Strategic partnership combines Hollywood talent, bestselling intellectual property and mobile-first storytelling to create a new generation of premium vertical entertainment.
LOS ANGELES, CA — September 2, 2026 — Entertainment entrepreneur, producer and innovator Malik Davis, through Upscale Promotions & Entertainment, Inc. aka “Upscale Productions” is partnering with Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat and aTwist to develop and produce a slate of more than 20 original vertical microseries, the rapidly growing mobile-first entertainment ecosystem.
The partnership, which was negotiated by Omara Harris, Esq., of The Law Office of Omara S. Harris, Esq., LLC, will establish a dedicated vertical content destination on aTwist, featuring bite-sized scripted entertainment designed specifically for audiences consuming premium storytelling on their mobile devices.
At the center of the slate are screen adaptations of bestselling author Blake Karrington’s book series, bringing established intellectual property into a new entertainment format while creating opportunities to build scalable franchises across digital platforms.
For Davis, the partnership represents another major step in Upscale Productions’ strategy to identify valuable intellectual property, develop culturally resonant stories and transform them into commercially scalable entertainment franchises.
“We are entering a completely new era of storytelling,” said Malik Davis, Founder of Upscale Productions. “Audiences are consuming entertainment differently, and vertical storytelling gives creators and producers an incredible opportunity to meet them where they are. Partnering with Hartbeat and aTwist allows us to combine premium IP, world-class entertainment expertise and a platform built for the future of mobile entertainment.”
The collaboration brings together three distinct strengths: Hartbeat’s global entertainment brand and production expertise, aTwist’s vertical-first distribution platform, and Upscale Productions’ focus on intellectual property development and franchise creation.
The slate is designed to demonstrate the potential of vertical entertainment beyond short-form social content — positioning microseries as a legitimate, scalable scripted entertainment category capable of supporting recognizable talent, established IP and long-term franchise development.
A NEW MODEL FOR IP
Upscale Productions sees the partnership as part of a larger opportunity to reimagine how intellectual property moves from page to screen.
By adapting established book properties into vertical series, the partners can create highly serialized stories built around the viewing habits of mobile audiences while maintaining the character, drama and commercial potential of premium scripted entertainment.
The partnership also creates a potential pathway for successful vertical properties to expand into additional formats, including traditional television, feature film, digital platforms and other consumer opportunities.
Malik Davis and Upscale Productions have increasingly focused on developing entertainment properties that can operate across multiple platforms and audience segments, with vertical storytelling representing a major component of that strategy.
ABOUT UPSCALE PRODUCTIONS
Upscale Productions, founded by Malik Davis, is an entertainment company focused on developing, producing and scaling original intellectual property across film, television and emerging entertainment platforms.
Through strategic partnerships and a growing portfolio of projects, Upscale Productions is building a multi-platform entertainment model designed to connect premium storytelling with underserved and highly engaged audiences.
ABOUT HARTBEAT
Hartbeat is Kevin Hart’s global media company focused on creating entertainment and experiences that celebrate culture, comedy and the human experience across film, television, digital media and consumer products.
ABOUT ATWIST
aTwist is a vertical-first entertainment platform focused on delivering serialized, mobile-native storytelling designed for the rapidly evolving short-form and microseries audience.
Media Contact:
KellyK PR
