Former Miramax CEO Bill Block is launching a new micro-drama streaming
platform, GammaTime.
The app is backed by a $14 million seed funding round from investors including Alexis Ohanian, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Traverse Ventures. The funding round was led by vgames and Pitango.
“While early micro-drama apps proved the storytelling format works, they’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible,” Block said in a statement. “We are a demand-driven, technologically determined content app where the next billion consumers will discover premium stories to satisfy their appetite.”
In addition to Block, the company is led by former Google Gaming chief revenue officer Slava Mudrykh and former Quibi executive Alex Montalvo, who serve as GammaTime’s chief revenue and content officers, respectively. Vault AI founder David Stiff also serves as a strategic advisor.
GammaTime’s launch comes as vertical shorts have become an $8 billion business globally. The company noted that, in China alone, micro-drama revenues now exceed traditional box office receipts, reaching $7 billion in 2024.
The company says it will work with the world’s top hitmakers to amplify the quality and variety of micro-drama content. The platform, which launched this month on iOS and Android devices, already features more than 20 vertical originals spanning suspense thriller, romantic melodramas and true crime.
The inaugural slate of programming will also feature two original micro-dramas written by “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” creator Anthony E. Zuiker – “The Temptress” and “Lust Cop” – as well as two true crime stories based on Richard Ramirez and Karen Read, two romance dramas “The Player” and “The Vengeance Affair” and two re-imagined viral cases “The Wife Remover” and “The Puppet Mistress.”
“Partnering with GammaTime is every writer’s dream realized. The team empowers creators with an always-green light, a culture of trust and the freedom to deliver film after film without compromise,” Zuiker said. “At GammaTime, interference is replaced with innovation, and creativity is maximized at every turn. The vertical short represents not just the next chapter in cinema, but a revolution in how audiences consume story — because the movie theater no longer requires a seat and a screen, it now exists in the palm of your hand.”
The company has also launched a freemium model, which will allow users to watch content before committing to full access, and said its content strategy will leverage “predictive AI and rigorous testing protocols.”
“We’re bringing the same data-driven sophistication to storytelling that top mobile games use for player engagement,” Mudrykh said. “Every story is tested and optimized before full production. It’s not about replacing creativity — it’s about amplifying it by aligning with what audiences truly crave.”
“There are so many more genres to explore and customer segments to reach in this format,” Montalvo added. “Working with the best A-list and emerging talent right here in Hollywood, we will be the future of entertainment on your phone.”
In addition to GammaTime, Fox Entertainment is breaking into the vertical video space with an equity stake in the platform Holywater. TelevisaUnivision has also started rolling out its own microcontent and is on track to deliver 40 microdramas by the end of the year, with 100 set for 2026
