Format

Small Fortune was devised by youngest Media and initially commissioned as a 6 x 60 series by ITV. It aired in the UK in a Saturday primetime slot in 2019 and is due to launch in the US on NBC in 2020. Billed as the world’s smallest physical gameshow, Small Fortune sees teams of friends and family members compete in tiny games set in perfectly miniaturised worlds, often replicating well-known landmarks or historical sites, in order to win big money.

Emmanuel Grinda from DRG was responsible for negotiating the deal with CJ ENM. He comments: “The team at CJ ENM has a brilliant reputation for finding great formats for its channels, so we are pleased that Small Fortune has made it on air with them and await the results of this pilot series with interest. At a time when most physical gameshows are getting bigger and bigger, Small Fortune bucks the trend and delivers a unique look and feel of its own. It successfully supplies lots of jeopardy and emotion and as it can be so readily tailored, with miniature versions of local landmarks or famous places, we are confident that it will be a big success”.

Jooyeon Park, producer from CJ ENM adds: “We have enjoyed working with DRG and youngest Media to develop Small Fortune for tvN and its sister channels and are delighted to be piloting it with our audiences in South Korea. We are always on the look-out for new and different ideas, and think Small Fortune is a truly innovative new gameshow that provides a wonderful mix of fun, unusual visuals and high-stakes tension – making for a great all-round primetime family entertainment show”.

CJ ENM is one of South Korea’s biggest and most influential entertainment companies and in addition to acquiring hit international formats such as Top Gear and Saturday Night Live, also has an enviable reputation for developing its own formats, such as Love at First Song. This new dating and singing hybrid show has been acquired in a number of territories, including in the US by John Legend’s Get Lifted Film Co, Simon Lythgoe’s Legacy Productions and Critical Content.

In related news, DRG is also delighted to confirm that Small Fortune has just been optioned by Sony Pictures Television for a pan-regional deal in Latin America, and also by NENT Group, which has optioned the rights for the Nordic region.

Lucas Church, co-founder of youngest Media adds: “It’s wonderful to see Small Fortune make its way around the world. DRG has done a fantastic job helping secure such wonderful partners and we are excited to work closely with both Sony Pictures Television and CJ ENM to create their own versions of the show.”