Hollywood actors, producers and investors are increasingly moving into microdramas, betting that short, vertically filmed series designed for smartphones could become a significant new part of the entertainment industry.

The format, which first became popular in China, typically features episodes lasting only a few minutes and relies heavily on fast-moving plots, cliffhangers and mobile viewing. Research firm Omdia estimates that global microdrama revenue will reach $14bn in 2026, with the US accounting for about $1.5bn and becoming the largest market outside China.

A growing group of established Hollywood names has now entered the sector. James Franco has appeared in the Shortical series Love, Lies & Frank, while Issa Rae’s Hoorae Media partnered with TikTok’s PineDrama on the thriller Screen Time. The latter attracted nearly 75m views in its first week, according to TheWrap.

Actor Taye Diggs has gone further by helping launch Microhouse Films, a platform designed to let filmmakers create, distribute and monetise mobile-first productions. It launched in July with an initial slate of original microseries. Jesse Tyler Ferguson is also attached to a vertical musical comedy, while Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner have invested in microdrama platform GammaTime.

The expansion comes as traditional Hollywood studios face pressure to control production costs while TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels continue to shape viewing habits.