KEY POINTS
After being canceled last summer, the futuristic cartoon series “Futurama” is making a return with Season 12, featuring non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its first episode.
The new season is set to premiere on Monday, July 29, on the streaming platform Hulu.
In a sneak peek video, Bender, one of the main characters, embarks on a new money-making scheme with the help of the kids. This time, he dives into the world of NFTs, creating a new collection of pictures of himself adorned with various accessories like wigs and hats. The video shows the collection selling out and Bender becoming “rich.”
This episode marks the first time “Futurama” has included NFTs in its storyline. However, it is not the first beloved cartoon to do so.
In November, “The Simpsons” featured NFTs in the “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV” episode from Season 35. It depicted the cultural impact of NFTs, with Homer and Bart stealing valuable pieces from an NFT art gallery. Bart accidentally steps into a capsule machine, turning himself into an NFT. To rescue him from the blockchain, Marge digitizes herself into an NFT as well.
NFTs have also begun to appear in movies. In January, Kevin Hart starred in Netflix’s “Lift,” a heist film involving a valuable NFT along with gold. The movie sparked discussions about NFTs’ impact, blending crime with digital art.
NFTs have been a hot topic of debate. On one hand, they have revolutionized traditional art, creating new opportunities for artists. On the other hand, however, they have opened doors for scammers and fraudsters.
Recently, three UK nationals behind the “Evolved Apes” NFT collection were charged in the US with wire fraud and money laundering, allegedly scamming investors out of $2.7 million. In May, Coffeezilla accused AI firm Rabbit of an NFT scam involving promises of a gaming metaverse and a carbon-negative cryptocurrency.
