Fox Entertainment Global is using MIPCOM to sell more than a show. It is pitching a production hub in Malaysia built specifically for local versions of the survival competition format Extracted.
The Lake Kenyir site is FEG’s first international hub. It includes a permanent headquarters and standing sets in a jungle location, with local crews and access to Malaysian tax incentives. Fox says the facility has “more cameras than the Super Bowl,” a line aimed at buyers weighing production scale.
A hit with repeatable economics
Extracted has delivered 45 million viewers across its first two seasons, according to Deadline, and Fox has already ordered a third. Executive produced by Sylvester Stallone and originally filmed in British Columbia, the show drops ordinary contestants into wilderness with no training, supplies or outside contact. Their loved ones watch remotely and decide whether to hit an “EXTRACT” button that ends the contestant’s run and the family’s shot at the prize. Season 2 ended in April with Texan project manager RJ Reynolds winning.
For media planners and content buyers, that track record changes the risk calculation. A format with a built-in audience and a simple, repeatable mechanism is easier to localise than a scripted import.
Why a hub changes the pitch
Fox is not just selling rights; it is selling speed and lower setup costs. A turnkey base means a broadcaster or streamer can commission an adaptation without building a remote compound from scratch. FEG President Prentiss Fraser said the infrastructure “accelerates the series’ international expansion” by giving licensees a ready production resource.
The hub strategy also mirrors what Fox has done with the Gordon Ramsay series Next Level Chef, which has a production base in Ireland. Malaysia extends that model to a high-stakes survival format, which usually requires harsher locations and more safety planning.
For buyers, the practical questions are straightforward:
- Ask for cost-per-episode benchmarks across the hub’s proposed territories.
- Confirm whether local tax savings are passed through in the license fee.
- Check turnaround times from greenlight to first episode using the permanent sets.
What to watch
The MIPCOM conversations will reveal whether international buyers treat the hub as a true cost advantage or just a marketing wrapper. If Fox can sign early local versions, other format owners may follow the hub model for their own franchises.
Source: Deadline
