Cineverse & Lloyd Braun Partner for Micro-Drama JV

Cineverse has aligned with Lloyd Braun’s Banyan Ventures to establish a 50-50 joint venture focused on micro-dramas.

MicroCo will develop serialized, short-form, mobile-first content and roll out its own AI-native platform, the name of which will be announced at a later date. The company is exploring multiple revenue models, including advertising, in-app transactions and other premium options for fans.

“The average person scrolls through hundreds of feet of content a day, but almost none of it is built to last,” said Braun. “We’re merging the storytelling rigor of series television with the pace, energy, and intimacy of short-form—creating addictive, emotionally rich, quality series that are developed specifically for this format and speak directly to how people consume content now.”

Cineverse Chairman and CEO Chris McGurk added: “MicroCo will combine a new style of storytelling that engages fans and creators alike, with state-of-the-art technology that we have spent years developing, and an elite leadership team that includes some of our generation’s most successful media and content executives. The end result will be a category defining studio and platform. Early results in the space have underscored the massive strategic upside of this new format, including the opportunity to build an original IP engine with global monetization opportunities, to integrate brand partnerships, and support a robust creator economy flywheel.”

Leading MicroCo is CEO Jana Winograde, former president of entertainment for Showtime Networks. Susan Rovner is chief creative officer.

“As viewing habits shift towards fast, social, and mobile-first experiences, our Microseries will deliver high-impact storytelling meant to be shared,” said Winograde. “Whether it’s leaning into genre or the creator community, we have the tools to meet fans in their native ecosystems and pull them into this new format and platform built just for them.”

“While the need for great stories never changes, viewing habits do, and micro-dramas have proven that short-form storytelling can attract and engage an audience,” added Rovner. “But what’s been missing is the quality, creative passion, and fun that our team will bring to this format.”

Some of Cineverse’s library will be adapted into micro-series, the companies said.