EXCLUSIVE: NBA Hall of Famer Dwight Howard is starring in and executive-producing vertical series The Escape Room: Truth Or Dis.
The project marks the debut title for new short-form streaming platform Tap In Shorts, which has been founded by U.S. producer and director Artisha Mann-Cooper (The Bay) with backing from private investors.
In The Escape Room, “a group of strangers finds themselves trapped in a dangerous psychological game where survival depends on uncovering hidden truths and confronting their deepest fears.” Exec producers with Howard include Mujaahid Abdul Baasit, Carlos Omar Hassan, and The Gym Agency.
Also starring are Carlos Roberto Jackson, Emily Rachel Gordon, Emily Richard, Sierra-Lynn Hindman
and Wenona Wenb.
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Howard commented: “The Escape Room is the kind of project that immediately grabbed my attention because it’s about more than just suspense; it’s about people being pushed to their limits. I’m excited to be part of a platform that’s giving creators and audiences something fresh and different.”
Howard, a former NBA champ and eight-time All-Star who was nicknamed “Superman”, has appeared as himself in multiple film and TV projects but this is among his first acting gigs as a different character.
According to Mann-Cooper, the new platform will give audiences the chance “to help greenlight future seasons of their favorite series and shorts” and for creators to “share in the profits of licensed content”.
Also joining the platform as original vertical series are Play Me Slowly, directed by Steve O’Reilly of the rock band Tammany Hall and featuring original music from him, Falling For His Dangerous Rhythm, and The Vampire Legacy.
Also on Tap In Shorts will be coming-of-age drama Functioning, executive-produced by and starring Ava Kolker from Disney Channel series Girl Meets World alongside Katherine Kenny and Dana Sparks; One More Rain Man featuring Bella Zoe Martinez, Matt Jones, and Joe Mantegna (Crimimal Minds); and Action Kings of Triad: Uprising starring Kevin Le.
“Tap In Shorts was created to meet audiences where they are on their phones without sacrificing cinematic storytelling,” said Mann-Cooper. “We’re building a platform that keeps audience demand at the center, gives filmmakers a home beyond the festival circuit, and creates a sustainable ecosystem where creators can grow, monetize their work, and tell the stories audiences want to see.”
