TikTok has signed a multiyear deal with Made By Us Studios to co-produce a slate of creator-led microdramas. The deal gives TikTok exclusive rights to select content for its app and PineDrama. Notably, Made By Us Studios positions itself at the intersection of Hollywood and the creator economy.
The move builds on TikTok’s earlier partnership with HOORAE, the production company from Issa Rae. That collaboration produced Screen Time, which launched in April 2026. Since then, it has reached nearly 580 million views globally. As a result, TikTok now calls it the top-performing show ever on both TikTok and PineDrama.
Under the new deal, Player stars creator Hannah Stocking in a romantic revenge thriller. Stocking also serves as executive producer. Meanwhile, The Knock stars creator Adam Rose alongside actress Zaria Simone. Horror production company Spooky Pictures, known for Paranormal Activity and The Ring, handles production. Both projects debuted at MIPCOM Cannes 2026.
TikTok first launched PineDrama in January 2026 in the US and Brazil. The app offers one-minute vertical episodes for free, with no ads or paywalls. In contrast, rival platforms like ReelShort and DramaBox charge users up to $20 per week to unlock episodes. ByteDance also operates two other microdrama apps in Asia: Melolo and Red Fruit.
The global microdrama market now demands attention from every major platform. According to Omdia, it reached $11 billion in 2025 and could hit $14 billion by the end of 2026. Overall, the industry aims to reach $26 billion annually by 2030, according to Variety.
ReelShort currently leads the international market with a 29% share and 70 million monthly users. In the US, its users average 35.7 minutes of daily viewing, while Netflix mobile users average just 24.8 minutes, according to Sensor Tower data. However, Netflix still holds a far larger user base.
Short drama app downloads also surged 95.5% year over year in the first half of 2026, reaching 1.45 billion globally, according to Mintegral. Additionally, active advertisers on microdrama apps grew 132% year over year. US microdrama viewership should rise from 5 million in 2026 to 10.8 million by 2028, according to EMARKETER.
