In a major move for the film industry, Rick Famuiva's 2015 indie comedy Dope became the first cinema to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. This move was led by Open Road Films, which allowed fans to use Bitcoin to watch the film in theaters.
Through the online payment platform GoGoin, customers can purchase tickets to watch Dope at more than 900 eligible theaters across the United States. The governing body seemed to value cryptocurrencies, which were promoted in part by the social media agency and accepted at all AMC theaters.
Doping is not a random choice at a historical moment. Written and produced by Famua, the film tells the story of Malcolm, an old-school hip-hop fanatic who stumbles upon a bag of drugs. The tech-savvy young man finally came up with a plan to make it as efficient and risk-free as possible.
The film refers to modern technologies such as the iPhone, YouTube and the Waze application. But Bitcoin takes center stage as Malcolm's closest ally. "I read this money because we know he is dead. Soon the world will only buy and sell goods with Bitcoin. It's like a complex mathematical equation,” explains the character at the beginning of the film.
"Bitcoin is an integral part of Dope and we're very excited about this unique new opportunity for moviegoers," said Jason Cassidy, chief marketing officer at retailer Open Road, in a press release announcing Dope . . .
"What they're doing is incredible," Alex Winter, director of the documentary Deep Web , told TheWrap . “In the film itself, bitcoin is used as medicine. It's actually pretty accurate. Without the Silk Road, there would be no Bitcoin. These disruptive technologies often find their way into the mainstream through smuggling or criminality.
"Bitcoin was designed to be easy to control," added hacker Alex McGeorge. “I don't know if I can convince my grandmother to use Bitcoin. Essentially, it's like a game for young people, and that's what it's marketed for.
Although cryptocurrencies were created for a criminal purpose, they were recognized in their time: large companies such as Dell and Microsoft entered into agreements to accept this currency.
Check out Rick Famuiva's intoxicated trailer below.
