European powerhouse Beta Film arrived at the London TV Screenings with a clear message: stability, diverse sourcing, and highly repeatable formats are the industry’s ultimate ‘bread and butter’.
During a comprehensive presentation, Managing Director Moritz von Kruedener, Chief Distribution Officer Oliver Bachert, and Sales Manager Zuzana Aichova outlined the company’s dual identity. Far beyond a traditional distributor, Beta Film positioned itself as a massive production hub, overseeing more than 30 independent production companies—mostly based across Europe, with a recent expansion into Brazil.
‘We are extremely open for cooperation with others—producers, channels, networks, streamers—when it comes to creating and building alliances for financing, development, and production’, the executive team emphasized, noting that they consistently bring about 500 hours of scripted programming to the market annually. Because they source projects from North America, Spain, Italy, the UK, and beyond, Beta Film is uniquely insulated from the rigid production cycles that typically constrain major US studios.
The economics of procedurals
A major focal point of the presentation was Beta Film‘s commitment to procedural dramas. While highly serialized, big-budget epics often dominate press headlines, the executives argued that procedurals are the true economic drivers for broadcasters.
‘These are the ones that, at the end of the day, deliver the bread and butter for every channel’, the team explained, pointing out that standalone episodes are highly repeatable and therefore more economically viable. ‘You don’t tend to watch Game of Thrones five times, but with a procedural, it’s a little bit more accessible’.
This strategy is anchored by 20 returning shows currently on Beta’s slate, including:
Hudson & Rex: The North American incarnation of the classic 90s German/Italian franchise is now entering its ninth season, proving the enduring global appeal of the «cop-and-dog» procedural.
Patience: Co-produced with Eagle Eye for Channel 4, this fresh take on the procedural format features an autistic lead character. It has been a massive hit, drawing over 4 million linear viewers and breaking into top 10 on-demand charts, rivaling massive prestige dramas like The Night Manager.
Bookish: Another UKTV hit starring Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) and Polly Walker (Bridgerton). The series reportedly boosted the network’s drama ratings by an astonishing 870%. A second season is already in co-production, with a third in development.
Mining a 20,000-hour library
Beta Film also highlighted the massive value of its intellectual property library, which currently holds around 20,000 hours of content ripe for international adaptation.
The executives pointed to successful global reimagining of their IP, such as the UK hit Professor T (starring Ben Miller), the 16 global remakes of the Norwegian teen drama Skam (most recently adapted in South Korea), and the Spanish period drama Velvet, which has recently been remade as Velvet New York for the US market.
A Diverse 2026 Roadmap
Looking ahead, Sales Manager Zuzana Aichova teased a sprawling international slate that spans multiple genres and territories. Highlights from the upcoming roadmap include:
Maxima (Netherlands): A highly anticipated royal drama centered around the Dutch monarchy.
The Great Chimera (Greece): A sweeping new regional production.
Origins (Italy): A gritty dive into the fierce Neapolitan underworld.
Autumn Beat (US): A brand new American series rounding out their transatlantic offerings.
