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Galvanized by the weighty sales and deal prospects on its “Baywatch” reboot, Fremantle is set to hit the Croisette with a powerhouse lineup as it drives ever more into “mainstream escapism, entertainment, big brands,
IP,” said Fremantle CEO Commercial, International Jens Richter.
“Over the last two years, we’ve definitely put our investments, heavily towards mainstream recognizable talent, IP, escapism it can be a show from Roma Roth, it can be murder, it can be a beautiful walk coast to coast,” he added.
“‘Baywatch’ is the ultimate escapism. And the location is truly, outrageously beautiful, Santa Monica beach,” he added.
Fremantle will host at its stand a “Baywatch”-themed party on Monday, with some cast in attendance, and a panel on Tuesday.
It’s also Mipcom’s biggest brand. “Compared to five, six, seven eight years ago, buyers have less marketing budgets to spend, so when you think about 2026, one big selling point is brand recognition. Now it’s a lot easier for everybody if the marketing is actually built into the show already,” Richter added.
“One telling point that we have struck gold was when we sold ‘Baywatch’ to Sky in the UK and Ireland and the story was picked up by The Sun, one of the top tabloid newspaper in the U.K.,” Richter remembered. “Normally newspapers start writing about shows when they are just about to premiere, and that happened in every single [international] market.”
Built-in marketing can be the original TV show, the IP of a book or cast recognition, he argued.
Fremantle’s drama series lineup has some such cast. Claire Foy (“The Crown”) and Matthew Macfadyen (“Succession”) star in “You Are Here,” from “Normal People” director Lenny Abrahamson and producer Element Pictures. “Masters of the Air” star Anthony Boyle leads “Close to Home,” another Element Pictures title, and “Grey’s Anatomy” 18-season veteran Kevin McKidd stars in ITV “The Only Suspect.”
Fremantle’s 2026 scripted lineup is also delivered by significant players on Europe’s film-TV scene. Led by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, Element Pictures also produced “Poor Things,” “The Favourite,” and most recently four-time Oscar nominee “Bugonia.”
“Element Pictures is certainly one of the production companies out there that has a great track record and therefore also trust with buyers and talent. We have the BBC and Starz in as co-production partners. They came in on board early,” said Richter.
“Roma Roth is also somebody people trust. She created ‘Virgin River’ for Netflix, ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ for us and now at the Upfronts in May, Bell Media, Fremantle and Reel World Management are back together in the next Robyn Carr book, ‘Thunder Point’ and we are in the market pitching.”
A twist-sluiced thriller building to a shocking final reveal, another Mipcom title, “The Only Suspect” is produced by Red Planet Pictures, behind BBC fixture “Death in Paradise,” is now in its 15th season and licensed to 230 territories.
Two more Mipcom series – family suspense drama “The Cold Song” and gritty urban crime thriller “Side Effects” – are tapped from a third Fremantle company, Scandinavian class-act powerhouse Miso Film, behind “1864,” “Warrior,” The Rain,” “The Investigation” and “Faithless.”
“We have had highly premium drama from Miso in the past like ‘The Investigation,’ which back in the day we were able to place with HBO in the U.S., which for a Danish drama is highly unusual,” said Richter.
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, Parrot Analytics Jaime Otero said last week at Iberseries & Platino Industria.
Four of Fremantle’s top seven scripted titles at Mipcom adapt novels: “The Only Suspect is ” adapted by Simon Ashdown from the original novel by Louise Candlish and “You Are Here” with David Nicholls writing the eight-part makeover of his own novel.
“Novels are very good proof of concept, plus we get some of the novel fans as well in. It’s smart,” said Richter. “Baywatch” has pre-sold strongly in a major multi-territory first-window deal with Prime Video. “We have had tremendous pre-sales with ‘Baywatch’ around the world with Amazon Prime Video across seven territories, Sky for the UK and Ireland, and Stan for Australia,” said Richter.
“We are continuing negotiations for first windows around the world, and we will sell second-window deals in these Prime Video territories,” he added.
“There is an awareness and acceptance in the market that a great show can do a great job for various windows, especially if you have it alternating between the subscription world and a free-to-air world,” he added, noting “Sullivan’s Crossing” has sold in over 180 territories and became CTV’s No. 1 original drama in Canada and CW’s top-rated scripted series in the U.S. in a non-growing linear system, playing in second window in both countries on Netflix, and was the first Canadian drama to be No. 1 on Netflix in the U.S. “Now we’re looking forward to Season 5.”
“Baywatch”
12 x 60 ; Network: FOX Entertainment: Production company: Co-produced by Fremantle and Fox Entertainment
Distributor: FOX Entertainment Global holds all domestic distribution rights, and Fremantle manages all international sales.
