Fox and Endemol Shine develop vertical horror series based on Fear Factor
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Fox and Endemol Shine North America are developing a scripted vertical microdrama based on *Fear Factor: House of Fear*, taking the reality franchise into original horror storytelling. The project is described by Fox as the first scripted extension of an unscripted television franchise.
The untitled series will stream on Holywater Tech’s My Drama platform and comprise 30 episodes of three minutes each. Set during preparation week on a remote horror set, it follows a practical-effects artist and crew who unleash a haunted fortune-telling machine that traps them in personalised death trials; the series will be physically produced.
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In short
- *Fear Factor* is becoming a scripted vertical horror series.
- The microdrama will have 30 three-minute episodes.
- Its story centres on a haunted fortune-telling machine.
How this story developed
- 53 minutes ago Fox Entertainment Studios was also named as a producer, and the project was reported to be a physical production despite My Drama’s AI-first positioning.
- 59 minutes ago Fox and Endemol Shine North America planned a scripted horror microdrama inspired by Fear Factor: House of Fear, with 30 three-minute episodes for Holywater Tech’s My Drama platform.
Full account
Fox Entertainment Studios and Endemol Shine North America are developing a scripted horror microdrama inspired by Fear Factor. The untitled series is planned for Holywater Tech’s My Drama app, with Fox Entertainment Global handling international distribution. It extends the current Fear Factor: House of Fear, which is produced by Endemol Shine North America and is heading into a second season on Fox.
The story is set during preparation week on a remote horror television production. A practical-effects artist and her crew set off a haunted fortune-telling machine that subjects them to individual death trials. Those who survive must discover the machine’s tragic past before it threatens everyone they love. The series is planned as 30 episodes of about three minutes each, designed for vertical viewing on mobile devices.
Ian Nsenga and Yuliia Vyshnevska are producing, Gabriel Caste is directing, and Thom Woodley and Andrew Beck are writing. Although My Drama’s owner describes itself as an AI-first company, the report says this project will be made as a physical production. Fox says the adaptation marks the first move from an unscripted television franchise into original scripted storytelling; the project will also be My Drama’s first horror series.
The announcement builds on Fox’s broader partnership with Holywater and reflects growing interest in short-form vertical programmes among established television companies. Fear Factor began as a hit for NBC in the 2000s before Fox revived it as Fear Factor: House of Fear with Johnny Knoxville. Endemol Shine’s parent company, Banijay, has produced or licensed the format internationally, with one report citing 32 adaptations worldwide.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The first report gives more detail on the production arrangement, the show’s horror premise and its place in My Drama’s catalogue, including noting the platform already carries vampire and werewolf romances. The second puts the deal in the context of the expanding vertical-video market and Fox’s partnership with Holywater, and adds background on Fear Factor’s broadcast history and international adaptations.
The outlets describe the season timing differently: the first says House of Fear is going into its second season, while the second says Fox revived the series last year. They do not provide a release date for the microdrama.
The first report explicitly says Fox Entertainment Global will distribute the series internationally and that the production will be physical despite Holywater’s AI-first positioning. Those details are absent from the second report. Both present the unscripted-to-scripted move as a first, attributing that distinction to Fox.
Explained simply
Fear Factor is a television franchise built around contestants facing frightening or difficult challenges. Its latest version, Fear Factor: House of Fear, provides the setting for this new fictional story, which shifts the franchise from reality competition into scripted horror.
Fox is the broadcaster behind the franchise, and Endemol Shine North America is a television production company. Holywater Tech’s My Drama is the streaming platform named for the series. The story centres on a practical-effects artist and a film crew preparing a remote horror set, where a fortune-telling machine brings them into danger.
The format of short, phone-friendly episodes is known as a vertical microdrama because it is made to be watched on a mobile screen held upright. The project extends an unscripted television brand into a fictional series, while retaining its horror themes.
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Originally published by The Hollywood Reporter as “‘Fear Factor’ Goes Vertical With Scripted Microdrama”.