Kevin Hart's Hartbeat has struck a first-look development deal with Fox Entertainment that turns mobile-first vertical series into a pipeline for feature films and television. Announced on October 13, 2026 at the MIPCOM market in Cannes, the multi-faceted partnership gives Fox Entertainment Studios first look at film and TV projects developed from vertical series released under Hartbeat's CODEBLACK, ESSENCE and REVOLT brands, while Fox Entertainment Global will distribute the vertical series worldwide after their initial platform runs.
What the Deal Covers
Under the agreement, Fox Entertainment Studios secures first look at feature film and television series projects originating from vertical series produced under Hartbeat's three culture-focused labels: Codeblack, Essence and Revolt. Vertical series — portrait-format, short-form episodes made for phones, also called microseries or microdramas — will serve as the "first stage of intellectual property development," letting Fox test stories, characters and worlds with real audiences before committing them to longer formats.
The pipeline launches with a slate of 25 live-action titles. The deal pushes vertical storytelling beyond its traditional concentration in romance, opening the format to multicultural, faith-based and genre-driven series. Proven titles get a path to Fox's network, streaming and international platforms.
A Branded Home on My Drama
The 25-title slate will premiere on a new CODEBLACK-branded destination on My Drama, the vertical video platform from Fox's strategic partner Holywater Tech — the first dedicated branded channel on My Drama. Users will be able to subscribe to the channel on its own or access it as part of the broader My Drama service. Fox holds an undisclosed equity stake in Holywater Tech, having acquired a strategic stake last year.
Holywater Tech says its content platforms reach more than 100 million users, and My Drama is the top vertical streaming app among American and European companies. The labels' combined social following exceeds 20 million; they will program the channel and direct their communities to the new content, giving each series a built-in audience from day one.
"Vertical is where those stories start, not where they stop. The culture builds the audience, the audience chooses the stories, and with Fox the stories that win become film and television for the world." — Jeff Clanagan, co-founder of Hartbeat and president and chief distribution officer, founder of Codeblack
"Hartbeat has a powerful creative voice and an exceptional instinct for stories that connect with audiences," added Hannah Pillemer, head of scripted at FOX Entertainment Studios, calling the pact "a strategic, audience-driven approach to developing IP" that fits how the studio is growing.
Why Hartbeat Is Betting on Vertical
Hartbeat is the global, multi-platform media company led by chairman and co-founder Kevin Hart alongside co-founder Jeff Clanagan. It was formed in 2022 through the merger of Hart's HartBeat Productions and his Laugh Out Loud comedy venture, backed by a $100 million investment from Abry Partners that valued the company at roughly $650 million.
The Fox deal follows Hartbeat's September partnership with aTwist, which made the vertical platform the exclusive home of Hartbeat and LOL-branded microdramas, with a slate of more than 20 original microseries including LOL comedy originals and adaptations of bestselling author Blake Karrington's books. Between aTwist and My Drama, Hartbeat is now building vertical slates across two branded destinations.
For Fox, the partnership deepens its bet on vertical video as an audience-testing ground: cheap, fast, and measurable before the expensive part begins. The next viral microdrama could be the next Fox series.
Watch: Kevin Hart discusses Hartbeat's business strategy and future on The Breakfast Club — Hart defends the company's operating efficiency and says "Hartbeat is never going anywhere."
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Silly Fun (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0