Discovery’s Food Network moves into scripted with festive movie from MarVista

Discovery-owned US cablenet Food Network is moving into scripted with its first original TV movie commission, titled Candy Coated Christmas, which will also be made available on streamer Discovery+.

Molly McCook

The film stars Molly McCook (Last Man Standing), Aaron O’Connell (The Haves & The Have Nots), Jae Suh Park (The Big Short) and John McCook (The Bold & the Beautiful), along with Food Network presenter Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) making her acting debut.

Directed by Ellie Kanner (Love & Sunshine) and written by Alex Yonks, Kanner and Joey Plager, Candy Coated Christmas is produced by MarVista Entertainment in association with Go Films.

The executive producers are Ellie Kanner, Joey Plager and Larry Grimaldi, alongside Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew for MarVista Entertainment.

The plot focuses on a Los Angeles-based marketing executive who is planning a new business venture with her best friend and heading to the airport for her annual father-daughter trip to Hawaii when she learns the seed money she was counting on for her business has disappeared.

Production wrapped this week ahead of a premiere this Christmas.