Hollywood Finally Takes Notice of Crypto
Netflix has started production on “One Attempt Remaining,” a romantic comedy centered around cryptocurrency themes. This marks what seems like a significant shift—mainstream studios are finally paying attention to blockchain narratives after years of crypto appearing mostly in indie films and direct-to-video projects.
I think it’s interesting how long this took. Crypto has been around for over a decade now, but film depictions have lagged behind reality. Cutter Hoderine, who directed the indie crypto thriller “Cold Wallet,” mentioned something that stuck with me: “It still feels—at least in film depictions—more fringe than it is in reality.” He’s got a point, especially considering how integrated digital currencies have become in financial discussions lately.
The Challenge of Explaining Complex Technology
Leo Matchett from Decentralized Pictures offered some perspective on why crypto has been slow to enter mainstream cinema. “Up until recently, people didn’t really understand it,” he said. He compared it to how films in the late 90s and early 2000s rarely featured the internet prominently. Only when the internet became woven into daily life did hacker movies and online narratives become common.
Matchett thinks crypto is following a similar path, but with an extra hurdle. “Even today, there aren’t so many mainstream use cases that are being used in our day-to-day lives,” he noted. Films reflect our daily experiences, and if crypto isn’t part of that reality, it won’t feature prominently in art either.
In “Cold Wallet,” the filmmakers faced the challenge of explaining concepts like seed phrases to a general audience. They kept things simple, treating crypto as just another “device of value”—similar to how gold bars function in heist films. The technology served the story rather than becoming the story itself.
Crypto’s Image Problem in Media
There’s another issue worth considering: crypto’s on-screen reputation hasn’t been great. In films like 2019’s “Crypto” and 2020’s “Money Plane,” blockchain technology gets linked to money laundering and criminal activity. Even in big-budget productions like “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning,” crypto appears in shady transactions.
When crypto isn’t associated with crime, it often represents obnoxious wealth or “crypto bro” culture. Viviane Ford, who created the web series “Crypto Castle,” had some blunt observations about this. “They did it to themselves,” she said, referring to how the crypto community embraced meme culture and flashy displays. “They became the thing that everyone hates on the internet.”
Ford spent four years living with crypto enthusiasts in San Francisco while developing her series. She wanted to create likable characters despite the subject matter, which she admits was challenging when portraying crypto bros. Her approach tries to capture both the original ideals of blockchain technology and the absurd realities that emerged.
Shifting Perspectives and Future Possibilities
Perhaps things are changing though. “One Attempt Remaining” reportedly uses crypto wallet mechanics as an actual plot device rather than just background decoration. That suggests filmmakers are starting to engage with the technology more thoughtfully.
Matchett believes we haven’t seen the full potential of crypto narratives yet. “There is certainly some amazing potential in crypto,” he said, but the film world lacks “success stories” showcasing the technology’s positive aspects. The challenge remains explaining complex concepts within limited screen time.
Interestingly, despite crypto’s visibility issues, there hasn’t been much product placement from crypto companies in films. Matchett suggested this might be due to timing mismatches—film production cycles span years, while crypto companies operate in volatile market cycles that don’t align with Hollywood’s slower pace.
Looking ahead, Matchett predicts crypto “will be a big part of the global economy over the next few decades. And then it’ll be all over heist and adventure films.” Maybe we’re just at the beginning of seeing how blockchain narratives develop in mainstream media. The technology needs to become more integrated into daily life before it can become a natural part of our storytelling.