The big one. Bowing on Fox and Sky in January 2027 and show-run by Matt Nix (“The Good Guys,” “The Gifted”), a 12-episode reboot of the hugely iconic, most-watched TV show of its time.
“Arrow’s” Stephen Amell, Jessica Belkin (“Elle”) and Shay Mitchell (“Pretty Little Liars”) lead the new red swimsuit cast in a show that delivers “high-stakes rescues, explosive drama and plenty of beachside heat,” Fremantle has promised.
“You Are Here”
8 episodes; Network: BBC and Starz; Production company: Element Pictures; Distributor: Fremantle with De Maio Entertainment spearheading the partnership with Starz
“You can still have premium,” said Richter. One case in point: Lenny Abrahamson’s “You Are Here.” Starring Foy (“The Crown”) and Macfadyen (“Succession”) as Marnie and Michael are thrown together on a coast-to-coast epic walk in northern England, teetering on the “brink of a relationship neither was looking for, but one that might be exactly what they both need.” And navigating an undeniable attraction that is as exhilarating as it is terrifying,” the synopsis says. “It’s Element Pictures, it’s based on David Nicholls’ best-selling, captivating novel and has an amazing cast,” said Richter.
“The Only Suspect”
4 x 60 ; network: ITV; production company: Red Planet Pictures, (”Death in Paradise, Sanditon”) a Fremantle company; Distributor: Fremantle
Kevin McKidd plays Alex, who has a picture-perfect life with wife Beth until an abandoned railway track begins to be transformed into nature trail where 30 years earlier in 1995 a body is buried by the track. Now Alex is threatened by catastrophe. Based on the Louise Candish novel, which packs multiple shocking revelations, the biggest near the end.
“Side Effects”
6 episodes; Network: TV 2; production company: TV 2 and Miso Film; distributor: Fremantle
A gritty urban thriller with a timely social underbelly as a large shipment of pills: Denmark’s streets are flooded with lethal synthetic drugs with horrific side effects prompting Denmark’s top crime unit to battle to find the criminals behind the operation and stop them in their tracks. “Those Who Kill” writer Lasse Kyed Rasmussen and director Jonas Alexander Arnby and producers Jonas Allen and Peter Bose at Miso Film, also behind “The Investigation” and “Faithless.”
“Close to Home”
4 x 60; Network: Channel 4; Production company: Element Pictures, a Fremantle company; distributor: Fremantle
Back in Belfast from university, Sean (Anthony Boyle) is back to his old habits, such as all night binges; until he assaults a stranger at a party and even that life falls apart. Back with his mother, Sean reconnects with former girlfriend Mairéad (Jessica Reynolds), and slowly finds through writing a way to move forward.
“The Cold Song”
6 episodes; network: SVT and Film i Väst; production company: Miso Film Sweden, SVT Film, Film i Väst, and Northern European public service broadcasters through the New8 initiative; distributor: Fremantle
Siri, a restaurant owner, and her husband novelist Jon lead a busy life in Stockholm with their two daughters. This Summer she plans an unwelcome 75th birthday party for her mother Jenny. Then Mille, the maid she’s hired, disappears. The family is forced to confront hidden secrets and guilt.” Produced by Christian Rank (“Faithless”) and David Gylling (“Wallander”) from Miso Film Sweden.
“Wrong Move”
Network: Channel 4; production company: Roughcut Television; distributor: Fremantle
Created by Ben Edwards (“Coma”), with cast led by David Thewlis (“Naked”) and billed as a dark comedy about “three families bound by one fatal mistake,” following them in a house buying/selling chain entangled with a psychopath.
Documentaries
“Earth’s Magic Moments” is “big, feel-good, factual done at big epic budgets with state of the art filming techniques, filmed across four extraordinary ecosystems. It’s a very expensive show for the whole family to really fall in love with nature, and ‘AI: Probably Nothing to Worry About’ is a very relevant movie. So we have big shows and big topics,” Richter said.
“AI: Probably Nothing to Worry About”
1 x 90 min; network:Channel 4; production company: 72 Films
An ironic title of course. Described as the fullest account yet of the AI business, led by Nobel Prize winner Geoffrey Hilton, who helped build it, alongside whistleblowers from OpenAI. World premiered at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival to positive reviews. “An ominous documentary,”said one. “But the scariest takeaway may not actually be the artificial intelligence, so much as the humans who’ve created and disseminated it.”
