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Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat and Fox Entertainment Studios are teaming up to launch 25 live-action vertical series, expanding their presence in digital entertainment. The new slate will feature projects under Hartbeat’s Codeblack, Essence and Revolt brands.
The series will debut on My Drama, a platform dedicated to short-form, mobile-first storytelling. The partnership also gives Fox an opportunity to develop selected stories into films and television series.
According to Vertical News Now, Fox Entertainment Studios and Hartbeat are building a strategy that allows digital stories to reach audiences before potentially expanding into longer formats.
Kevin Hart and Fox plan 25 vertical series
The partnership will introduce 25 live-action vertical titles designed for mobile viewing. Vertical series typically use a portrait format that fits smartphone screens and delivers stories in short episodes.
Hartbeat will bring its Codeblack, Essence and Revolt brands into the project. These brands give the slate a connection to entertainment, culture and audiences across different communities.
The companies will release the titles on My Drama, which will feature a dedicated Codeblack-branded destination. This setup will help viewers discover the projects in one place.
The deal also creates opportunities for the companies to explore which stories connect most strongly with audiences. Successful projects could potentially reach viewers through additional entertainment formats.
Fox secures first-look rights for film and TV
One of the key details of the partnership is Fox’s first-look rights to develop the vertical stories into films and television series.
This arrangement gives Fox the opportunity to consider the stories for longer productions. However, first-look rights do not guarantee that every vertical series will become a film or television show.
The strategy also gives the companies a way to evaluate audience interest before committing to larger productions. Viewer engagement with the initial releases could help inform future development decisions.
For Hartbeat, the partnership creates another route for its stories and brands to reach audiences. For Fox, it offers a pipeline of short-form content that could provide material for future film and television projects.
Fox Entertainment Global to distribute titles worldwide
Fox Entertainment Global will handle worldwide distribution of the vertical titles after their initial runs on My Drama.
This distribution arrangement gives the projects an opportunity to reach audiences beyond their original platform. It also extends the partnership’s potential reach across international markets.
The companies are combining short-form storytelling with a broader development and distribution strategy. Rather than treating vertical series as standalone mobile entertainment, the deal creates a possible pathway from short episodes to longer productions.
What the partnership means for digital entertainment
The collaboration reflects the growing interest in mobile-first entertainment and shorter storytelling formats. Vertical series offer audiences a way to watch scripted stories on their phones without relying on traditional television formats.
The partnership also connects digital releases with established film and television development opportunities. By testing stories with audiences first, the companies can explore which concepts may have potential for expansion.
With 25 live-action series planned, Hartbeat and Fox are establishing a substantial slate for the platform. The projects will launch on My Drama before Fox Entertainment Global handles their worldwide distribution following their initial platform runs.
Whether individual titles eventually become films or television series will depend on future development decisions. Still, the partnership creates a new opportunity for Kevin Hart’s entertainment company and Fox to explore stories across multiple formats.
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