Format

Produced by Banijay Colombia, NBCUniversal’s format House of Villains is expanding its global footprint with an upcoming Spanish-language adaptation, Juego de Villanos, set to premiere this October on Telemundo. The launch follows closely on the heels of the French-Canadian adaptation, La Maison des Vilains (Crave / Productions J), and a Dutch version produced by Concept Street for Videoland.

House of Villains first launched in 2023 on US cable network E!. From a narrative standpoint, the format stands out because it deliberately deconstructs the classic competitive reality genre from within: it drops any pretense of fair play and institutionalizes betrayal, but balances the ruthlessness with a heavy dose of camp self-awareness and comedy.
The concept is straightforward: ten or more notorious, controversial reality TV icons (18 in the upcoming Telemundo adaptation) from legacy franchises like Survivor, The Challenge, Big Brother, and The Real Housewives are locked together in an estate to battle for a $200,000 cash prize and the title of “America’s Ultimate Supervillain” (or “Emperador Villano”).

The weekly structure mirrors classic elimination dynamics: a contest for power (Battle Royale), the naming of three nominees at risk (Hit List), an immunity challenge (Redemption Challenge), and the decisive exit vote (Banishment). Much like top UK psychological strategy formats, the mechanics are kept light and engaging through a sharp, satirical tone.

Even more interesting than its on-screen premise, however, is the format’s multi-platform rollout. Beyond its linear premiere—which NBCU amplified through a multi-network roadblock simulcast across Bravo, Syfy, and USA Network—the company deployed a linear-first model (using cable via E! to build watercooler momentum) paired with day-after streaming on Peacock and NBC/E! TV Everywhere mobile apps.

On digital video, NBCU and E! News heavily leverage YouTube by releasing full-length early sneak peeks, compilations of iconic feuds and one-liners, and digital-first recap segments like The Villain Wrap-Up, generating tens of millions of organic views through clash-heavy, bite-sized moments.

The transmedia ecosystem also includes The Official House of Villains Podcast (distributed via vodcast on Peacock/YouTube and audio on Spotify/Apple) and a high-tempo presence across TikTok and Instagram. This features snappily edited vertical cuts, villain-voiced community management captions, and trending sounds extracted directly from the cast’s catchphrases.
Audience interaction is completed by social-first polling on X and Instagram (such as “Vote for the Shadiest Move of the Week”) and shareable personality quizzes (“Which Villain Are You?”).

Ultimately, House of Villains exemplifies effective 360° IP management: taking a clear, high-concept premise and extending it across linear, SVOD, AVOD, and social layers to maximize brand footprint and viewer touchpoints.


To read about other two 360-deggre formats, go to Link

SUBSCRIBE to the world’s most followed independent FREE NEWSLETTER to receive weekly updates on FORMATS, MARKETS & TRENDS around the world by clicking here: