Kevin Hart is teaming up with Lionsgate to launch his own comedy streaming service.
Love or hate Kevin Hart, the comedian is taking over Hollywood one day at a time. If it’s a new stand-up special, a box office thriller, or an impromptu interview, Kevin Hart knows how to people laugh. But, behind the scenes Kevin Hart is a true businessman and that’s why this next piece of news is not that surprising.
Kevin Hart is teaming up with Lionsgate to launch his own comedy streaming service. From TheWrap:
Lionsgate and Kevin Hart will launch an online video-on-demand service called Laugh Out Loud in the fall, with exclusives on all his content not stemming from his movies or live touring. The partnership with the comedian and his company, Hartbeat Digital, will include original series.
Some will star Hart, such as a hidden-camera prank show with Hart posing as an undercover driver for app-based ride-hailing service Lyft. And other shows will feature up-and-coming comedians and social stars, like Logan Paul, who has 9.1 million follows on Vine, the six-second-video service from Twitter. They didn’t specify a price for the service.
The new service will join a long list of digital subscription services launching across the country as networks and studios try to capture subscriptions from niche audiences. And as traditional TV and film companies struggle to compete with Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming platforms.
This will be the third online service for Lionsgate as the company launched Tribeca Shortlist launched in October and Comic-Con HQ.
Kevin Hart is also creating a video game in which Hart mentors players on a journey to become “comedic rock stars” through touring the country, starring movies and hosting awards.
“Lionsgate has always been a great partner of mine, and I’m more than excited to take our business and creative relationship to new levels,” Hart said in a statement. “I understand the direction in which the television business is headed, and I see this big new space toward which audiences are starting to gravitate.”
