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Frazer Harrison / Staff via Getty Images, Kristina Bumphrey / Contributor via Getty Images, and Phillip Faraone / Stringer via Getty Images
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Ryan Coogler, winner of the Best Original Screenplay Award for “Sinners”, poses in the press room during the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California, Shonda Rhimes at the 30th Annual Webby Awards held at Cipriani Wall Street on May 11, 2026 in New York, New York, and Charles D. King attends the MACRO 8th Annual Pre-Oscars Party at Audrey Irmas Pavillion on March 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California
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We don’t have to explain why our stories should be told by our people, especially when there’s no shortage of incredible Black filmmakers, directors, and writers already doing the work. Behind just about every one of them is a media company — be it focused on production, distribution, development, or otherwise — helping bring those stories to life.
There are absolute legends like Spike Lee and Monty Ross, whose 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks helped bring us Malcolm X and Do the Right Thing. You also have modern-day pioneers like Issa Rae, who delivered the dearly missed “Insecure” through Hoorae, as well as Ryan Coogler, the powerhouse behind Sinners, Creed III, and a plethora of other Proximity Media-produced films. While we’re at it, even former President Barack Obama and NBA greats like LeBron James have joined the party.
Without further ado, scroll through 14 Black-owned media companies shaping the entertainment industry one film or television series at a time (in no particular order).
1. Issa Rae’s Hoorae
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Issa Rae attends the 19th Television Academy Honors at Television Academy’s Wolf Theatre at the Saban Media Center on May 20, 2026 in North Hollywood, California
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Issa Rae is really that girl. Her media production company, Hoorae, has developed and produced projects such as “Rap Sh!t,” One of Them Days, and perhaps most importantly, “Insecure.” Of course, the company also houses her music and podcast platform Raedio, as well as ColorCreative, which has worked with the likes of Sanaa Lathan and our very own Lynae Vanee.
2. Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions
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Olivia Wong / Stringer via Getty Images
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Jordan Peele attends Monkeypaw Productions’ No Drama Initiative hosted by TIFF and The Universal Filmmakers Project during the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF Lightbox on September 06, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.
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Get Out, Us, Candyman — the list of projects Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions has worked on really does go on and on. The Emmy-winning director launched the company in 2012 and has since turned it into a powerhouse in the horror genre, even more so after inking a five-year deal with Universal in 2019.
3. Tyler Perry’s Tyler Perry Studios
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Dia Dipasupil / Staff via Getty Images
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Tyler Perry attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York City
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Tyler Perry’s name carries more weight than anything we could ever say about his trailblazing career, which we can only assume is why he named his production company Tyler Perry Studios. In addition to owning one of the largest production facilities in the country after purchasing a 330-acre property in Atlanta in 2015, the media mogul’s eponymous studio is responsible for Why Did I Get Married?, Daddy’s Little Girls, and basically anything involving Madea or the filmmaker himself.
4. Spike Lee and Monty Ross’ 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
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Monty Ross and Spike Lee during Michael Jordan Hosts 2005 Jordan Classic Dinner – April 14, 2005 in New York, New York, United States.
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If there was one major Black-owned media company that walked so others could run, it’s 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks. Technically the oldest of the bunch we mention on this list, 40 Acres was founded by Spike Lee and Monty Ross in 1979 before helping bring films like 1989’s Do the Right Thing, 1992’s Malcolm X, and 2025’s Highest 2 Lowest to the big screen.
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Ryan Coogler and Zinzi Coogler at the 98th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California
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Ryan Coogler’s Proximity, which he co-founded with his wife, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian, has worked on several projects that went on to earn millions, if not billions, at the box office. Following the enormous success of 2018’s Black Panther, the company has had a hand in Sinners, Creed III, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Space Jam: A New Legacy.
6. Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY
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Ava DuVernay attends the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California
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What do 13th, Selma, The White Tiger, and shows like “Naomi” and “When They See Us” all have in common? Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY ecosystem has had a hand in every one, whether through the legendary filmmaker directing them or the company distributing them on streaming giants like Netflix.
7. Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground
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Former US President Barack Obama (R) holds hands with former First Lady Michelle Obama as she speaks at a stakeholders event at the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Illinois, on June 16, 2026. The grand opening ceremony for the center will be held on June 18 before the center opens to the public on June 19
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The Obamas launching their own media company definitely might not have been on many people’s bingo cards, though it’s not all that shocking considering Barack’s years in public office and Michelle’s later success with “The Michelle Obama Podcast” and “IMO.” Its catalog includes the Colman Domingo-starring Rustin among a plethora of other films, in addition to several podcasts.
8. Kenya Barris’ Khalabo Ink Society
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Marcus Ingram / Contributor via Getty Images
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Kenya Barris speaks on stage during Audible’s The Unusual Suspects podcast during the 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival at Austin Convention Center on March 09, 2025 in Austin, Texas
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Kenya Barris, who became vice chair of our very own REVOLT Labs in 2026, has built quite the résumé through Khalabo Ink Society. The company has “black-ish,” You People, and Girls Trip all under its belt. If that isn’t iconic, we don’t know what is!
9. LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company
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Slaven Vlasic / Stringer via Getty Images
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(L-R) LeBron James, Maverick Carter and Tom Brady speak onstage during Fanatics Fest NYC 2025 at Javits Center on June 21, 2025 in New York City.
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Yes, LeBron James may have spent most of his career balancing one of the greatest runs in NBA history, fatherhood, and stakes in a few other sports teams, but SpringHill Company may just be one of his most exciting ventures off the court. Co-founded with Maverick Carter, the company has largely produced sports documentaries and films like What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali and Black Ice. We’d be remiss not to mention that his barbershop conversation series “The Shop” also sits under that legendary banner. In 2024, SpringHill merged with British company Fulwell 73 to become Fulwell Entertainment, placing Carter as co-CEO with London-based producer Leo Pearlman. So, although the executive helm has changed a bit, we honor its roots as a Black-owned company!
10. Charles D. King’s MACRO
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Charles D. King attends the MACRO 8th Annual Pre-Oscars Party at Audrey Irmas Pavillion on March 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California
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MACRO’s contributions to Black entertainment include the Denzel Washington-led Roman J. Israel, Esq., Nas-directed docuseries “Supreme Team,” Michael B. Jordan’s Just Mercy, plus many more. While several of the aforementioned companies have operated under major platform deals, leaving them less freedom to shop projects elsewhere, MACRO has placed films and TV series on Apple TV+, Tubi, Roku, Showtime, Netflix, and HBO.
11. Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat
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Leon Bennett / Stringer via Getty Images
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Kevin Hart attends the final of Netflix’s “Funny AF with Kevin Hart” at The United Theater on Broadway on May 05, 2026 in Los Angeles, California
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While just about every Kevin Hart film from the late 2010s has Hartbeat involved somewhere in the process — which is definitely no small number if you’ve seen his résumé — the media company has also empowered plenty of Black women comedy writers. Through its partnership with the Sundance Institute, the Women Write Now initiative has helped bring short films like Hey Boo and Black Karen to life. The studio has also produced BET’s “Couch Critics,” “Cold as Balls,” and “Hart 2 Hart,” along with the action-comedy series “Die Hart.”
12. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions
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Executive Producers of “The March” Julius Tennon (L) and Viola Davis (R) attend the TIME Launch Event for The March VR Exhibit at the DuSable Museum on February 26, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois
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When it comes to film, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions has box-office hits like The Woman King, Troop Zero, and G20 under its belt. Outside of those, though, we might argue that “The First Lady” is one of its more memorable works, thanks in no small part to the EGOT winner’s portrayal of Michelle Obama. We can’t wait to see what comes out of the studio next.
13. Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland
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Shonda Rhimes attends the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Mark Guiducci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on March 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California
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What more is there to say about Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland when the ubiquitous “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Bridgerton” are among the many shows it has produced? Fans of “How to Get Away with Murder” and “The Catch” can thank the company for those ABC favorites too.
14. 50 Cent’s G-Unit Films and Television Inc.
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Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson attends STARZ’s “Fightland” New York Premiere on July 21, 2026 in New York City
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There’s no such thing as downtime for 50 Cent. After already blessing us with album after album of hits, he expanded into television through G-Unit Film and Television Inc., which has helped bring us the beloved “Power” franchise, “The Oath,” and “BMF.” You simply can’t outwork him!