FILMMAKER Kevin Smith’s latest horror movie Killroy Was Here was the first film in history to only be accessible through non-fungible tokens on the Secret Network – meaning if you didn’t own one of the 5555 NFTs you couldn’t watch the movie.
But what is the story behind Kevin Smith’s revolutionary plunge into the crypto sphere and what is his net worth?
Who is Kevin Smith?
Kevin Smith was born on August 2, 1970, in Red Bank, New Jersey.
He started his career in 1994, when he sold his movie Clerks at the Sundance Film Festival.
Since then, Smith has gone on to release 13 more films – including Chasing Amy and Jersey Girl.
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He’s also tried his hand in the business world, launching a pop-up fast-food restaurant and a comic book store.
But what could really put Kevin Smith in the history books is his gamble on NFTs.
He said: “Back in 1994, I took my first flick to Sundance to sell it.
“Now in 2021, I’m taking my new flick to Crypto to sell it.”
In April 2022, he released his horror movie, KillRoy Was Here as a collection of non-fungible tokens on the Secret Network and only holders were able to watch the film.
Killroy Was Here is a horror film about a monster who hunts people who hurt children. “If you mess with kids, you get messed with or killed by Killroy,” Smith said.
But the NFTs aren’t just tickets to a digital screener of the film. Each NFT features a unique interpretation of the Killroy monster – similar to CryptoPunks or Bored Apes – that owners can freely commercialize and use for their own projects.
In total, there were 5,555 unique NFTs released.
Smith wanted holders to use the characters to create their own content, some of which he will then feature in the film’s sequel.
Smith said he will share the profits from the sequel or even sequels with the creators of any shorts that make the final cut.
He said: “Even if 10 per cent of the audience gets the creative bug… BAM. We’ve got content coming for years, we have sequels galore that the audience is involved with.
“It takes you from our consumer to our collaborator, and that’s what made me so excited.”
The NFTs were launched on the Legendao marketplace for 180 SCRT, which equates to around $150.
Ahead of the release, Smith said the price of an NFT would be “not that far removed from buying a steel book version of a DVD.”
How did Kevin Smith enter the NFT space?
Kevin Smith entered the world of NFTs in April 2021, when he released ‘Smokin’ Tokens’ – a collection based on his ‘Jay and Silent Bob’ characters.
He said the NFT space reminds him of the indie film scene back in the 1990s, which was defined by experimentation and creativity.
Kevin Smith said: “Everyone, especially people with fame, are using NFTs as a new way to make money.
“But to me, it’s a whole new creative playground.
“It reminds me of the YouTube revolution, where kids were able to create stuff in a whole new way.
“I missed it then, but I won’t miss it again.”
He added: “My dream is for KillRoy to be its own self-thriving franchise within the world of crypto and NFTs, without ever having to step outside of the blockchain.
“Holders will remain a key part of the film’s community especially for the sequel.”
What is Kevin Smith’s net worth?
Kevin Smith is estimated to have a net worth of $25 million.
Talking about the release of Killroy Was Here, Smith said: “You’re going to make that Beeple money, and I’m like, No, we’re not. “If we wind up making $200,000, they would see that as as failure.
“But to me, there’s no failure, because at the end of the day, Killroy Was Here now has a bigger profile than it has ever had.
“So even if somebody wants to buy the NFT for $10, it’s a huge story, even if it’s a story of failure. Guess what? That makes that movie a hell of a lot easier to sell on the marketplace, because it now comes with a story attached to it. I don’t see how it could possibly, truly fail.”
