Agency NewsEuropeTransmedia

Why Agencies Are Betting on European Transmedia Studios — And How Creators Can Benefit

UUnknown

2026-02-16

9 min read

WME’s signing of The Orangery spotlights agencies’ European transmedia bets — and practical steps creators can take to win representation and scale IP.

Hook: You have great IP — but are the right buyers showing up?

Creators, influencers and small studios tell us the same pain points: breaking through noise, proving commercial value, and finding agents who will actually help turn IP into paid projects across film, TV, games and merchandise. The recent news that WME signed European transmedia studio The Orangery is a signal — not just a headline. It shows major agencies are increasingly buying into European transmedia IP as a strategic front line for global packaging and revenue. That shift changes the rules for representation and opens practical opportunities for European creators who know how to prepare.

Top line: WME + The Orangery is part of a pattern

On January 16, 2026, Variety confirmed WME signed The Orangery, a Turin-headquartered transmedia IP studio behind graphic-novel properties including Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika. That move is not an isolated bet. In late 2025 and early 2026 the market has shown three reinforcing trends: consolidation among distributors and producers, streamers expanding regional slates, and agencies moving upstream to secure original IP. Together, these trends make European transmedia studios attractive assets.

WME’s signing of The Orangery is emblematic: agencies are packaging upstream IP to reduce development risk and to control global exploitation windows.

Why agencies like WME are investing in European transmedia studios

Agencies are not buying comics and graphic novels out of nostalgia. They are placing deliberate strategic bets. Here’s why.

1. Ownership reduces development risk

Owning or representing transmedia IP gives agencies the ability to control narrative adaptations, attach international talent, and deliver a more bankable pitch to streamers and studios. In a crowded development market, a proven IP property with existing readership, art assets and sequels is more attractive than an original script with zero audience data.

2. European IP is cost-efficient and culturally distinct

Europe continues to produce high-quality comic, graphic novel and serialized IP with production costs that are often lower than U.S. counterparts — especially for animated proofs or motion-comic pilots. The cultural specificity of European stories (local settings, transnational histories) is a commercial asset because global streamers seek differentiated slates that can be localized and exported.

3. Transmedia formats are pre-made adaptation maps

Graphic novels, illustrated bibles and serialized comics already outline characters, arcs, visuals and tone — a natural transmedia blueprint. That makes cross-format adaptation (TV, animation, interactive, branded experiences) faster and less risky.

4. Rights and secondary revenue opportunities

Merchandising, games, live experiences and licensing fuel long-term revenue. Agencies see IP ownership as a path to a wider slice of these downstream revenues, not just commission fees from a single production deal.

5. Data and direct-to-fan proof points

Comics platforms, crowdfunding campaigns and social metrics provide measurable proof that a property resonates. Agencies increasingly use this data to prioritize which European IP to sign and scale.

What The Orangery deal signals to creators

The Orangery — led by Italian founder Davide G.G. Caci — is a textbook example of a small European studio that built transmedia-ready IP with clear visual identity and audience traction. WME’s signing means several practical things for creators:

Agents will prioritize packaged, multi-format-ready IP over unbaked concepts.
Local European IP can be a global play if it shows adaptability and international appeal.
Representation may come with production expectations — agencies will push for rapid proofs (animatics, short films, playable demos).

Market context in 2026: consolidation, streamers, and transmedia demand

Early 2026 has reaffirmed a larger structural move: consolidation in production and distribution (see 2026 talks between Banijay and All3Media) and the continuing global rollout of streamers into European markets. These shifts mean buyers want fewer, stronger IPs that can be adapted into multiple formats, territories and revenue streams.

Two other 2026 forces to watch:

AI-accelerated creative development: Generative tools speed up proof-of-concept assets (storyboards, pitch scenes, mood reels), lowering the cost for creators to create professional materials.
Immersive and short-form demand: AR/VR experiences and short-form serials for social platforms are becoming part of agency packaging — transmedia IP that can be sliced into short social narratives has more commercial appeal.

How European creators can practically benefit — 12-step action plan

If you’re a European creator or small studio, this is your moment — but only if you prepare. Below is a tactical, step-by-step plan to make your IP visible and attractive to agencies like WME and their competitors.

Step 1 — Audit and secure chain of title

Before you pitch, perform a legal audit: confirm authorship, secure signed assignments or NDAs with collaborators, and register works where relevant. A clean chain of title drastically shortens due diligence and increases deal velocity.

Step 2 — Build a compact transmedia bible

Create a 10–15 page transmedia bible that includes character sheets, season arcs, art direction, and adaptation notes for TV, games and live experiences. Agencies want a roadmap; give them one.

Step 3 — Produce proof-of-concept assets

One-minute motion-comics, 60–90-second filmed scenes, a playable vertical demo, or an animated teaser can unlock conversations that a PDF never will. Use AI tools to iterate faster but keep human curation.

