With two weeks to go, MIP LONDON has hit 2,000 registrations, including 900-plus buyers, largely from Europe, North America and Asia, Lucy Smith tells World Screen Newsflash.
The inaugural MIP LONDON is set to begin on February 23 at the IET London and The Savoy. Smith, director of MIP LONDON and MIPCOM Cannes at RX, shared with World Screen an update on the market.
WS: Can you give us an update on attendance numbers?
SMITH: It’s looking very strong and very international. We are two weeks out today and will top 2,000 registrations this week—that’s doubled since you and I last spoke in mid-January. These 2,000 originate from over 75 countries, with Europe and North America well represented (as you would expect), and a strong presence from Turkey, MENA, LatAm and Asia, with major delegations from Japan, China and Korea.
Also, the Country Pavilions are now all locked in with Belgium, China, France, Korea and Spain confirmed, and the number of companies from Canada attending with the support of Telefilm Canada and SODEC is now over 30. We recently agreed to a partnership with the European Producers Club to bring in more of their members.
We’ve also had more distributors, production houses and studios confirmed to take meetings spaces, with Boat Rocker, DLT Entertainment, Electric Entertainment, Global Agency, Moonbug Entertainment, Movistar Plus+ and Raw Cut joining companies such as A+E Networks, Al Jazeera, Beta Film, Fuji TV, FilmRise, Gaumont, Global Screen, Nippon TV, PBS and TV Asahi, as previously announced.
Overall, it’s a really encouraging take-up for a first year of a market that is purposefully different in aims, format and scale to MIPTV.
WS: How many buyers are you expecting, and can you give us a sense of the geographic breakdown?
SMITH: Over 900 buyers are now registered. These cross all genres (for example over 350 are relevant to scripted and 200 to kids), with Europe the most represented, followed by North America and Asia.
I know I’ve been saying this a lot, but our sole aim for MIP LONDON is (and has always been), to bring in more people, to create more business and more opportunities for what has become a big week for content in London. So, what’s encouraging is that when registering, around a third of buyers have indicated that they will be visiting London that week for the first time—so new buyers are definitely coming in.
And it’s also encouraging that attendees are coming from beyond the traditional buyers and distribution dynamics, with more producers, next generation media companies, digital-first players and content creators, FAST, AVOD and CTV players. You’ll see more of these across the venues and in the program through conference and matchmaking sessions. These are now all in the schedule, and people can now book themselves into specific matchmaking sessions.
WS: As we get closer to the event, have you started hearing from delegates about what they’d want out of an event in London in 2026?
SMITH: We’re laser-focused on what is going on here in 2025 for now. We have clearly tapped into something, and we do see London growing even more as a destination each February. What we will do regarding plans for 2026 is listen to everyone who is in London during that week, as well as carrying out our usual robust client survey for all those at MIP LONDON. That will give us great feedback to weave into plans for 2026. We’ll let the audience give us direction for MIP LONDON 2026.
WS: Are there any new additions to the schedule you want to highlight?
SMITH: There’ll be over 50 speakers across the week from BBC, TF1, ZDF, Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, TikTok, Samsung TV Plus, Vevo and more.
New additions to the schedule include two showcases from Talpa Studios, one being the launch of their new talent format The Headliner, which are part of an unscripted lineup that includes a spotlight on emerging Asian formats with showcases from KOCCA, TV Asahi, Yomiuri TV, a Fresh TV session on Japan and a multi-genre presentation by MIC and BEAJ. Plus, we now have the shortlist for the MIPFORMATS PITCH, which is being staged in partnership with FOX Entertainment Global.
We have a newly confirmed world premiere screening of crypto-currency action drama Paper Empire from Robert Gillings Productions, which Robert Davi, its lead, will be in attendance for, joining a scripted lineup that includes Dori Media bringing one of its most ambitious productions to date, the horror comedy Soul Sucker from Euphoria co-creator Daphna Levin. Lead and series co-creator Bat Hen Sabag is also set to be in town.
The lineup for the Global Streaming Strategies Summit hosted by Evan Shapiro has grown with new confirmations from Tubi and Warner Bros. Discovery and sessions going deeper into the creator economy. We’re also delighted that Evan and Marion Ranchet will do a first live episode of their new podcast The Media Odyssey on the MIP LONDON stage.
And, of course, we couldn’t be more thrilled to host the special in-conversation fireside with the iconic David Beckham and Bela Bajaria from the main stage of the IET on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.
One final one for the diary: the Opening Cocktail on Sunday from 6 p.m. at the IET London will be in partnership with Coutts and feature live performances from artists from Hamilton and Lion King, among other West End favorites—a wonderful backdrop to meet up with those you know are coming, and those you don’t, and to get the week off to a great start.
WS: Is there a closing message you’d like to share with execs who perhaps are still on the fence about attending?
SMITH: Come and join us! MIP LONDON is complementary to existing events that week, and will deliver conversations and connections that can result in more business being done. You can register up to the day and on site at the same rate as now of £500. Whether you already have business in London that week or not, there are five days of reasons why that can be a great investment.
