Mr Bean Steps into the Metaverse
Mr Bean’s iconic character has entered the Metaverse with an NFT collection of 3,333 digital collectables that gain their inspiration from the cartoon series. Banijay has collaborated with Metaverse architect FOMO Lab to bring Mr Bean’s digital assets to the world via NFT marketplace The Avenue. FOMO Lab’s launched the collection with a promo video on YouTube. NFT owners will gain access to rewards, competitions, and a signed hand-drawn still of Mr Bean from the first animated series alongside the digital asset. The collection goes on sale on 25th May using the crypto token Ether (ETH) on the Ethereum blockchain.
Mr Bean started as a 15 episode television sitcom that first aired in 1990. Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis created it, and it starred comedian Atkinson as the title character. Atkinson once described Mr Bean as “a child in a grown man’s body“. The lovable character creates mayhem as he completes what seem like everyday tasks. The show ran for five years and was a worldwide hit, spawning both a movie and an animated series in 2002 (on which the NFT collection was based). Rowan Atkinson is one of Britain’s best-loved comic actors, having played title roles in tv shows and movies such as Blackadder, Johnny English and Mr Bean. He rose to fame through the sketch show Not the Nine O’Clock News, which became a hit in the early 1980s. He has also played several scene-stealing roles in movies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually.
“I think that this is a great idea. Any initiative which not only draws attention to but actually enables access to the fabulous artwork associated with the Mr Bean Animation series, I welcome with open arms.”
Rowan Atkinson
Banijay, are the world’s largest independent content creator and distributor for television and multimedia platforms. The Mr Bean NFT drop is the brand’s first foray into the Metaverse World and Web3 blockchain technology. Banijay CCO Owain Walbyoff says this is one of many Metaverse projects that they will announce this year and they will continue to adopt new technology to future proof their brands. With over 130,000 hours of content, Banijay is well placed to capitalise on the Metaverse. Banijay’s back catalogue features Reality TV shows such as Survivor and Big Brother, that potentially could go viral as extended reality games on the Metaverse, as well as dystopian series Black Mirror. It’s an exciting time for Banijay as the Metaverse offers the medium for fully interactive entertainment in virtual surroundings. FOMO Lab offers a “bridge” for people entering the Metaverse and Web 3.0 Blockchain technology.
“It’s our mission to bring NFTs to a wide audience, with exclusive access to the latest and most sought-after products.”
Khalil Kassam, FOMO Lab
Mr Bean is one of the most famous comedy creations in the world. With a social media audience of 129 million Facebook followers, 15 billion YouTube views and nearly 9 million Instagram, the character is well placed to capitalise on the Web3 market. Further, Mr Bean NFT drops with FOMO Lab are planned this year.