“Earth’s Magic Moments”(w/t)
4 x 1 hour ; Network: BBC One (U.K.), PBS (U.S.); production company: Offspring Films
Premium natural history storytelling with a time-led concept: When conditions suddenly align, wildlife springs into action: “Animals must hunt, feed, find a mate and raise young.” Caught in four episodes ranging from high tide in the Australian coral reef to just before dawn in the Kalahari Desert. Pre-sold to France Télévisions, whose Caroline Béhar hailed as “ambitious project with a talented and innovative production team” and cinematic seamless shoots will offer our audience an immersive experience with mother nature.”
Entertainment
By way of reaction of buyers in the run-up to Mipcom, what is selling and why? “The strongest response has been to formats with a clear hook that you understand straight away. Something visual, easy to play along with and have enough jeopardy to keep viewers watching,” said Fremantle Head of Global Entertainment Ben Crompton. “That’s what is cutting through with ‘Stacks of Cash’ and ‘The Tunnel.’ Both are simple to grasp, but add spectacle and real tension.”
In a market where every dollar counts, Fremantle formats offer priceless cost-efficiency. “Buyers are also looking for shows that feel ambitious but are still practical to produce. The models behind ‘Holey Moley,’ ‘Stacks of Cash’ and ‘The Tunnel’ allow different territories to share the same production set-up, while bringing their own local hosts, contestants and personality,” said Crompton.
He added: “That’s where Fremantle can add real value: combining strong ideas from our own labels and partners, such as Eureka, with our global network and production experience to help make formats work in different markets.”
At Mipcom 2026, Fremantle will also be shopping dating shows “Maison Tabou,” “Love Lens” and “Wingman.”
“Fremantle also has a long history in dating, from ‘Farmer Wants a Wife,’ which is still delivering strong audiences after 25 years,” Crompton noted. “This year’s dating slate builds on that heritage while looking at modern relationships in different ways. ‘Maison Tabou,’ ‘Love Lens’ and ‘Wingman’ all have clear, contemporary hooks that feel like they say something about or solve a problem for today’s singles, and can be adapted across territories to be culturally specific.”
Physical elements’ “main benefit is that the gameplay is instantly visible,” said Crompton. “You don’t need to be a trivia expert to understand that the tower might fall or that someone is racing through the Tunnel. The physical elements make the jeopardy clear, create strong social moments and make the shows easy to watch and play along with across generations.”
A closer look at four titles:
“Stacks of Cash”
Network: TVI, Portugal; production company: Eureka Studios, Fremantle Portugal
Six contestants answer questions to earn uniquely shaped blocks, then use an enormous claw to build an increasingly teetering tower. “The addictive fun of stacking games, built into a primetime spectacle of a game show, with instant family play-along,”said Fremantle. “Stacking games have an addictive simplicity everyone understands, we’ve all played Tetris and Jenga, and I’ve wasted a lot of money on claw machines. Eureka have turned that familiar obsession into a high-stakes format that feels completely unique,” said Crompton. The series has commissions from CBS in the U.S. and Seven in Australia, plus a strong number-one launch on TVI Portugal.
“The Tunnel”
Network: RTVE, Spain; production company: Eureka Studios, Fremantle Spain
70 contestants enter the arena. Two at a time face a spectacular LED Tunnel: racing through rapid-fire picture trivia questions, as correct answers thrust them forward and mistakes hurtle them back. “The Tunnel” has two seasons commissioned by public broadcaster RTVE in Spain and delivered lead channel TVE 1’s best new gameshow launch of 2026, which saw over 2 million unique viewers reached per episode. A pilot is also currently in motion with a major U.S. broadcaster.
“Hitster”
Network: RTL in Germany, RTVE in Spain, Quebecor Content in Canada and RTL4 in the Netherlands
Based on the music party game, a top seller in parts of Europe and Canada, and now in production across five major markets: Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Poland and Canada. In a studio-based TV show two teams, pairing people from different generations, compete hearing hit after hit to place 10 tracks in a chronological order.
Creatively developed by Fremantle Netherlands and Amsterdam/Antwerp based NewBe together with Jumbo Group.
“Holey Moley”
Network: Created for ABC, Channel 7 in Australia, ITV in U.K., Prime Video in Germany, TF1 in France; Production company: Created for ABC by Eureka Productions, Talkback Thames and Mitre Studios for U.K., UFA Show & Factual in Germany, Fremantle France in France.
“Big, comedy-led entertainment,” said Crompton. An extreme mini-golf competition where contestants, from mini-golf enthusiasts to everyday thrill-seekers, brave wild obstacles – spinning windmills, foam hammers, and slippery slopes – hilarious host commentary, and epic challenges to win the coveted plaid jacket, golden putter, and cash prize.
After successful seasons on ABC in the U.S. and Seven in Australia, “Holey Moly” is now expanding through Fremantle’s Portugal-based production hub, with series coming for ITV in the U.K., Prime Video in Germany and TF1 in France.
