Fox Entertainment Studios and Endemol Shine North America are expanding the Fear Factor brand into scripted territory, developing a new microdrama series designed for the vertical video platform My Drama. The project represents a significant shift for the long-running franchise, marking the first time an established unscripted television property has been transformed into an original scripted narrative.
The series will consist of 30 episodes, each approximately three minutes in length, catering to the quick-consumption habits of mobile audiences. This format follows the rise of micro-drama apps which have gained significant traction in the entertainment market over the last year.
The plot shifts away from the competition format of the original series, focusing instead on a horror film crew that inadvertently unleashes a haunted fortune-telling machine. This supernatural entity forces the crew members into “personalized death trials,” a narrative choice that echoes the high-stakes physical challenges associated with the reality brand while leaning into the horror genre.
This scripted expansion comes as the franchise enjoys a period of renewed momentum. The unscripted reboot, Fear Factor: House of Fear, debuted in January 2026 and drew a reported 17.5 million multiplatform viewers. Following that performance, production house Banijay announced the renewal of the reality competition for a second season.
The production team for the scripted series includes director Gabriel Caste and producers Ian Nsenga and Yuliia Vyshnevska. The scripts are being handled by writers Thom Woodley and Andrew Beck. While the platform provider, Holywater Tech, is often associated with AI-first content branding, the Fear Factor project is expected to prioritize physical sets and practical effects to maintain the “gross-out” realism and visceral tension for which the franchise is known.
Fox’s push into this medium follows a strategic equity stake the company took in Holywater Tech in October 2025. The partnership is part of a broader commitment to produce high-volume vertical content, with the scripted Fear Factor serving as a high-profile test case for how traditional television intellectual property can be adapted for the short-form mobile market.
