The commercial problem space with Black Adam started with unfamiliarity. We audited Black Adam’s comic history, related characters, Justice Society connections, mythology, visual assets and dormant DC material to identify which pieces of the surrounding universe could gain relevance as audiences encountered the character for the first time.

That produced an opportunity map organized around recognition and timing. Some concepts could help introduce the property before release; others depended on audiences first understanding the character, relationships or mythology. We evaluated licensing, consumer products, merchandise, partnerships and brand activations against those stages rather than treating every piece of IP as equally valuable throughout the campaign.

The film’s shifting release schedule gave provided us with unexpected time to refine that sequencing. We continued through DC and studio assets, assessed rights and commercial viability, identified prospective partners and agencies, conducted capability reviews and evaluated creative proposals.

Executive recommendations we made, backed by comprehensive research, and multi-sector, cross-referenced validated data, demonstrated not only which concepts had potential but when the audience would possess enough context for each to work.

That approach converted a lesser-known DC character into a broader portfolio question. Instead of measuring the opportunity solely against Black Adam merchandise, Warner Bros. could see which adjacent characters, histories and legacy assets the theatrical release had made newly actionable and where that attention could support value beyond the initial box-office window.

Details & Info

With Black Adam, Warner Bros. had decades of DC mythology but a title character with far less mainstream recognition than its flagship heroes. They brought us in to determine what the film could unlock commercially across that larger ecosystem, including adjacent characters, legacy assets and underused IP whose value could change once Black Adam reached a mass audience.

  • Role — Monetization Strategist