How Anthony Hopkins is revolutionizing Hollywood through NFTs

An in-depth look at the unique ways the film is using digital collectables to connect with fans.

Owning a special copy of a film or exclusive memorabilia is not a thing of the past. While streaming giants like Netflix have changed how people consume entertainment, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are creating exciting opportunities to acquire new forms of memorabilia.

For centuries, humans have demonstrated a desire to collect. Mounting evidence suggests that people strive to acquire things in order to cement their membership in a specific group1.

Diehard fans have proven they will not rest until they have everything associated with their favorite actor, film or franchise. In Manitoba, Canada, one man has been collecting Indiana Jones memorabilia for the past 40 years in honor of the fictional adventuring archaeologist2.

Confident that NFTs will help forge a deeper and more personal connection with fans, Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins and Enderby Entertainment’sRick Dugdale broke new ground after working together on the 2015 film Blackway. Instead of a traditional theatrical release for Hopkins’ new thriller ZERO CONTACT, the film will premiere as an NFT on VUELE, the world’s premier first direct-to-consumer, full-length feature film NFT viewing and distribution platform.

Shot using Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie follows five characters based all over the world. They are connected only by their devotion to the late tech titan Finley Hart, who is played by Anthony Hopkins. The group is forced to work together to shut down Hart’s secret invention, which is a machine that is either the solution to humanity’s problems or the end of life on earth. Only those with a ZERO CONTACT NFT will know the truth.

NFTs create a digital certificate of ownership that cannot be replaced or replicated. There will only be 27,511 copies of ZERO CONTACT for purchase on VUELE. If you don’t buy one in the primary sale, you will have to find one in the secondary market.

Upping the ante, some versions are being packaged with varying amounts of highly sought-after content such as generative crypto-artwork as well as behind-the-scenes and never-before-seen footage. These NFT packs will be up for grabs during four tiered drops, which will be taking place throughout September and October.

GOLDEN TICKET

Ahead of the drops, VUELE is celebrating the release of the ZERO CONTACT trailer by offering a Golden Ticketsweepstakes to its members. Tickets are being randomly distributed each week throughout September. Those interested in participating need to sign up to become a member on VUELE’s website and join the platform’s discord.

The Golden Ticket is the official access pass to the first four wide release film NFTs that will be available on the platform. Members will be able to increase their chances of receiving a ticket for each successful referral made using the unique auto-generated URL they will obtain after providing their entry details.

OPEN SEA DROP

On September 24, 2021, bidding will take place on OpenSea for:

● The one-of-one ZERO CONTACT Platinum Edition NFT Bundle

● The 10 ZERO CONTACT Elite Edition NFT Bundles

To properly launch a historic and high-profile NFT offering like ZERO CONTACT, working with trusted and reputable NFT trading platforms like OpenSea made perfect sense. According to Dune Analytics, the marketplace recorded a $3.4 billion transaction volume on Ethereum in August, which is more than 10 times the amount seen in July3.

Building and maintaining long-lasting relationships with audiences is critical for the film industry. A recent report by Deloitte found that subscription fatigue and sub-optimal user experiences are creating friction, which is causing some consumers to jump to a competitor or other forms of entertainment4.

NFTs are continuing to grow in popularity across a variety of industries due to their ability to build communities through collection. People are looking for new ways to engage with content that they are passionate about. VUELE is providing this opportunity to film fans in the form of NFTs.

1Dillion, Andrew, “Collecting as routine human behavior: motivations for identity and control in the material and digital world.” University of Texas at Austin, October 2019, via researchgate.net/

2Hendricks, John, “Manitoba man builds 9,000-item Indiana Jones collection over 40 years.” CTV News Winnipeg, July 21, 2021.

3Yue, Frances, “NFT marketplace OpenSea records $3.4 billion transaction volume in August, 10 times the month before,” MarketWatch, September 3, 2021.

4Deloitte Center for Technology, Media & Telecommunications, “Digital media trends, 15th edition: Courting the consumer in a world of choice,” April 16, 2021.