ZDF Studios will head to MIPCOM 2026 with an unscripted slate spanning entertainment formats, history, wildlife and science, led by new studio game show Neo Match Up (4x30’).
Produced by 1Take Films, Neo Match Up is built around first impressions, stereotypes and assumptions. Through a series of challenges and reveals, contestants are encouraged to reconsider their initial judgments about other participants, combining classic studio entertainment with a social element.
The format has also been selected among the seven original concepts featured in the inaugural EBU Public Service Formats Showcase, taking place at MIPCOM on Tuesday, October 13, from 14:30 to 15:30 in Auditorium A.
Alongside the entertainment offer, ZDF Studios will present America’s Wars (3x50’), produced by eco documentaries for ZDFinfo and ZDF Studios. Covering 250 years of US military history, the documentary series examines major conflicts and their impact on the development of the United States and its role on the international stage.
Nature programming includes Tasmania’s Wild Treasures (2x50’), produced by Doclights in association with NDR and Arte. The series explores the island’s endemic wildlife and landscapes while also looking at conservation efforts aimed at protecting its biodiversity.
The science line-up includes The Body: What Is Life? (3x50’), the latest instalment of NHK’s international The Body franchise. Produced in association with ZDF, Arte and ZDF Studios, the series uses scientific research and CGI to explore the biological mechanisms that define life and the functioning of the human body.
The unscripted offer forms part of ZDF Studios’ wider MIPCOM slate, which also includes drama, kids and family programming.
ZDF Studios will be based at Riviera Hall, stand R7.D5, during MIPCOM 2026.
Neo Match Up Leads ZDF Studios’ Unscripted Slate for MIPCOM 2026
