What to Expect at MIPCOM 2025

By Pickle October 11, 2025

As MIPCOM CANNES 2025 returns to the Palais, more than 10,500 industry power players will gather to explore the future of content creation, distribution, and innovation—where streaming giants, creators, and brands shape the next chapter of global entertainment

MIPCOM CANNES 2025 will be more than just a market when the world’s top television and streaming companies meet in Cannes this October (13-16). It will also show where the global content industry is going.

The event, which will take place at the Palais des Festivals from October 13 to 16, 2025, is expected to have more than 10,500 delegates from more than 100 countries. This is the 41st time it has happened. This year’s main theme, “The Creator Economy,” points to a future where television, technology, and stories told by creators come together more and more.

Setting the Stage: A Sony Vision

Keith Le Goy, Chairman of Sony Pictures Television, will be the keynote speaker this year. He will open MIPCOM on October 13 with a fireside chat as part of the “C Suite Conversations” series in partnership with Variety.

Le Goy has changed the way content moves over the course of his 20 years at Sony. He has overseen the company’s television production and home entertainment businesses and negotiated landmark distribution deals with Netflix and Disney.

Lucy Smith, the Director of MIPCOM CANNES, says his keynote speech, will look at how the balance between global IP, streaming strategy, and creative collaboration is changing, sets the tone for an edition that is likely to change how partnerships work across platforms.

Sony Pictures Television will show “The Miniature Wife,” a dramedy based on Manuel Gonzales’ short story, on the first day of the event.

It shows how MIPCOM is becoming a more important place for launching high-quality content around the world.

The Creator Economy Is the Main Event

YouTube, TikTok, and Dhar Mann Studios will be the main speakers at MIPCOM for the first time. They will talk about the Creator Economy, which is where making content, getting people involved, and making money all come together.

YouTube is celebrating its 20th birthday by having its biggest presence ever at MIPCOM. It opened the YouTube Space in the Palais des Festivals and hosted a keynote speech by Pedro Pina (VP, YouTube EMEA) and Jasmine Dawson (YouTube Originals).

The creator partnerships team at YouTube will lead workshops that look at how digital-first storytelling is changing the future of TV.

Shira Lazar will host a session with creators like Callum “Callux” McGinley, Ben Doyle, Dhar Mann, and Kudzi Chimkubu to talk about next-generation storytelling. Lea Karam will lead a data-driven look at audience habits using information from Snapchat and Twitch.

New places to work together

MIPCOM this year has a lot of new formats that are meant to speed up partnerships and co-productions.

At the MIP CREATIVE HUB on the beach in Cannes, creators and producers from Amazon Studios, BBC, Banijay Entertainment, After Party Studios, and Arsenal Fan TV will meet in planned sessions that mix coming up with ideas and making deals.

At the same time, the MIP INNOVATION LAB, which is in the basement of the Palais, will show off how AI, AVOD, and FAST channels can work together.

Ceyda Sila Cetinkaya and Tarif Rahman will lead workshops on how to use technology to get more people interested, and Adrienne Lahens will give a keynote speech on “Storytelling in the Imagination Age.”

This lab, which is backed by Kling AI and Vimeo, sees technology not as a disruptor but as a creative partner.

BrandStorytelling is coming to Cannes

MIPCOM and BrandStorytelling, the U.S.-based group that put on the famous Sundance Summit, are teaming up to host the first-ever international BrandStorytelling Summit. The event will take place from October 13 to 16 and will bring together marketers, producers, and storytellers from around the world to talk about brand-funded programming as a new type of entertainment.

IPG Mediabrands Entertainment Spain is the first sponsor of the summit, and the first group of speakers comes from Banijay Entertainment, BBC StoryWorks, Toys“R”Us, and UTA.

Unmissable Premieres: Stories That Go

MIPCOM CANNES keeps impressing with exclusive screenings and world premieres, in addition to keynotes and strategy sessions.

On October 12, Paramount Global will show “Boston Blue,” a new CBS drama that takes place in the same world as “Blue Bloods.” Sonequa Martin-Green stars in the show, and Donnie Wahlberg returns to his famous role as Detective Danny Reagan, who is now based in Boston. International buyers will get a sneak peek at the series before it airs on CBS on October 17.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Wahlberg and Martin-Green.

The next day, people will be talking about Sony’s The Miniature Wife. On October 14, German powerhouse UFA Fiction will show the world premiere of “Ku’damm 77,” the next chapter in Annette Hess’s popular family saga. The Schöllack family’s dance school in Berlin in the 1970s is the setting for the series, which looks at generational conflict and freedom.

The Evolution of Mattel’s Storytelling

Robbie Brenner (President of Mattel Studios) and Josh Silverman (Chief Franchise Officer of Mattel) will give a joint keynote speech about how the company’s storytelling legacy is changing in the age of franchises.

Their session will explain how brands can stay culturally relevant while growing across formats, from Barbie’s worldwide success to upcoming live-action projects like Masters of the Universe and Matchbox.

The New MIPJUNIOR: A Focus on Kids and Teens

Before the main event starts, MIPJUNIOR (October 11-12) will be back at the Debussy Theatre and Gare Maritime with a new format that includes better matchmaking sessions and exclusive content showcases.

Andy Yeatman, a leader in children’s entertainment, will give the keynote speech on cross-distribution of IP. He will be joined by speakers from the BBC, Viral Nation, and research presentations from Glance and Omdia. The K-Animation Global Showcase is one of the best things about this year. It shows how quickly Korea is becoming a major player in kids’ and family programming.

Where the Screens of the World Meet

As MIPCOM CANNES 2025 takes place in the Palais and on the Croisette, it’s clear that this year’s event goes beyond the usual media boundaries. It’s a place where creators, executives, brands, storytellers, and technology all come together.

MIPCOM is becoming the centre of the modern entertainment ecosystem. Or as Lucy Smith says, “In 2025, the business of television isn’t just about what’s on screen; it’s also about who’s making it, how it’s funded, and where those stories go next.”

At MIPCOM 2025, we’re bridging the creator economy with mainstream media, fostering collaboration around innovative monetization strategies, new distribution models, and transformative industry partnerships that define the future of content