Warner Bros. is launching new 100,000 nonfungible tokens (NFTs) of The Matrix Resurrections avatars for sale before the movie releases. NFTs, which are akin to real-world collectibles (such as baseball cards), utilize blockchain technology to authenticate the ownership of these unique pieces of digital content. The first NFT project launched back in 2015 on the Ethereum blockchain, and interest in the collectibles has only grown since due to the rise of cryptocurrencies. The monetary value of NFTs has grown significantly in 2021, with sales of these collectibles exceeding $2 billion in the first quarter of the year.
Due to the rise in interest of NFTs, entertainment studios have flocked to the technology, including Warner Bros., ViacomCBS, Lionsgate, and Fox. Recently, coinciding with the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy, Warner Bros. teamed up with Nifty, a digital NFT marketplace, to offer the sale of NFTs of LeBron James and other Looney Tunes characters from the movie. The studio released a collection of 91,000 limited-edition NFTs that ranged in levels or rarity from common to legendary. It appears Warner Bros. found success with their Space Jam NFTs, since they have now turned their attention to another high-profile movie.
Variety reports that Warner Bros. is launching the sale of 100,000 NFTs inspired by The Matrix Resurrections avatars for $50 each ahead of the movie's release. Aiming to gin up excitement for the fourth installment in The Matrix franchise, the studio once again teamed up with Nifty for the sale. If all goes well for the studio, the sale of the digital-collectible NFTs could generate upwards of $5 million. The upcoming drop is part of Warner Bros. and Nifty's multiyear partnership covering the sale of Matrix-inspired NFTs. View an image of an upcoming Matrix avatar-inspired NFT below:
The Matrix avatar NFT sale will unfold in two total stages. During the initial launch on November 30, users can buy one or more randomly selected "base" avatars that resemble ordinary people who are trapped inside the Matrix. The avatars are hyper-realistic and composed of millions of possible attributes ranging from different hairstyles to clothing. During the second phase, which begins on December 16, owners of these avatars will be given a choice: take a "Blue Pill" and keep the avatar locked in the Matrix, or take the "Red Pill" and transform them into resistance fighters unplugged from the Matrix. Taking the latter option will result in entirely new clothing, accessories, and hairstyles inspired by characters from The Matrix franchise. After the two phases, the multiyear project will then include "frequent challenges" which allow the NFT collectors to "upgrade their avatars."
Given the theme of The Matrix series and the two-phase approach to the upcoming NFTs, the matchup couldn't be more perfect. While most NFT collectors will probably take the "Red Pill" and transform their avatars into resistance fighters, what will happen to the "Blue Pill" avatars remains to be seen. Nonetheless, eager fans of the upcoming The Matrix Resurrections will surely get more out of their viewing experience by participating in the NFT program.
Source: Variety
