Netflix’s Gray Man has a metaverse avatar

The Gray Man, an action movie starring Dhanush and Ryan Gosling, will now have a presence in the metaverse. Touted as Netflix’s most expensive movie, the spy thriller will feature on virtual reality platform Decentraland— with a recreated landscape for the users to play and interact with.

Netflix has collaborated with The Electric Factory (a creative innovation firm) to put this initiative into motion. According to Netflix, the purpose of this move is two-fold: connecting with the fans virtually and promoting the movie in every way imaginable.

Navigating the metaverse landscape

The virtual form of The Gray Man is precisely a ‘Metaverse Mission’— involving a recreated labyrinth-like landscape. Players need to navigate the maze using their knowledge of the movie.

Yet, the experience isn’t just a visual treat. Once you enter the labyrinth, you get to listen to an instructional video read out by none other than Ryan Gosling. You also keep hearing the movie’s original background music while soaking in the experience.

With ‘The Gray Man,’ Netflix finally touches down in the metaverse, setting a precedent for other big brands.

How was the reception and what are the possibilities?

In the first week of going live, the virtual maze drew in 2,000 users. As of now, you can even connect your wallets upon completing milestones in the labyrinth, precisely for recording the time. Currently, the time to beat is 13 seconds.

Players can also select wearables and add them to their wallets—putting the faith back in in-game assets. Netflix’s foray into the metaverse seems like another attempt to solidify the presence of real-world entertainment in the more inclusive Web 3.0 realm with a focus on audience engagement and immersive storytelling.

Interestingly, Decentraland has been the go-to virtual space for renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Nike, and Samsung.

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