Fremantle is walking into Mipcom 2026 with a single message: the safest bet in a tight marketing market is a show audiences already know. That means the “Baywatch” reboot, novel adaptations and casts with built-in recognition, according to Jens Richter, CEO Commercial, International at Fremantle.
Richter said the company has shifted investment over the past two years toward mainstream, recognizable talent and escapist IP. “Baywatch” is the centerpiece: a 12-episode reboot produced with Fox Entertainment, set to premiere on Fox and Sky in January 2027. It has already pre-sold first-window rights to Amazon Prime Video across seven territories, Sky in the U.K. and Ireland, and Stan in Australia.
Built-in marketing is the selling point
Richter’s pitch is blunt: buyers have less marketing money than they did five or eight years ago, so a title that carries its own awareness reduces launch risk. He pointed to the Sky deal for “Baywatch,” which generated tabloid coverage in markets where shows usually earn press only around premiere.
Novels perform the same role. Four of Fremantle’s top seven scripted titles at Mipcom adapt books, including “You Are Here,” based on David Nicholls’ novel and starring Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen, and “The Only Suspect,” adapted from Louise Candlish’s thriller with Kevin McKidd.
The IP math
Parrot Analytics data cited by Fremantle makes the case: only 12-14% of new series premieres each year are based on existing IP, but existing IP accounts for 40%-50% of the top 100 most in-demand series.
“Novels are very good proof of concept, plus we get some of the novel fans as well in. It’s smart,” Richter said.
Windowing for reach
Fremantle is also selling a windowing logic: a show can work first on a subscription service and then on free-to-air television. “Sullivan’s Crossing,” from creator Roma Roth, is the reference case. It has sold in more than 180 territories, became CTV’s No. 1 original drama in Canada and The CW’s top-rated scripted series in the U.S., then played as a second window on Netflix and became the first Canadian drama to hit No. 1 on Netflix in the U.S.
The formats bench
On the unscripted side, buyer response favors formats with a clear hook and instantly visible jeopardy, said Ben Crompton, Fremantle’s head of global entertainment. The lineup includes:
- “Stacks of Cash” — a stacking game commissioned by CBS in the U.S. and Seven in Australia after a No. 1 launch on TVI in Portugal.
- “The Tunnel” — a physical quiz format with two seasons at RTVE in Spain and over 2 million unique viewers per episode on TVE 1.
- “Hitster” — a music-format adaptation now in production across five markets.
- “Holey Moley” — extreme mini-golf expanding to ITV, Prime Video Germany and TF1 France.
The strategic takeaway for buyers is not simply “known IP works.” It is that recognizable titles, proof-of-concept novels and repeatable formats all reduce the cost of making an audience aware of a show before launch.
Source: Variety
