The Orangery and Davide G.G. Caci: How a European Transmedia Studio Builds Global IP

How The Orangery and Davide G.G. Caci Turn European Graphic Novels Into Global Transmedia IP

Pain point: creators, editors, and producers repeatedly hit the same wall — great European comic and graphic-novel properties exist, but the path from page to global screen and marketplace is fragmented, legalese-heavy, and under-resourced. The Orangery’s recent WME signing exposes a clear playbook for solving that problem in 2026.

Quick take (lead):

On Jan. 16, 2026, Variety reported that William Morris Endeavor (WME) signed The Orangery, a Europe-based transmedia IP studio founded by Italian producer Davide G.G. Caci. The Orangery controls promising graphic-novel IP including the sci-fi series Traveling to Mars and the adult drama Sweet Paprika. That move crystallizes a trend: agencies and global buyers now prefer fully packaged, multimedia-ready IP coming out of European studios — not loose creative concepts.

“Transmedia IP Studio the Orangery, Behind Hit Graphic Novel Series ‘Traveling to Mars’ and ‘Sweet Paprika,’ Signs With WME” — Variety, Jan 16, 2026

Why this matters in 2026

After years of blockbuster comic-to-screen hits and aggressive streaming market expansion, buyers want turnkey franchises. In late 2025 and into 2026, three market signals accelerated agency interest in European IP:

• Streaming platforms continued to expand originals in regional markets while buying global, multilingual franchises.
• Talent agencies like WME doubled down on package-making — pairing IP with writers, showrunners, and financing — to reduce development friction.
• European studios sharpened their approach: building IP bibles, audience proof, and cross-format roadmaps before approaching buyers.

The Orangery’s WME deal is a textbook validation: a newly formed European studio with curated comics IP can attract top-tier representation if it demonstrates a mature, transmedia strategy.

Who is Davide G.G. Caci (and why his background matters)

Davide G.G. Caci is the founder and CEO behind The Orangery, headquartered in Turin, Italy. According to reporting in Variety, Caci launched The Orangery to centralize rights and create global rollout plans for European graphic novels and comics.

Why his profile matters for creators and executives:

• Regional credibility: Caci’s base in Turin positions the studio inside Europe’s creative funding networks and co-production corridors (film festivals, European audiovisual funds).
• IP-first leadership: he prioritizes owning and structuring rights — the single most important factor buyers evaluate today.
• Packaging mindset: rather than selling single-format rights, the studio develops franchises across screen, audio, games, live events, and merchandising.

The Orangery’s transmedia playbook — step-by-step

The Orangery is not just a publisher or a talent hub: it’s a transmedia studio that architects IP from inception so it’s adaptable, monetizable, and appealing to global buyers. Below is a condensed, actionable version of their method you can apply.

1. Acquire or co-develop graphic novels with built-in worldbuilding

Not every comic will scale. The Orangery focuses on properties with serial potential — stories that support multiple seasons, spin-offs, and format shifts (TV, animation, games). For example, Traveling to Mars is positioned as high-concept sci-fi with worldbuilding that can support a TV saga and interactive experiences; Sweet Paprika offers character-driven arcs suited to adult streaming and branded tie-ins.

2. Create a franchise bible before pitching

The studio builds a detailed IP bible: character dossiers, season arcs, visual references, and monetization scenarios (games, audio series, merchandising). This document signals to agencies and streamers that the property isn’t a single-format gamble but a multipronged revenue opportunity.

3. Lock down rights and transparent contracts

Ambiguity kills deals. The Orangery secures clean, documented rights for core media (TV, film, audio, interactive) and clarifies co-author and creator shares up front — attractive to buyers and agencies accustomed to complex chains of title.

4. Build proof-of-audience and proof-of-concept

Publishers that want premium deals must show traction. The Orangery leverages native sales, translations, festival awards, motion-comics, and short pilots to demonstrate engagement and market fit. In 2026, buyers expect data — pre-orders, social metrics, and streaming pilot performance when available.

5. Attach global packaging early

Before shopping to streamers, attach key creative or agency partners. The WME signing is precisely this: an agency brings relationship capital, packaging power, and bargaining leverage to sell the IP to platforms.

6. Design multi-format development tracks

From day one, plan how the IP will inhabit at least three formats (e.g., limited series, podcast, game). This reduces buyer risk and opens multiple revenue streams.

7. Leverage European co-production and funding

European studios benefit from regional funds, tax incentives, and co-pro treaties. The Orangery’s Turin base puts it close to funding bodies and festival circuits that can seed development before global deals.

Case studies: Traveling to Mars and Sweet Paprika — potential and pathways

Both titles are useful exemplars of a modern transmedia strategy. Keep in mind this is an analytical breakdown — not a plot summary.

Traveling to Mars — from page to serialized sci-fi franchise

• Why it scales: Sci-fi worldbuilding plus serialized stakes makes it suitable for multi-season TV or animation and for branching into interactive experiences (games, AR mission simulations).
• Immediate transmedia plays: limited series pilot, motion-comic trailer, serialized sci-fi podcast exploring side characters, a narrative mobile game that deepens fan engagement.
• Platform match: Premium streamers and cable networks that fund high-concept international series; animation platforms for a younger or hybrid audience.

