Seasoned marketing veteran Ricky Strauss has been tapped to consult for DC Studios on “Superman,” TheWrap has exclusively learned.
“We are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to ensuring that audiences know about and experience our film,” DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran told reporters last Friday at the company’s event touting the upcoming DC slate.
It’s the 30-year industry veteran’s first project since leaving his post as Apple TV+ head of marketing last year, after a 16-month stint.
During his tenure at the tech giant, Strauss led consumer marketing campaigns, creative advertising, media and promotions across Apple TV+’s original series and films.
The hiring of Strauss comes after the exit of Warner Bros. global marketing chief Josh Goldstine in January. Safran said he and co-chief James Gunn felt supported by WBD head David Zaslav with the launch of their first big film in the DC shakeup, with Gunn working closely with the marketing team on the film’s trailer and other materials to position the David Corenswet-led reboot for success.
Strauss served as part of Apple’s Marketing Communications team under vice president Tor Myhren, working closely with Apple TV+’s programming, publicity and awards teams.
Prior to Apple TV+, Strauss served as president of programming and president of content and marketing for Disney+ and president of marketing for The Walt Disney Studios.
At Disney, he led marketing strategy and campaigns for several “Star Wars” and Marvel properties, as well as mega hits “The Jungle Book,” “Cinderella,” “Maleficent,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Frozen,” “Moana,” “Incredibles 2” and more.
Before Disney, Strauss was president of Participant Media, a position he held for seven years, where he oversaw feature films like the Oscar-winning “The Help,” “An Inconvenient Truth,” “The Cove” and “Waiting for Superman.”
Written and directed by Gunn, “Superman” is inspired by DC Comics’ “All Star Superman” and tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent in Smallville, Kansas. This version sees Superman as the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees that as old-fashioned.
The film stars David Cornswet as the Man of Steel, along with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Superman will be released exclusively in theaters on July 11.