I've Seen Every Daily Wire Movie And Their Biggest Problem Is Not What You'd Think

The Daily Wire is a conservative media company associated with Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Jordan Peterson, and other high-profile right-wing pundits. It was originally founded as a news and commentary outlet, covering topics like politics, religion, and cancel culture. Since 2021, though, the company has ventured into the entertainment business, producing and acquiring film and television projects as a response to left-wing Hollywood. But how has it fared? I've seen every movie the Daily Wire has put out so far, and I believe the company has betrayed its original mission statement.

The Daily Wire's figureheads believe that Hollywood has gone too woke, and the only way to combat its cultural influence is for conservatives to have a seat at the table. But that doesn't necessarily mean making right-wing propaganda for conservatives, as former Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing told Deadline:

"[O]ur entertainment content won't be overtly political, but it will reflect our values. Our mission is simple: We will make great entertainment that all Americans can enjoy, regardless of their political views. If you're fed-up with the cultural edicts of our country's self-appointed moral overlords in Hollywood and legacy media, stay tuned."

To Boreing's credit, the Daily Wire did a pretty good job making movies that are accessible to viewers of all political stripes early on. However, it didn't take long for their content to become as overtly political as it gets.

The Daily Wire's first release, "Run Hide Fight," is a "Die Hard" clone about a high school student protecting her classmates from shooters. A Daily Wire movie with this premise seems like a clarion call for good people with guns to protect schools from bad people with guns, right? Not really. "Run Hide Fight" is an entertaining actioner that doesn't take an overt political stance, even if it's subject matter is arguably tone-deaf.

Moving on, "Shut In" is a "Panic Room"-style thriller about a single mother protecting her children from her deranged ex-boyfriend. "Terror on the Prairie," starring Gina Carano after she was fired by Lucasfilm, is a Western about a mother fighting against a gang of vicious outlaws. "The Hyperions," meanwhile, is an inoffensive comedy that centers around a superhero family. These movies all preach family and faith-based values, but they're subtle, and such values aren't exclusively conservative.

The same can't be said about "Lady Ballers," a transphobic sports comedy about men pretending to be women so they can dominate a female basketball league. This one proudly wears its anti-trans views on its sleeves, throwing cameos from Ted Cruz, Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, and other notable conservatives for good measure. 

Also upfront in its anti-trans views is the Matt Walsh documentary "What Is a Woman," which sees the Daily Wire host lash out against gender ideology. Elsewhere, "Am I Racist?" — a "Borat"-style documentary that explores diversity and inclusion as a for-profit scam — is also all about owning the libs.

Films of this ilk have been the company's bread and butter lately, which contradicts Jeremy Boreing's original statement about attracting viewers who are tired of "cultural edicts." With that being said, the strategy has been effective.

If the Daily Wire's cause is to make populist entertainment that appeals to all Americans, the mission has been a bust. "Run Hide Fight," "Shut In," "Terror on the Prairie," and "The Hyperions" adhere to the promises Jeremy Boreing made in his original statement. However, "Lady Ballers," "What Is a Woman?," and "Am I Racist?" are unabashedly ideological, covering some of the most polarizing topics in the discourse of contemporary times.

From a commercial standpoint, though, the Daily Wire's propaganda fare has been successful. "Am I Racist?" grossed over $12 million during its theatrical run in 2024, proving that there's a mainstream audience for unabashedly right-wing entertainment. Of course, this success can also be chalked up to the fact it's one of the few Daily Wire films to receive substantial theatrical distribution. Yet, it's quite telling that this is the type of movie the company is putting into multiplexes, as opposed to "Run Hide Fight" and other projects that are more suited for non-partisan taste buds.

If the goal is to target Americans who just want to be entertained, the Daily Wire must return to producing accessible entertainment — its Arthurian fantasy series "The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of the Merlin" is a step in that direction, but will it last? Making more Westerns and entertaining action movies wouldn't hurt either. 

More importantly, the Daily Wire should release appealing content on a wider scale, striking deals with Netflix and other mainstream streaming services. Otherwise, it's only going to be seen by Americans who actively subscribe to Daily Wire+ because they agree with the company's politics. Still, is producing entertainment for all Americans even possible when the company making it has a political agenda?