First University to Open in The Metaverse, Teaching Supernatural Studies
Official Partner Microsoft Merge Cube is collaborating with the virtual learning platform whose IP is driving a film trilogy, NFTs, a TikTok series, and a custom world in The Sandbox Metaverse; TikTok star @ZachRiceTV signs on
Fandomodo Films, LV-223 and Liquid Studios Entertainment announced today the March 2022 opening of The Supernatural University Experience (SUE) and its first Official Partner, Microsoft Merge Cube. The University’s IP will spawn NFTs, a film trilogy, a new TikTok series, and a custom world in The Sandbox Metaverse. TikTok star Zachary Alexander Rice aka @ZachRiceTV (Minions, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Babysitter, Young Sheldon) has signed on to the first film in the trilogy.
At the heart of this vast virtual realm inside the metaverse is a one-of-a-kind online university–a digital Hogwarts–that focuses its studies on the unexplained, with certifications provided in several fields including Cryptozoology, UFOlogy, Conspiracy, and the Paranormal. Microsoft will be creating a Supernatural University-branded Merge Cube that will be integrated across the experience, including as a virtual learning tool in each of the metaverse-located classes, as well as hosting 3D imagery and custom filters based on the creatures and characters from the SUE. Additionally, the AR/VR product will play a key role in SUE’s first feature film. The school currently has an 18-month wait list for admission, and includes world-renowned psychic medium and expert on the paranormal, Mark Anthony, as well as several other experts in each of the concentrations.
“I wanted to create a gathering place where people from around the world could study the lore and unexplained mysteries that exist in every culture.” said The Supernatural University co-creator, and producer Zach Thomson, President of LV-223 (Finite Water).
The Supernatural University Experience will be building its first campus in The Sandbox Metaverse, through a partnership with Women of the Metaverse (WOTM), a creative studio and development incubator that supports women founders entering the Web3 generation, founded by Amanda Archer and Farah Selena. Made up of lands owned by players and used to create and monetize experiences, The Sandbox Metaverse has already announced projects from Snoop Dogg, The Walking Dead, Adidas, Atari and The Smurfs, as well as a $93M investment round led by Softbank Vision Fund 2 this past November. To date they boast over 500,000 wallets and over 30,000 monthly active users.
The focus of the film franchise centers on one of SUE’s concentrations, Cryptozoology, the study of creatures and animals that have long been the subject of mythical lore. Some “Cryptids” like the gorilla, giant squid and okapi, are no longer hearsay and legend but real animals recognized by science. Others, like the Chupacabra, Tikbalang (Filipino Horse Man), and Kappa (Japanese Water Demon) continue to tempt the hopeful and the adventurous with the possibility of their existence.
The first two films are Lycan, directed by Nell Teare (Bolivar), written by Thomson, which explores the legend of the Michigan Dog Man; and Lizard People, written and directed by Chris Hall (Fight of the Living Dead, Constantine, The Matrix Revolutions), that delves into the existence of an underground cabal of cold-blooded humanoid reptilians secretly pulling the strings of global power for centuries. Characters from each of the films will live in the metaverse, within distinct experiences built around each film.
“These fanciful stories serve as incredible playgrounds for the imagination,” said Anthony Kaan, Fandomodo Films CEO. “Just like the metaverse itself, we’re creating a space for those addicted to living life more fully than the real world allows, creating a world with no limits to the imagination and spirit, where creatures of every shape and color can breathe, flourish and succeed.”
In addition to starring in Lycan, Official TikTok Partner and star Zach Rice will host a new series on TikTok called Monsters, Myths and Mayhem, that will live both on TikTok and within the metaverse. The show will explore all topics from The Supernatural University Experience including the film franchise, the Sandbox launch, and more. As one of the top 1% creators on TikTok, Zach has built a huge following with over 750 million views to date, 23.7% interaction rate, and an average of 1.45 million views per video.
An NFT project based on the characters from the feature films, as well as the Supernatural University, will drop to fans across the globe to coincide with the launch of the campus and each film. Famed artist, producer and co-creator of The Supernatural University Experience, McKenzie Van Dorne-Rice (Finite Water, Destination Supernatural), will design and create each of the characters within the metaverse. The roadmap of the NFT metaverse project includes bringing to life the characters from the transmedia universe (cryptids, aliens, and more) as high-quality 3D-printed collectibles, an animated series, comic books, and custom merchandise. The NFT’s will contain smart contracts that will also allow fans to attend red carpet events with an exclusive in-person membership, visit the film sets, hold assets in a video game, see behind the scenes footage, and have chances to win prizes.
“This NFT project is incredible because it is about community first,” said Van Dorn Rice. “The joy of being part of a group that shares the same passion and interests is so fulfilling. Ultimately, The Supernatural University universe was created for the fans and the NFT project is yet another step deeper into that all-encompassing world.”
