The Simpsons is known for its satirical take on current topics, and this year’s ‘Treehouse of Horror’ episode did not disappoint. In it, the writers poked fun at non-fungible tokens, specifically profile picture NFTs, as well as the speculative culture surrounding the tech.
The episode involved Bart accidentally being minted as a digital asset. After, Marge sets off on an on-chain journey to rescue her son. Along the way, she encounters three ‘enlightened’ individuals (including Kylie Jenner, who plays herself) before navigating the perils of the on-chain environment and recovering Bart.
Treehouse of Horror, an annual special, featured several PFP NFTs, including Bored Apes, remarking that second tier NFTs are now mostly worthless in terms of dollar figure. Homer, initially dismayed that his son has been turned into a non-fungible token, later turns ecstatic when he sees the value of Bart at $1.5 million.
The episode also saw references to Mike Winkelmann, otherwise known as the legendary artist Beeple, and The Goose, a famous on-chain generative art piece. The reception on NFT Twitter was largely positive, with many sharing statistics that showed a bump in trading volume following the episode.
Even further, one person commented that he was pleased PFP NFTs were relegated to the bottom of the barrel, with generative art NFTs given a prestige status in the episode. Since the airing of Treehouse of Horror, various reports show that the trading volume of Simpsons derivative NFTs are building.
Given the lack of attention to the NFT space this year, perhaps there is some truth to the statement, “Any publicity is good publicity.”
Film Industry Bets Big on Web3
While the world may lampoon NFTs and the speculative craze of 2021-2022, it is true that more industries are adopting the technology by the week, a vote of confidence in what Web3 has to offer. That includes the film industry and its various companies. Here are three stories involving them and Web3, all from the past 10 months.
First, one month ago, “The Quiet Maid,” a film funded by an NFT drop, secured a global sales deal. The 15-minute short film, which tells the story of a maid in Columbia working for a wealthy family on the coast of Catalonia, raised money through the selling of NFT Passes, one of the many avenues in which NFT tech is entering the film industry.
Next, six months ago, toy maker Mattel revealed that it would be releasing Fast & the Furious NFTs. The digital collectibles would feature 19 cars based off vehicles in the movie franchise, with a special prize for fans who collect all 19. Some of the cars include Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger and Brian O’Conner’s 1969 Camaro.
Lastly, 10 months ago, the Slamdance Film Festival, a Utah-based event for indie filmmakers, continued its enthusiastic push of blockchain projects. This year, it featured ‘Fuzzy Head,’ which received its funding through NFTs. Last year, the festival celebrated a community-based storytelling experience called “Blockchain Fairy Tales.”
Even though some TV shows have poked fun at NFTs since their arrival into the mainstream zeitgeist, the stories above show that some producers and companies are capitalizing on the technology. That’s good news for Web3 and the industries they better.