Honestly, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood came knocking at the door of the 8 Passengers wreckage. When you have a story that involves a world-famous "momfluencer," a mysterious desert compound, and a dramatic escape by a malnourished child, the Lifetime movie basically writes itself. And that's exactly what happened. But if you're looking for the definitive movie about Ruby Franke, you've actually got a few different things to sift through—some are dramatized "ripped from the headlines" fare, and others are gritty, three-part docuseries that'll make your skin crawl.
The one everyone's talking about lately is the Lifetime original, Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story. It stars Emilie Ullerup as Ruby and—wait for it—Heather Locklear as the controversial "therapist" Jodi Hildebrandt. It’s got all the hallmarks of a TV movie, but the real-life backstory is so dark that even a dramatized version feels almost too heavy for a Tuesday night watch.
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Why the Ruby Franke movie is so polarizing
People are divided. On one hand, you have the true-crime junkies who want to see the psychology of how a mother of six goes from filming grocery hauls to being sentenced to 30 years in prison. On the other, you have the Franke children themselves. Shari Franke, the eldest daughter, has been pretty vocal about her distaste for these projects. She basically said that nobody from the production reached out to the family and that none of the money from these movies is going to help the younger kids who actually lived through the nightmare.
It makes the whole "entertainment" aspect feel a little greasy, doesn't it?
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But the fascinations won't stop. Besides the Lifetime flick, the streaming giants have moved in. Hulu dropped Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke in early 2025, and it’s arguably more "human" because it actually features Shari and Chad Franke talking on camera. Seeing their faces as they describe the shift from "annoying vlogging mom" to "isolated extremist" is way more chilling than any scripted dialogue.
The Jodi Hildebrandt factor
You can't talk about a movie about Ruby Franke without talking about Jodi Hildebrandt. In every film depiction, Jodi is portrayed as the puppet master. The 2024 Lifetime movie leans hard into this, showing how Jodi moved into the house and systematically pushed Kevin Franke out.
If you've followed the case, you know the "ConneXions" curriculum was the catalyst. The movies try to explain it as this cult-like belief system where "Truth" (with a capital T) justified some of the most horrific child abuse cases in recent Utah history. Netflix even got in on the action with Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, which focuses less on the vlogging and more on how a licensed therapist could legally dismantle so many families before anyone stopped her.
What the documentaries reveal that the movies miss:
- The Unedited Footage: Hulu’s series used over a thousand hours of raw YouTube footage. It shows the "glitches" in the matrix—the moments before Ruby hit "record" where she looks absolutely exhausted or cold.
- The Neighbors' Guilt: We see interviews with the people in Ivins, Utah, who saw things but didn't know if they should call the cops.
- The Journals: Some of the newer docuseries, like the one on Investigation Discovery, actually dive into Ruby's handwritten journals. Reading her own words about "demonic possession" makes the Lifetime movie version look tame.
Where to watch everything right now
If you’re trying to catch up on the saga, here is the lay of the land as of early 2026:
- Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story (Lifetime/LMN): This is the scripted one. It's high drama, very "TV movie" vibes, but Emilie Ullerup actually does a scarily good job of mimicking Ruby’s specific way of speaking.
- Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke (Hulu): This is the three-part heavy hitter. If you only watch one, make it this. It’s got the family participation (minus Ruby and Jodi, obviously).
- Evil Influencer (Netflix): This one just dropped at the end of 2025. It’s very stylized and focuses a lot on the "cult" mechanics of the ConneXions group.
- Ruby & Jodi: A Cult of Sin and Influence (ID/Max): A bit more "true crime procedural" but has some great interviews with law enforcement who were there the day the kids were found.
The "8 Passengers" legacy and what's next
It’s weird to think that just a few years ago, the Frankes were the gold standard for LDS family vlogging. Now, they’re a cautionary tale for the entire influencer industry. Utah has even passed new laws (like SB24) specifically because of this case, toughening up sentences for "child torture."
The movies focus on the sensational stuff—the ropes, the duct tape, the honey and cayenne pepper punishments. But the real story, the one the documentaries try to get at, is about the digital age. It’s about what happens when children aren't seen as people, but as props for a brand.
Ruby is currently serving her time in the Utah State Correctional Facility. She’s reportedly taking college classes and "crying the days away," according to Shari's memoir, The House of My Mother. While she’s behind bars, the media machine keeps turning.
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Next Steps for the Concerned Viewer:
If you're going to consume this content, the best thing you can do is support the survivors directly. Shari Franke’s book is a good place to start if you want the story from someone who actually lived it, rather than a screenwriter in an office. Also, keep an eye on the "Kidfluencer" legislation moving through various states; many are pushing for laws that ensure children in vlogs actually get a portion of the money they earn—something the Franke kids never had.
The movie about Ruby Franke might be what brings people in, but the real-world impact on child privacy and influencer ethics is what's going to stick around long after the credits roll.