Director Kevin Smith Makes History in Film-NFT Rights Acquisition Deal, Distributing New Film “KillRoy Was Here” with Legendao, Powered by Secret Network
Will be the first time a film is minted as an NFT, revolutionizing the future of digital distribution for creators and owners alike
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Filmmaker Kevin Smith announced that he and his producers Jordan Monsanto of SmodCo and David Shapiro of Semkhor have partnered with Secret Network’s Legendao to launch NFTs of Smith’s Horror Anthology “KillRoy Was Here.” This launch represents the first time in history that a movie will be released via NFT, expanding the possibilities of what NFTs can provide in a quickly evolving entertainment business.
Directed by Smith from a script by Smith and Andy McElfresh, “KillRoy Was Here” is a throwback anthology horror film featuring a creature that kills evil adults at the behest of victimized kids. The movie itself, exclusive content from the film, behind-the-scenes footage, and a commentary track will be launched as a 5,555-piece generative art NFT collection on Legendao, Secret Network’s primary NFT minting platform. Legendao will collaborate with Semkhor and Curio, the premier NFT platform for entertainment brands, to produce the “KillRoy Was Here” collection. This NFT release follows SCRT Labs’ Tarantino NFT collaboration with director and filmmaker Quentin Tarantino in January. The 5,555 buyers of the “KillRoy Was Here” NFT will have exclusive ownership to the one-of-a-kind KillRoy art as well as viewing access to the film that will be unavailable to anyone else without the special “crypto key” the NFT provides. Clips, commentary, and BTS footage are all included as well. More uniquely, the KillRoy NFT offers the opportunity for art collectors to become artistic collaborators in creating the sequel to the film.
“When you buy the KillRoy NFT, you get exclusive access to the movie,” said Smith. “But more importantly, the specific version of KillRoy you get is YOUR KillRoy to do with whatever you want: Make your own movie, turn it into a cartoon, license him for lunchboxes! We started the story, now YOU get to continue it with your very own version of our titular character! And along with a brand new chapter I’ll shoot next year, the shorts and animation that the KillRoy NFT owners create with their own KillRoy’s will make up the bulk of our sequel anthology. The KillRoy NFT offers an exciting and unique opportunity to go from art collector to collaborating artist!”
Secret Network, the first blockchain with data privacy by default for smart contracts, allows users to build and use applications that are both permissionless and privacy-preserving. This unique functionality protects users, secures applications, and unlocks hundreds of never-before-possible use cases for Web3.
“This release is made possible by Secret Network’s Legendao NFT technology, which ensures that the NFT content can only be accessed by the owner themselves,” said Guy Zyskind, CEO of SCRT Labs, which powers Legendao and Secret Network. “It opens the door for distributing all kinds of digital content as NFTs: Movies, TV shows, music – anything – can be reshaped for Web3.”
Secret Network’s Legendao platform is building its legacy as the hub for high-quality NFT drops and as a trailblazer in the industry. Top-tier artists, brands, and creators can launch their own NFT projects on Legendao, and the NFTs employ Secret Network’s novel data-privacy technology to ensure that only the owners of these NFTs can decrypt their contents and, should they choose, share them with others. This combination of public and private metadata will revolutionize the future of NFTs for creators and owners alike.
“Digital sharing and streaming no doubt revolutionized the entertainment industry, but they also caused piracy issues and profit loss for creators,” Zyskind continued. “Through partnerships like ours with Smith and Tarantino, Legendao can work alongside creators to develop projects that they can share without losing ownership. It’s clear that NFTs are the future of digital content distribution – giving creators more control over their work and a closer connection to their fanbases.”
The NFT launch will take place in Q2 on the Legendao platform. For further information, please visit: legendao.io/artist/kevin-smith.
ABOUT LEGENDAO
Legendao is a play-to-mint NFT launchpad for top artists, brands and NFT creators to create their own NFT projects, powered by Secret Network, the privacy-first blockchain. Legendao is designed to be its own universe, providing users with a gamified experience and enabling them to obtain unique and exclusive NFT content. Because Secret Network is the first blockchain with privacy by default for smart contracts, NFTs minted on Legendao employ novel data-privacy technology to ensure that only the owners of Secret NFTs can decrypt their contents and, should they choose, opt to share them with others. Learn more at Legendao.io.
ABOUT SECRET NETWORK and SCRT LABS
Secret Network is the first blockchain with data privacy by default for smart contracts, allowing you to build and use applications that are both permissionless and privacy-preserving. This unique functionality protects users, secures applications, and unlocks hundreds of never-before-possible use cases for Web3. First launched on mainnet in February 2020, the network is supported by dozens of independent development companies (including the SCRT Labs core development team), world-class “secret node” operators, and thousands of Secret Agents around the world helping to advance the cause of data privacy for the decentralized web.
SCRT Labs is the driving force and the founding core development team behind Secret Network and Legendao. Their mission is to create products and systems that accelerate the adoption of privacy-first, decentralized technologies. Learn more at SCRTLabs.com.
ABOUT SEMKHOR
SEMKHOR is a media and technology company focused on digital content production and distribution. It develops and funds projects at the intersection of education, art, technology, and commerce. Semkhor also integrates the entertainment industry into a wide range of projects and offers educational programs centered on real world productions. It was a key mover in developing and investing in the city block wide Sound Stage and Post Production facility. For more information, visit www.semkhorstudios.com, www.semkhor.io, stage03vfx.com, www.semkhorcontentacademy.com, or follow on Instagram.
ABOUT CURIO
Curio delivers a new universe to serve fans through digital collectibles, driven by state-of-the-art non-fungible token (NFT) technology. Working with the biggest names in the entertainment industry, Curio brings innovative, cutting-edge engagement opportunities to delight fans and provide new ways to enhance their relationship with brands. To learn more, please visit: curionft.com.
ABOUT SMODCO
SmodCo is a multimedia company run by Jordan Monsanto that keeps Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes employed. From the launch of the long-running, award winning podcast Smodcast in 2007 to seven seasons of the hit AMC unscripted series Comic Book Men, SmodCo has been committed to delivering oral satisfaction, managing multiple touring live shows and too many Mooby’s pop-ups in the process.
Contacts
Media:
Sofia Coon
On Behalf of SCRT Labs
scrt@wachsman.com