transmediaIPcase study

From Graphic Novels to Multi-Platform IP: How Creators Can Build Transmedia Franchises

ccontentdirectory

2026-02-01

9 min read

Learn from The Orangery's WME signing: how to package graphic-novel IP, prove audience and pitch transmedia deals in 2026. Practical steps and templates.

Hook: Turn your graphic novel into a franchise — fast, with evidence

Creators and publishers: you don’t have to wait for a studio to find you. If your pain points are wasted time researching agents, unclear quality signals, and failing to present clean IP that buyers can act on, this case study will cut through the noise. Using The Orangery’s recent signing with WME as a blueprint, this guide shows exactly how to package a graphic novel, prove audience demand, and pitch for transmedia deals that scale into multi-platform franchises in 2026.

Why 2026 is the moment to push graphic-novel IP into transmedia

Late 2025 and early 2026 accelerated two industry behaviours creators need to capitalise on: studios and agencies are aggressively buying packaged, audience-proven IP; and platforms are commissioning original adaptations directly from creators and indie studios. Variety reported on Jan 16, 2026 that The Orangery — a European transmedia studio holding rights to graphic novel series like Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika — signed with WME, one of the world’s top talent and packaging agencies. Around the same time, broadcasters such as the BBC moved to expand platform partnerships, including talks with YouTube to produce bespoke content.

These moves signal a clear market shift: buyers want transmedia-ready IP that demonstrates audience reach and cross-platform adaptability. Agencies like WME no longer seek only raw scripts or one-off comics; they want packaged universes with proof of engagement, monetisation pathways, and rights clarity.

The Orangery + WME: Why this signing matters for creators

At surface level, the deal is publicity: an emerging European IP studio signed to WME. Under the surface, it’s a textbook on what creators should assemble to get traction with major agencies and studios.

What The Orangery brought to the table

Curated IP slate: Multiple titles with complementary tones — sci-fi (Traveling to Mars) and adult-romance (Sweet Paprika) — increasing the slate’s utility for different buyers.
Transmedia packaging: Not just graphic novels — IP bibles, character dossiers, series arcs and merchandising concepts.
Audience signals: Measurable traction across sales, digital readership, translations and social engagement.
European/local positioning: A continental foothold matters to agencies expanding non-US slates in 2026.

Variety (Jan 16, 2026) noted The Orangery holds rights to hit graphic novel IP and has now signed with WME — a sign that packaged, multi-title IP is high value.

How The Orangery likely proved audience and value (and how you can replicate it)

WME and other agencies evaluate more than creative quality. They look for data and readiness to scale. Here are the exact signals creators must present.

Concrete audience proof to assemble

Sales & distribution: Print sales per issue/volume, ebook units, print-on-demand stats, bookstore placements, and foreign rights deals.
Digital readership: Unique monthly readers, session length, completion rates for digital comics/episodes, and subscription conversion rates.
Direct-to-fan channels: Newsletter subscribers, Patreon/Ko-fi patrons, Discord community size and activity metrics, and waitlist numbers for new releases.
Social & engagement: Cross-platform follower counts are less important than engagement: shares, saves, comments, repost rates, and UGC tied to your IP.
Press, awards, festivals: Festival screenings, awards nominations, and notable press reviews (regional or global) that increase perceived cultural value.
Revenue diversity: Income from merch, limited editions, licensing, and paid partnerships that show monetisation beyond book sales.

Put these metrics into a one-page dashboard with month-over-month trends for the last 12 months. Buyers want growth curves and retention, not single spikes.

A practical playbook: packaging IP for transmedia deals (step-by-step)

Use this playbook to prepare a transmedia-ready package that would interest agencies like WME or commissioning platforms in 2026.

Step 1 — Build a concise Transmedia Bible (core deliverable)

Your bible is the single document that converts curiosity into option letters. Include:

Overview: One-paragraph logline and a one-page concept universe map.
Series arcs: Two-season TV/streaming treatment (8–10 episodes per season) and a 3–5 volume comic roadmap.
Character dossiers: Visuals, motivations, relationships, and showable beats for each major character.
Adaptation notes: How the IP adapts across formats — film, TV, animation, games, podcasts, and immersive experiences.
Merch & licensing ideas: 6–10 product concepts ranked by feasibility and margin.
Audience proof & KPIs: One-page dashboard of traction metrics with links to live analytics where possible.

Step 2 — Create media-ready assets

Sizzle reel or animatic: 60–90 seconds demonstrating tone, art, and pacing. Can be animated panels or live-action mood clips. Use early Tier 1/2 royalties to fund prototypes like sizzle reels and animatics.
Sample scripts & treatments: Pilot script or 10–12 page episode outline and a 1–2 page film treatment.
High-res visuals: Key art, covers, and character turnarounds ready for decks and licensing pitches.

Step 3 — Legal & rights clarity (non-negotiable)

Before approaching agents or execs, make ownership clean. You must be able to sign or licence quickly.

Chain of title: Signed contracts for all contributors (writers, artists, co-creators) and clear assignment of copyright where necessary.
Subsidiary rights register: Who owns film/TV, merchandising, audio, games rights and whether they're available to license.
Option-ready terms: Templates for option agreements and term sheets you prefer. Getting legal options in place speeds negotiation.

Step 4 — Prove monetisation & audience economics

Buyers will ask: how will this IP make money? Present revenue streams and conservative 3-year projections with unit assumptions.