Sweet Paprika — an adult drama with franchise opportunities

• Why it scales: Character-driven, sensual storytelling creates opportunities for season arcs, character spin-offs, and lifestyle or music tie-ins.
• Immediate transmedia plays: serialized audio-drama, soundtrack and branded playlists, fashion collaborations, and localized-language versions for non-English markets.
• Platform match: Adult-focused streaming services and premium cable looking for bold, serialized drama with global distribution potential.

How The Orangery attracted WME — the anatomy of the deal

The Variety report that WME signed The Orangery is less a one-off publicity moment and more a playbook in miniature. Agencies like WME evaluate several factors before signing a boutique studio:

• Clarity of rights: Clean title and rights bundles make packaging easier.
• Quality of IP: Distinctive concepts with franchise potential.
• Commercial readiness: Franchise bibles, proof-of-concept assets, audience metrics.
• Strategic fit: Properties that complement agency relationships with talent and buyers.

The Orangery checked those boxes: curated IP with cross-format roadmaps and the kind of packaging that agencies can sell globally. WME’s role will be to attach talent, negotiate global deals, and help finance larger-scale productions.

2026 trends creators and studios must account for

Whether you’re a comics publisher or a small European studio, these are the market realities shaping acquisition and adaptation in 2026:

• Buyers want packaged IP: fewer blind-development deals; more preference for pre-built, multi-format packages.
• Localization is non-negotiable: success depends on multilingual scripts, dubbing strategies, and regional marketing plans.
• AI as productivity tool, not auteur: generative AI accelerates storyboarding, art variations, and market testing — but human-led creative judgment remains critical.
• Games and live experiences matter: streamers increasingly look for IP that can move into gaming and experiential events to deepen lifetime value.
• Agency partnerships scale projects: representation from global agencies shortens the path to major deals and talent attachment.

Actionable checklist — 12 steps European studios should take today

1. Audit and clean your chain of title: secure written rights for all creators and collaborators.
2. Build a concise franchise bible (20–40 pages) covering 3–5 season arcs and cross-format ideas.
3. Produce a proof-of-concept asset: a 2–6 minute motion-comic trailer or a short live-action scene.
4. Gather audience data: pre-orders, social engagement, festival selections, and review metrics.
5. Map out monetization: streaming, linear, games, audio, merchandise, and live events.
6. Attach a creative lead or showrunner when possible before major pitching rounds.
7. Prepare multilingual pitch materials and a localization budget estimate.
8. Explore regional funding: Creative Europe, national film funds, and tax credits.
9. Consult experienced entertainment counsel for global licensing and co-production terms.
10. Use AI tools to accelerate iterations, but maintain human oversight on key creative choices.
11. Engage an agency or packaging partner when you can demonstrate traction.
12. Plan audience-building campaigns parallel to development (podcasts, webcomics, serialized content).

Lessons from The Orangery: three strategic takeaways

• Start with IP, not formats: design for a franchise first, then map formats to revenue opportunities.
• Be agency-ready: representation matters; studios that prepare packaging documents and attachments are more attractive to WME and its peers.
• Think global, act local: leverage European funding and festivals for development, then use agency reach for global distribution.

Risks and cautions

Transmedia expansion requires capital and discipline. Common pitfalls include overextending rights without financing, chasing every format without a cohesive narrative core, and letting AI generate content that undermines creator voice or legal clearances. The Orangery’s approach — structured rights, focused bibles, and early agency partnerships — is designed to mitigate these risks.

What to watch next (late 2026 signals)

Over the rest of 2026, watch for three indicators that will tell you whether this model has staying power:

• How WME packages The Orangery IP to major streamers — speed to greenlight will matter.
• Whether Traveling to Mars or Sweet Paprika secure cross-format deals (e.g., a simultaneous TV + game or TV + audio slate).
• New European studios replicating the ‘IP-first, package-ready’ model and attracting agency signings.

Final analysis

The Orangery and Davide G.G. Caci represent a maturing phase for European creative businesses: building, not just selling, intellectual property. In a market where agencies and platforms prefer investable, multi-format franchises, the studio’s method — curate strong graphic novels, secure rights, build bibles, and attach packaging partners — is a replicable blueprint.

For creators and small studios, the imperative is clear: think bigger than the book. Design your IP as a living franchise, invest in packaging, and prepare to partner with agencies that can take your work global. The Orangery’s WME signing isn’t an isolated headline — it’s a signal that the market is ready to pay for European stories that arrive ready to scale.

Sources & further reading

• Nick Vivarelli, "Transmedia IP Studio the Orangery... Signs With WME," Variety, Jan 16, 2026. (reporting on The Orangery’s WME signing)
• Industry trend coverage, late 2025–early 2026: agency packaging growth, streaming expansions in Europe, and transmedia monetization strategies.

Call to action

If you’re a creator or small studio with a graphic-novel property, start your transmedia dossier today: download our free 12-step franchise-bible checklist and a sample motion-comic brief. Prepare your IP for the moment buyers like WME start knocking.

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