Web3 company Aptos Labs is partnering with Universal Pictures to create a digital experience for the upcoming release of The Exorcist: Believer.
The film, set to debut on Oct. 6, will include an opportunity for horror fans to immerse themselves in a digital fan experience that's powered by the Aptos blockchain.
The film follows Victor Fielding, played by Leslie Odom Jr., who gets caught up in a supernatural affair after his daughter, Angela, played by Lidya Jewett, and her friend, Katherine, played by Olivia O’Neill, disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened.
Those who buy a ticket through Fandango will receive a redemption code for the digital experience where they can collect exclusive artwork, see behind-the-scenes footage, and use an Exorcist-themed AR filter. Users can also enter to win a variety of prizes.
“Our ultimate goal with Web3 is to craft interconnected digital experiences across all our platforms,” Greg Reed, Universal Pictures' vice president of technology, said in a statement.
Aptos Labs was founded in 2021 by Mo Shaikh and Avery Ching, who previously worked at Meta’s crypto payments network Diem, formerly Libra. The Aptos blockchain was built with a Meta-designed programming language called Move that's meant to enhance security and help programmers avoid common errors.
The partnership with Universal is Aptos Labs’ second foray into Hollywood. Earlier this year, the company teamed up with NBCUniversal for the release of the Nicolas Cage Dracula film Renfield. Aptos helped create an online game where users had to find insects in a series of photos based on scenes from the movie.
“We have the benefit of working with exceptional partners to build on top of Aptos, the only enterprise-grade layer1 blockchain that can handle a global volume of immersion and gore required to wow millions of Exorcist: Believer fans,” Aptos Labs CEO and cofounder Mo Shaikh said in a statement.
