Rob Weiss, best known in Hollywood as the producer of hit HBO series Entourage and the Dwayne Johnson film Ballers, is making a crypto-based comedy series called HODL.

According to a Variety report, Weiss will produce and direct episodes of HODL (Hold On for Dear Life), which is also a well-known crypto catchphrase.

The term was first used by Bitcoiners as a rallying cry after it appeared as a typo in an expletive-filled, apparently booze-fuelled 2013 Bitcoin forum posting. Has someone turned that post into an NFT (non-fungible token) yet? Hmm…

While other prominent TV shows such as The Big Bang Theory have, ahem, mined cryptocurrency for material, HODL will be the first-ever scripted full series focused entirely on crypto culture.

Crypto moves are clearly afoot in Hollywood, with studios apparently very keen to see how Anthony Hopkins’ Zero Contactthe first star-driven feature film to premiere as an NFT – will play out in September.

Weiss told Variety: “When I read the Hold On for Dear Life pilot, I felt as if I had been transported into a fresh and unique universe where characters spoke about money in a whole new language,” adding:

“The world of currency is rapidly changing, and Hold On for Dear Life will both illuminate and entertain at the same time.”

 

HODL is written by ‘Suhh Toshee’

The 10-episode HODL comedy series is the creation of a screenwriter called Suhh Toshee – a name riffing on Satoshi Nakamoto – the pseudonymous Bitcoin creator. The show will also be executive produced by Satoshi Nakamoto Productions as well as the MAP Group and Beacon Pictures.

It places a young tech founder, Mel, at the centre of the male-dominated world of crypto as she launches an NFT in honour of her best friend who’s gone missing.

Mel, and a collection of “blockchain misfits” – including anarchist Elvis, “Lambo-bro” Bear, and digital nomad DiNo – navigate this salty, funny, bizarre, meme-driven space as they help follow Mel’s vision for the token and attempt to sidestep centralised powers and FUD (Fear Uncertainty and Doubt).

And it’s a crypto-centric show not just in subject matter. The show is also being touted as the first to tokenise portions of  its profits – set to be converted into an Ethereum ERC-20 security token called FDL (For Dear Life).

According to Variety, buyers of FDL will be able to receive pro rata net profits from the series. There are no launch details as of yet for this token.

The series’ producers will also be minting NFTs based around the show, and have plans to release an entire episode as an NFT.

According to Deadline, principal photography filming for HODL (Hold on For Dear Life) is set to commence in August in Puerto Rico.