Fox joins forces with Dhar Mann Studios to push into micro dramas

Fox Entertainment has tapped YouTuber and film producer Dhar Mann to produce a slate of micro dramas, marking a notable push by a US media group into short-form scripted content.

The move follows the rise of micro dramas in Asia, where short, serialised shows built for mobile audiences have scaled outside traditional television systems.

Under the multi-year agreement, Dhar Mann Studios will produce 40 scripted micro dramas for Fox-backed platform My Drama, with Fox securing distribution rights to sell the shows on to third-party services after launch. Dhar Mann Studios will retain ownership of the content it produces, as well as final creative control.

Fox also holds an equity stake in Holywater, the Ukrainian company behind My Drama, and is producing around 200 original micro dramas for the app.

Announcing the deal on LinkedIn, Mann said it marked one of the largest creator-led studio agreements his company has undertaken and “the first time Fox Entertainment has partnered at this scale with a creator-led studio in the vertical space.”

Founded in 2018, Dhar Mann Studios produces several hours of scripted content each week, largely centred on moral-driven stories about everyday conflicts. Unlike many creators focused on unscripted video, the studio has built its audience around highly structured, episodic storytelling.

Sean Atkins, chief executive of Dhar Mann Studios, said the studio’s ability to operate at scale was central to the partnership. “We already make it at a scale and efficiency that no one else can match,” he said. “If you really look at our main channel, there is no genre we don’t do.”

The new normal?

Micro dramas first gained prominence in Asia, particularly in China, where producers scaled by releasing large portfolios of short, serialised micro dramas, using cliffhangers and rapid iteration to drive repeat viewing.

That approach has helped turn the format into a sizeable business. Research firm Omdia estimates that micro dramas generated around $11 billion in global revenue in 2025.

The model comes as Western media companies increasingly look for alternative ways to develop original IP and reach fragmented, mobile-first audiences, particularly as traditional television commissioning slows and competition for attention intensifies.

Netflix, for example, has increasingly partnered with digital creators as part of its original content strategy, while other studios are exploring social-first or short-form scripted content that allows for experimentation without the costs and timelines associated with traditional TV production.

Still, questions remain over how well short-form scripted content will translate in Western markets over the long term. Previous attempts to build premium short-form video platforms have struggled, most notably Quibi, which shut down months after launch despite heavy investment.

Enjoying The Daily Influence? Read by 1,000+ professionals following how the creator economy is evolving. Get our reporting delivered to your inbox.