The Blockchain Is The Future Of Hollywood, Departing WarnerMedia CEO Says
Blockchain is where the future of movies and entertainment is headed.
Jason Kilar, who was named chief executive of WarnerMedia by AT&T nearly two years ago, informed the company’s workforce on Tuesday that he was stepping down following the completion of the entertainment giant’s merger with Discovery.
As Kilar prepares to leave the media company that helped usher in the streaming era, he argues that blockchain is the future of Hollywood.
His departure allows David Zaslav, CEO of Discovery, to start building his own management team at the soon-to-be-merged companies.
Kilar said he had no plans to leave after announcing his departure from AT&T unit WarnerMedia ahead of the company’s anticipated merger with Discovery Inc this month.
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At the junction of Blockchain and storytelling
“I have no intention of retiring,” he declares. “As for where you can find me, it’s under construction. As I like to build at the end of the day, it will almost certainly be at the intersection of storytelling, technology and blockchain.”
Kilar’s tenure was marked by innovation, including the launch of HBO Max and hybrid films, but also drama and acrimonious arguments.
It faced significant attention during its HBO Max and theatrical streaming experiments, including from CNN CEO Jeff Zucker, who admitted to quitting after failing to disclose a personal relationship with Allison Gollust, the brand’s head of marketing and communications.
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Kilar’s career spans Silicon Valley and Hollywood, and he believes that blockchain technology – digital ledgers that record transactions across a vast array of computer networks – is transforming the entertainment industry, particularly as the process of acquiring collectibles. Unique digital tokens such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) becomes more accessible.
The experienced IT executive said in an interview with Reuters:
“I think this is going to be a potential wave that hits Hollywood, the same way the DVD wave hit Hollywood in the 90s.”
Beyond the Blockchain
According to Kilar, blockchain technology could potentially pave the way for new types of funding. He has a long history of pushing the boundaries of technology and creativity in the entertainment industry.
Kilar was named CEO of WarnerMedia by AT&T in April 2020, enlisting a technology leader with streaming expertise to lead the film and television company into a new era.
AT&T was about to launch a streaming service, HBO Max, and saw Kilar, a former Amazon.com Inc. executive, as the ideal candidate for the job.
“Looking into a digital corner,” explained Kilar, “blockchain will have a tangible impact on Hollywood and its potential collaborators.”
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