Step 4 — Show measurable audience traction

Compile social metrics, sales, pre-orders, crowdfunding results and readership stats. Even small but engaged audiences are persuasive if you can show retention and conversion.

Step 5 — Attach talent early

Even soft attachments (a director interested, a well-aligned actor or illustrator) improve marketability. Agencies are often packaging talent across territories; showing likely collaborators accelerates their calculus.

Step 6 — Prepare multiple monetization scenarios

Map out how your IP can generate revenue: licensing, co-productions, format sales, merchandising, tabletop or digital games, VR experiences, and live events. Agencies will assess upside across these vectors.

Step 7 — Target the right gatekeepers

Not every agency is the right fit. Research agent rosters and track records. Boutique transmedia firms or European-centric agencies may be better initial partners than a U.S. mega-agency for early-stage IP. See practical tips on pitching transmedia IP.

Step 8 — Local incentives and co-production pathways

Identify national film tax credits, creative funds (Creative Europe, Eurimages), and co-production treaties. These lower production cost and make a project more attractive to an agency that will pitch financiers.

Step 9 — Standardize your pitch materials

Have a one-page logline, a three-page pitch, and a ten-to-fifteen page bible ready. Agencies receive hundreds of submissions; a clean, scannable package helps you stand out.

Step 10 — Negotiate with rights in mind

When talks begin, protect future exploitation: retain sequel or derivative rights where possible, secure reversion clauses, and carve out publishing/merchandising if those are important revenue sources. Agencies will often push for wide options; know what you're willing to part with. If you plan to explore NFT or hybrid product models, read the hybrid NFT pop-up playbook and keep an eye on crypto compliance as legal complexity can be material.

Step 11 — Use co-development deals strategically

Co-development can be a win: you get the agency’s network and resources while keeping some upstream rights. Insist on clear milestones, budgets and reversion triggers.

Step 12 — Stay audience-first

Ultimately, agencies want audiences. Continue building community around your work as you negotiate — it improves leverage and long-term value. Consider short-form vertical experiments (see microdrama approaches) to build retention quickly.

Deal points creators must watch — a short checklist

Option period length and renewal fees
Which rights are being assigned vs. licensed (film, TV, games, merch)
Reversion triggers if development stalls
Financial participation (upfront, backend, profit share)
Approval rights over adaptations, casting or merchandising
Credit and moral clauses

Pitfalls and myths to avoid in 2026

There are shiny traps to avoid as agencies and studios pivot to European transmedia:

Myth: Signing with an agency always equals production. Fact: Representation is a step, not a guarantee.
Myth: NFT/web3 solves IP monetization overnight. Fact: Crypto mechanisms can enhance revenue, but market volatility and legal complexity make them risky if you give away core rights.
Trap: Granting full buy-out of all rights for a small development fee. Insist on staged rights transfers tied to financing milestones.

Future forecast — what to expect through 2026 and beyond

Expect more agency-driven signings of European transmedia studios in 2026. Agencies will continue to act like mini-studios: packaging IP, attaching talent, and shepherding projects through global deals. At the same time, creators who maintain clear rights, demonstrate audience traction, and produce fast, polished proofs will be in the best bargaining position.

Two predictions to watch:

More hybrid finance models: Co-productions that blend public European funds, private equity and streamer pre-buys will become the norm for higher-risk adaptations.
Data-first creative decisions: Agencies will increase investment in analytics teams to measure micro-audiences and predict format fit, making early metrics even more valuable.

Practical takeaways for creators

Audit your chain of title today — clean rights shorten deal time.
Prepare a 10–15 page transmedia bible and at least one proof-of-concept asset.
Show measurable audience traction using platform metrics and community engagement.
Target agencies and boutique transmedia partners selectively — alignment matters more than size.
Negotiate staged rights transfers and keep key upside (sequels, merch, games) when possible.

Final analysis: an opening for European creators

WME’s signing of The Orangery is both a milestone and an instruction manual. Agencies are moving upstream to reduce risk and control global exploitation; they want packaged, multi-format-ready IP that shows audience intent. For European creators, that translates into a clear opportunity: build transmedia-first assets, secure your rights, show traction, and prepare to engage with agents as partners — not just gatekeepers.

If you do the work, the market dynamics of 2026 favor creators who can present clean, adaptable IP with real audiences. The key is preparedness: the agencies are listening, but they'll bet on what looks like a finished puzzle, not a sketch on the back of a napkin.

Call to action

Start today: run a rights audit, assemble a 10–15 page transmedia bible and produce a 60–90 second proof-of-concept. When you’re ready, reach out to targeted agents and boutique transmedia partners with that package. If you want a checklist to get started, subscribe to our creator brief for downloadable templates and legal checklists tailored to European transmedia IP.

Unknown

Contributor

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.