Direct sales (print & digital)
Merchandise and limited editions
Licensing for TV, film, games
Brand partnerships and affiliate campaigns
Live events, festivals and experiential — use early micro-event and pop-up playbooks to prove conversion before larger licensing conversations (festivals, markets).

Step 5 — Targeted outreach and representation

Don’t spray-and-pray. Agencies and studios favour curated outreach with a clear fit.

Identify 8–12 agencies, producers, and streamers with recent acquisitions in your genre.
Use warm introductions via festivals, markets, or via creators already represented (The Orangery model).
Consider boutique literary or IP-focused agents who specialise in transmedia deals; larger agencies (WME, CAA, UTA) are reachable once you have proof points.

Pitch deck structure creators should use (one-page per slide guideline)

Title + one-line hook
Why now: 2026 trends and market opportunity
One-paragraph universe summary
Key characters + visual(s)
Pilot/first issue synopsis
Audience proof dashboard (top metrics)
Traction & monetisation (sales, partnerships)
Adaptation potential (formats & preliminary budgets)
Team & legal clarity (who holds rights)
Ask: what you want (option, co-development, financing)

What buyers (WME, studios, platforms) want in 2026

Based on recent deals and industry coverage, buyers are prioritising:

Data-backed traction over vanity metrics — retention and revenue matter.
Multi-title slates or universe potential that reduces single-title risk.
Translatability — how easy is the world to adapt across language and culture?
Rights clarity to avoid lengthy legal diligence.
Quick-to-market prototypes — short-form videos, animatics or podcasts that show adaptation viability.

KPIs to emphasise in your pitch

Average read-through / completion rate (digital)
Monthly active readers or unique visitors
Newsletter open and conversion rates
Merch pre-order sell-through
Community retention (Discord monthly active users)

Monetisation pathways: beyond the comic book

Think of your IP as a vertical, not a single product. Start with the low-friction revenue plays, then layer larger deals.

Tier 1 — Low friction: Print/digital, limited editions, creator merch.
Tier 2 — Mid friction: Podcasts, short-form video, licensed consumer products.
Tier 3 — High friction: TV/streaming adaptation, feature film, AAA game tie-ins, theme experiences.

Use early Tier 1/2 royalties to fund prototypes (sizzle reels, animatics) that enable Tier 3 conversations. Agencies and streamers prefer to see the pipeline financed sensibly.

Legal checklist and term-sheet essentials

When you reach offer stage, be ready to evaluate or negotiate these terms:

Option period: Duration, renewals, and upfront payment.
Purchase price vs. production participation: Lump sum, profit participation, backend royalties.
Territory & language rights: Which rights are included/excluded?
Merchandising rights: Exclusive or shared; revenue split.
Approval rights: Creative approvals, credit, and moral clauses.
Reversion clauses: Rights reversion on non-use after a defined period.

2026 trends creators must plan for (short predictions)

Trend 1: Agencies will continue to sign transmedia studios and packaged slates. Expect more deals like The Orangery + WME.
Trend 2: Platforms (including big broadcasters) will commission multi-format pilots directly from creators and indie studios.
Trend 3: Data-driven diligence: buyers will automate metric verification; maintain clean analytics and third-party verifiability.
Trend 4: AI-assisted development will accelerate sizzle creation, but human creative IP will retain premium value — proof of community and taste matters.

Templates you can use right now (quick copy-paste checklist)

One-page pitch outline (copy-paste)

Title: [Your IP] | Logline: [One sentence] | Format: Graphic novel / TV / Film | Ask: Option / Co-development / Finance

Summary: 3–4 sentences about the world. Audience proof: Key metrics (3 items). Monetisation: 2–3 revenue streams. Contact: Name, agent or legal rep.

Transmedia Bible TOC (copy-paste)

Title & logline
Universe map
Season/volume arcs
Character dossiers
Sample script or episode outline
Visual references & mood art
Audience KPI dashboard
Rights & legal statement
Monetisation & licensing ideas

Real-world example: how to position your metrics (practical templates)

Don’t dump raw stats. Present them as meaningful signals:

Instead of “100k followers,” say: “100k followers with 15% average engagement; newsletter converts 3% to paid membership; 20% month-over-month growth for six months.”
Instead of “2k ebook sales,” say: “2k ebook units averaging $6.99; 30% uplift in print pre-orders after targeted campaign.”
Include case examples: “Limited edition print run of 500 sold out in 72 hours, generating £12k gross in pre-orders.”

Closing takeaways — what to do this quarter

Week 1–2: Audit rights and assemble chain-of-title documents.
Week 3–6: Produce one-page dashboard, one-page pitch, and a 60–90s sizzle reel (animatic or mood reel).
Week 7–10: Build the Transmedia Bible and a two-page legal summary for offering to agents.
Month 4: Begin targeted outreach to 8–12 agencies/producers with warm introductions where possible.

Final thought

The Orangery’s WME signing is not an anomaly — it’s a playbook. Agencies in 2026 are buying packaged, audience-proven universes they can scale across streaming, games, and commerce. If you can present clean rights, a compact transmedia bible, measurable audience traction, and a viable monetisation roadmap, you’re no longer waiting for discovery — you’re creating your own runway to a franchise.

Call to action

If you’re ready to package your graphic novel for transmedia, start with our free one-page pitch template and transmedia bible checklist at contentdirectory.uk. Submit your one-page pitch for a fast review and get practical feedback to make your IP pitch-ready for agents and studios this year.

contentdirectory

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.