MIPCOM’s pre-eminent position as the global TV industry’s number one deal-making market was reinforced this October by a wide range of partnerships across scripted, factual, entertainment and kids. Alongside deals for completed shows, the Cannes market also played host to scores of format and co-pro deals, as this MIPCOM 2019 Review report confirms.
Among the many high-profile scripted properties on show in Cannes during MIPCOM was ITV Studios’ Noughts + Crosses, set in a dangerous, alternate world where racism divides society. Produced by Mammoth Screen, it has been acquired by M-Net in Africa, Russia’s More TV and TVNZ among others. ITVS also secured new buyers for its WW2 drama World On Fire include Huanxi Premium in China and RTL in Germany.
Also prominent at MIPCOM 2019 was A+E Networks’ Project Blue Book, now appearing in around 165 countries. New buyers at the market included Viasat World (15+ Pan CEE markets) and RTL (Germany). European studio Studiocanal, meanwhile, sold the North American rights for Vernon Subutex and Danish comedy drama Pros and Cons to Topic, a new North American SVOD platform.
Fremantle’s scripted content had a good MIPCOM with SBS Australia acquiring a slate of titles including Dublin Murders, Face to Face, Seizure, The Last Wave and American Gods. The same firm also licensed its hard-hitting Iraq-based drama Baghdad Central to US streamer Hulu. Demand for short-run drama continues to be strong, with DCD Rights’ four-parter The Hunting acquired by French channel W9. French demand for scripted was also underlined by Serieclub‘s decision to pick up Norwegian comedy Magnus from Hat Trick International (HTI).
Non-English language dramas continue to play a significant role in schedules around the world. Key sellers this week included Banijay Rights’ Nordic crime drama Wisting, picked up by BBC Four in the UK. Sue Deeks, head of BBC programme acquisition said, “We have no doubt BBC viewers will be engaged by such a likeable lead and a compelling plot full of twists and turns.”
Proving that hot shows can originate anywhere, Lagardere Studios acquired worldwide rights for Russian drama Five Minutes Of Silence from commercial broadcaster NTV, while Mediawan picked up eight part sci-fi series Spides from Germany’s Palatin Media for French-language territories. In other drama deals: ORF Enterprises licensed 130 hours of crime drama Tatort to Huawei Video for Italy; Global Screen licensed Swiss drama Buried Truth to RTL’s TV Now; Newen Distribution sold cop series Cassandre to broadcasters including NBCU’s 13th Street Spain; DRG shipped Doc Martin to ABC Australia; Electric Entertainment partnered ABS-CBN Philippines on Almost Paradise, to be screened on WGNA.
Among other scripted deals, Channel 4 secured the UK linear TV rights to Star Trek: Discovery in a pact with CBS Studios International (CBSSI). As part of the same deal, E4 has also acquired Matt le Blanc’s CBS comedy Man with a Plan, which will air for the first time in the UK next year. Elsewhere Beta Film secured new sales for cop series Hudson & Rex, the first English-language adaptation of classic Austrian franchise Kommissar Rex. The series has been picked up by RAI Italy, and will soon be broadcast on TNT Serie Germany and France TV.
Still on scripted formats, BBC Studios’ Doctor Foster is being remade in India as a Hotstar special; TV Asahi’s hit drama Dele is being adapted by Korea’s CRAV and German VOD platform Joyn is reimagining Australia drama Diary Of An Uber Driver. Turkey’s MF Yapim struck a deal with Nippon TV to remake Abandoned for its domestic audience, building on a long-running partnership. Another innovative deal in this sub-sector saw Avlu, the Turkish version of Fremantle’s Australian prison drama Wentworth, licensed to Netflix. Jamie Lynn, executive vice-president, head of EMEA distribution, Fremantle, said: “Avlu is a brave, modern series that stood out in the mercilessly competitive Turkish drama market.”
Get the full deals report, and plenty more besides, in the Wrap-Up, the official post-show review, compiled by the MIPCOM News team. Just leave us your details on the right to access the full document!
