Fear Factor to Debut as Original Scripted Horror Series on My Drama

FOX Entertainment Studios and Endemol Shine North America, a Banijay America company, are developing an untitled original scripted horror series inspired by the Fear Factor: House of Fear franchise on FOX. The new vertical video production, set to debut on Holywater Tech's My Drama platform, marks the first time an established unscripted television franchise has been transformed into an original scripted series.

Created from the ground up for mobile-first audiences, the new production takes the thrills, tension, and terror synonymous with Fear Factor and reimagines the franchise as an entirely original fictional horror story. The series will consist of 30 three-minute episodes.

The project represents multiple new frontiers for the franchise: Fear Factor's first scripted adaptation; the first unscripted-to-scripted television franchise extension; and a move into scripted horror for My Drama, as the platform continues expanding its content portfolio into new genres.

'Fear Factor has always tapped into something primal: what scares us, how far we'll go and what happens when we're forced to confront our fears,' said Hannah Pillemer, Head of Scripted, FOX Entertainment Studios. 'Michael Thorn and his network team saw the opportunity to bring this iconic franchise to FOX in a bold new way, successfully introducing House of Fear and the outrageous Johnny Knoxville to a whole new generation of fans. That tremendous response has opened the door to take Fear Factor somewhere it has never gone before: becoming the first unscripted television franchise to make the leap into original scripted storytelling. Our friends at Endemol Shine came to us with an inspired way to do exactly that, turning everything audiences love about Fear Factor into the foundation for a completely original horror story.'

'Few franchises are as naturally built for vertical as Fear Factor,' said Michael Heyerman, EVP, Unscripted Series, Endemol Shine North America. 'Vertical storytelling is creating a new language for entertainment, one built on immediacy, intimacy, and serialized discovery, and Fear Factor already speaks it fluently. partners at FOX gave the franchise a powerful new life with House of Fear, and we're proud to build on that momentum. Alongside Holywater, together we're creating a new generation of horror that doesn't just fit the mobile screen but uses it as part of the experience.'

'We're grateful to see our vision of turning My Drama into a trusted platform for studios, creators and IP like Fear Factor come to life,' said Anatolii Kasianov and Bogdan Nesvit, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Holywater Tech. 'This is another step toward expanding the audience and helping vertical TV evolve into mainstream entertainment.'

The new vertical series takes place during prep week on a remote horror television set, where a practical-effects artist and her crew unleash a haunted fortune-telling machine that forces them into personalized death trials, leaving the survivors to uncover its tragic origins before it claims everyone they love.

The scripted spinoff comes amid renewed momentum for the Fear Factor franchise. Hosted by Johnny Knoxville, Fear Factor: House of Fear debuted on FOX and Hulu to 17.5 million multiplatform viewers, ranking as the season's highest-rated broadcast debut and #1 new unscripted series among Adults 18-49. FOX has already renewed the series for a second season, set to premiere during the 2026-27 season.

Fear Factor, a Banijay Entertainment format, has become a global television phenomenon with 32 adaptations worldwide.

The untitled Fear Factor scripted vertical series is produced by FOX Entertainment Studios and Endemol Shine North America. It will debut on Holywater Tech's My Drama platform with worldwide distribution managed by FOX Entertainment Global. Ian Nsenga and Yuliia Vyshnevska produce, Gabriel Caste directs, and Thom Woodley and Andrew Beck write.

About FOX Entertainment

With a legacy spanning nearly 40 years, FOX Entertainment is one of the world's most recognizable media brands and a leading global creator of multi-genre content across broadcast, streaming, digital and emerging platforms. The company consists of three core business units. The FOX Television Network, which encompasses its flagship linear platform and streaming partnerships with Hulu and FOX One, is home to series including The Simpsons, The Masked Singer, Doc, Memory of a Killer, Fear Factor: House of Fear, The Floor and Hell's Kitchen. FOX Entertainment Studios operates the in-house scripted and unscripted studios behind series such as Animal Control, Best Medicine, The Faithful: Women of the Bible and The Way Home, as well as Bento Box Entertainment with animated titles such as Hazbin Hotel and Krapopolis; Studio Ramsay Global with Next Level Chef, Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service and Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars; entertainment studio TMZ; and the independent film label Tideline. FOX Entertainment Global is the company's worldwide content sales and distribution arm.

As part of its evolution into a modern next-gen studio, FOX Entertainment is expanding its digital storytelling ecosystem with investments across vertical video with Holywater Tech, Chain's experiential storytelling, podcasting with Meet Cute, a two-way content pipeline with HarperCollins Publishing, and creator-led formats through FOX Creator Studios.

About Endemol Shine North America

Endemol Shine North America delivers content and storytelling to multiple platforms in the U.S. and across the globe. A division of Banijay America (part of Banijay Entertainment), Endemol Shine North America is behind series including Fear Factor: House of Fear (FOX), LEGO Masters (FOX), MasterChef (FOX), MasterChef Junior (FOX), Ripley (Netflix), Deal or No Deal Island (NBC), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC), Como Agua Para Chocolate (HBO Max) and Wipeout (TBS).

About Holywater Tech

Holywater Tech pairs creators' imagination with AI efficiency to bring stories to life and deliver them to global audiences. Its content ecosystem reaches over 100 million users and includes My Drama, the #1 vertical streaming app among U.S. and European consumers and winner of the 2025 Webby Award for Best Streaming Service (People's Voice); My Passion, a digital book publishing platform in the same markets; and My Muse, a platform for vertical series produced with the support of generative AI. In 2025–2026, Holywater Tech was recognized as one of the fastest-growing startups in Europe.

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