Fox Entertainment and Hartbeat partner to adapt microdramas into TV

Fox Entertainment and Kevin Hart’s media company, Hartbeat, have entered a partnership to develop intellectual property through microdramas. Under the agreement, Fox Entertainment Studios will have a first-look deal to adapt microseries released under Hartbeat’s Codeblack, Essence, and Revolt labels into long-form television series and feature films for its international linear and streaming platforms.

The initial phase will launch an array of 25 live-action microseries on My Drama, a vertical video app owned by Holywater Tech, in which Fox holds an equity stake. These series will be hosted within a dedicated Codeblack-branded hub on the app. Following their initial runs, Fox Entertainment Global will manage the worldwide distribution of the microdramas.

This strategy aims to use vertical video as a testing ground to gauge audience interest in specific stories, characters, and worlds before committing to larger-scale productions. The partnership leverages the combined social media following of the Codeblack, Essence, and Revolt brands, which exceeds 20 million followers.