Director Kevin Smith Slammed on Twitter After Announcing First-Ever NFT Minted Film

Filmmaker Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy) and his co-producers have partnered with blockchain platform Secret Network to launch Smith’s latest project, a horror anthology titled KillRoy Was Here, exclusively as an NFT.

This represents the first time a movie will be minted as a non-fungible token, though the news has been roundly greeted with derision from sections of the Twittersphere displaying obvious signs of NFT fatigue.

Is This the Real Kevin Smith?

“Unless I am wrong, NFTs are still bad and wrong and useless and a scam, and literally bad for the environment,” tweeted @SiggyRod. “Is this Kevin Smith posting or a representative from a contract he was unaware of?” Others were far less polite:

Other, more succinct reactions included: “gross”, “no”, “please stop”, “this is the bad place”, “insanely disappointing”, “bad look, Kev” and the almost poignant “this makes me sad”.

A rare voice of reason amid the tumult – albeit suspiciously seeming to be aligned with the project – belonged to @TorBair, who tweeted:

On Twitter, we can expect animosity towards NFTs. If this is you – PLEASE look into this more deeply. Secret NFTs are NOT the same as any NFTs that have come before. We’re trying to establish a real connection for artists with audiences.

@TorBair via Twitter

Privacy Preserved on Secret Network

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.

Last year, Secret launched NFTs from another indie filmmaker who first made his name in the ’90s: Quentin Tarantino, whose Pulp Fiction collection spawned controversy and lawsuits.

However, Smith’s Secret NFTs won’t be based on dusty old film artifacts. Instead, the project will mint 5,555 NFT collectibles, each serving as an exclusive pass to watch the film and access bonus features. Secret NFTs are configured with hidden information that can only be viewed by each respective NFT owner.

The NFT launch will take place in Q2 on Secret’s Legendao platform. For further information, visit: legendao.io/artist/kevin-smith.