At this year’s Mipcom, Fremantle’s stand turned into a mini-festival of escapist entertainment. Chief Commercial Officer Jens Richter explained that the company has deliberately shifted its investment toward mainstream talent recognizable intellectual property and visual “escapism” – a strategy embodied by the Baywatch reboot, a seaside spectacle filmed on Santa Monica beach. The company scheduled a Baywatch-themed party on Monday, followed by a panel on Tuesday, positioning the series as the event’s marquee attraction.
Baywatch: brand recognition as a built-in marketing engine
Richter highlighted that, in a climate where buyers are tightening their marketing spend, a familiar brand offers an immediate hook. “One big selling point is brand recognition,” he said, noting that the reboot already secured first-window deals with Prime Video in seven territories, Sky in the UK and Ireland, and Stan in Australia. The 12-episode, 60-minute series, co-produced with Fox Entertainment, will debut on Fox and Sky in January 2027 starring Stephen Amell, Jessica Belkin and Shay Mitchell. By embedding promotional momentum within the show itself, Fremantle reduces the need for separate advertising spend.
Premium scripted drama anchored by literary adaptations
Beyond Baywatch, Fremantle’s 2026 scripted slate leans heavily on acclaimed source material. Four of the seven headline titles are novel adaptations, a tactic Richter says “provides proof of concept and taps the novel’s fan base.” You Are Here an eight-part BBC/Starz collaboration, adapts David Nicholls’ bestseller and features Claire Foy and Matthew Macfadyen under the direction of Lenny Abrahamson. Element Pictures, the production house behind Poor Things and The Favourite also backs Close to Home starring Anthony Boyle, and The Only Suspect a four-part ITV thriller led by Kevin McKidd and licensed to 230 territories. This blend of high-profile talent and established IP accounts for the bulk of the top-100 most-in-demand series, which, according to Parrot Analytics, represent 40-50% of audience demand despite only 12-14% of new launches being IP-based.
Format formats: cost-effective shows for uncertain budgets
Fremantle’s format department also delivered strong buyer interest. Ben Crompton, head of Global Entertainment, pointed to formats that combine “clear hooks” with scalable production. Titles such as Stacks of Cash and The Tunnel rely on physical game-play elements that translate easily across markets, allowing local hosts to personalize the experience while keeping set-up costs low. The company is also promoting three dating formats – Maison TabouLove Lens and Wingman – that build on the long-running success of Farmer Wants a Wife and are designed for rapid adaptation in multiple territories.
Global sales momentum and future windows
Richter underscored that Fremantle’s approach to windows is increasingly fluid. “A great show can perform well in both subscription and free-to-air environments,” he observed, citing the success of Sullivan’s Crossing which sold in over 180 territories topped Canadian ratings on CTV, and later achieved a number-one spot for a Canadian drama on Netflix in the United States. The company is still negotiating first-window agreements for Baywatch while preparing second-window deals within the same Prime Video territories, illustrating a “alternating” strategy that maximizes revenue across platforms.
