David Goyer, the renowned filmmaker behind the Blade trilogy, The Dark Knight, and Apple TV’s Foundation series, announced his latest project on Friday – a futuristic blockchain-driven universe named Emergence. Set to be a vast transmedia endeavor, Emergence will explore themes of spaceships, relic-hunting, and white holes, all housed within Incention, Goyer’s innovative blockchain platform.

During a panel discussion at CoinDesk’s Consensus conference in Toronto, Goyer was joined by SY Lee of Story Protocol, the blockchain platform underpinning Incention and Emergence. Goyer highlighted his vision for Incention, emphasizing the platform’s unique ability to engage fans in co-creating the Emergence universe alongside professional storytellers.

In contrast to traditional Hollywood practices, Goyer criticized the industry for its “top-down” approach to intellectual property development, advocating for a more inclusive and adaptive model. With the launch of Story Protocol in 2023, which has secured over $80 million in funding from notable backers such as a16z, Hashed, and Endeavor, creators now have access to tools for registering, tracking, and monetizing IP on the blockchain.

Goyer’s meticulous planning for Emergence involved crafting a comprehensive 2,500-page story bible, which served as the foundation for engaging concept artists and award-winning science fiction authors. This content also shaped an AI agent named “Atlas,” enabling contributors to collaborate within a defined narrative framework.

Visitors to the Emergence platform can explore existing characters and settings or unleash their creativity by generating new content. User-generated stories and visuals can be upvoted by the community, leading to selection by an editorial board chaired by Goyer, determining which submissions become part of the official canon.

Despite concerns surrounding the impact of AI and blockchain on creative industries, Goyer remains optimistic about leveraging these technologies to empower artists. By actively engaging with emerging trends like AI, Web3, and blockchain, Goyer aims to guide the evolution of these tools in ways that benefit creators like himself.

In his closing remarks, Goyer emphasized the inevitability of a tokenized world and his commitment to harnessing technology to support and amplify creative endeavors. Far from fearing job displacement and commodification, Goyer sees an opportunity to shape a future where artists thrive within a digital landscape.