti Leshem, characterizes the unlikely partnership as a match made in… well, heaven.
“Fox Nation has been incredibly supportive,” Leshem tells TVNewser about his and Scorsese’s working relationship with the streamer, which premieres the first half of the eight-episode docudrama on Nov. 17. Each of the hour-long installments dramatizes the life and times of a Catholic Church-beatified saint ranging from 15th century warrior Joan of Arc to 20th century friar Maximilian Kolbe. The remaining four episodes will stream in the spring, with the possibility of additional seasons to come.
Still, Leshem understands if devout Scorsese disciples have mixed feelings about subscribing to a streaming platform that’s associated with a conservative-leaning news network. That’s why he stresses the importance of nuance—something that can get lost when discussing loaded topics like politics and faith in the country’s current climate.
“Look, Fox Nation is not Fox News,” Leshem emphasizes. “It’s a really important distinction. Fox Nation is a streaming platform that has all kinds of programming on it. Especially at this time in America, it’s important for everyone to keep an open mind.”
And if you’re still on the fence, Leshem has a streaming-era sales pitch ready to go. “If you’re interested in the show, sample it by downloading Fox Nation for $5.99,” he advises with a laugh. “And If you don’t like it, cancel it! You can sign up for one of the 18 other subscription services that I currently have.”
The story of how The Saints ended up at Fox Nation in the first place is as simple as a parable: They wanted to make it. Getting that “yes” capped a seven-year journey for Leshem and Scorsese—although the latter has dreamed of telling stories about the saints for even longer.
