Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have dominated the art world—and now they look set to make it big in Hollywood.
One of the first NFT characters to be adapted for Hollywood is Aku, a young Black astronaut created by Micah Johnson.
Johnson is not only the former second baseman and outfielder for the White Sox, Dodgers, Braves and Rays. He’s also a phenomenal artist, specializing in fine art paintings. Aku debuted a year ago on Nifty Gateway and raised more than $2 million in 24 hours.
Aku was inspired by Johnson’s young nephew after the boy asked whether astronauts could be Black.
According to Variety, Anonymous Content and Permanent Content, a joint venture of Shawn Mendes and his manager, Andrew Gertler, have tapped Aku for the big screen—making Aku the first NFT to be optioned by a major production company.
“This deal is such an empowering moment for creators everywhere,” Johnson said in a statement. “A small Black crypto community mobilized behind Aku at launch and told the world ‘This is a character we want in the world.’ And for Anonymous Content to recognize the magnitude of this movement and want to take the Aku story further makes me incredibly excited for our future together.”
Johnson’s artwork has raised more than $10 million in sales in less than a year. He’s also acquired a loyal fanbase along the way. Johnson’s first-ever NFT dropped in February of 2020. One of his pieces, “sä-v(É™-)rÉ™n-tÄ“,” won NFT of the Year at the first-annual NFT Awards.
“Micah has pushed the boundaries of what we traditionally understand as entertainment and created a strong, complex character whose story is rooted in so many lived experiences,” said Dawn Olmstead, CEO of Anonymous Content, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to work with Micah and the team at Permanent Content to give Aku’s amazing character a platform to share his boundless dreams, determination, and pure wonder with audiences everywhere.”
