Landmark Partnership Between ITV Studios and Reality+ Announced Means Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club NFTs Are Go!

ITV Studios’ debut in the exciting world of Web3

A landmark partnership between ITV Studios and Reality+ means fans will soon be able to buy and trade officially licensed NFT artwork based on the classic TV show Thunderbirds.

Each Thunderbirds NFT owner will also be granted a unique, 3D avatar for use in The Sandbox metaverse – F.A.B.! ITV Studios has partnered with Reality+ to create the “Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club”, a premium, utility-focused Non-Fungible Token (NFT) community experience that represents an exciting re-imagining of the classic property’s unique style and vision for the 21st century.

Owners of Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club artworks will be granted access to their own unique avatar for use in The Sandbox metaverse alongside unique competitions, giveaways, free drops and official merchandise, with all activities leading up to a Free Mint Pass on 6th Sept and a generative art drop on 30th Sept.

The project will also give fans the opportunity to take part in real world “Rescue Missions”, in which funds generated via the Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club’s NFT sales will be used to aid charities and good causes around the world.

Fans will be able to collect NFT artworks of vehicles, locations and character artwork based on the original and much-loved TV show, which was first broadcast in 1965 and followed the exploits of the Tracy family and their International Rescue service. The show was created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, and is famous for its innovative use of marionette puppetry, or ‘Supermarionation’.

NFTs are one-of-a-kind assets in the digital world, secured on the blockchain, that can be collected and traded by fans. All Thunderbirds NFTs are focused on future utility, with the upcoming generative art pieces granting users access to the ‘International Rescue Club’ and the ability to create a 3D Thunderbirds avatar based on their NFT attributes, which they can then use to explore the Sandbox Metaverse, a huge virtual world accessible via PC and mobile.

The partnership with Reality+ represents ITV Studios’ debut in the exciting world of Web3, a new iteration of the World Wide Web based on blockchain technology, and sees the organisation joining an ever-growing list of entertainment giants exploring the opportunities it offers to fans.

#ThunderbirdsNFT & @ThunderbirdsIRL Find out more here.

Tony Pearce, Co-Founder at Reality+, added "Like millions of others, I grew up watching Thunderbirds on television, so I’m absolutely thrilled to be partnering with ITV Studios to create a modern vision for the Thunderbirds franchise that will focus on community and aid good causes around the world.

This partnership is a ringing endorsement of our Web 3.0 platform, and further highlights the growing importance of NFTs within entertainment media."

Neil Bowler, Controller of Games at ITV, said “Thunderbirds is adored by millions of fans of all ages around the world, so we’re really excited to announce our partnership! Reality+ has a strong track record of creating amazing entertainment experiences using blockchain technology, utilising only the best content and most sustainable production techniques – we can’t wait to give fans the opportunity to use these NFTs to enter the Metaverse as Thunderbirds characters for the very first time.”

About Reality+
Reality+ develops innovative games and marketplaces that combine the best of traditional gaming with new technology based on the blockchain and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Including the NFT based trading card game Doctor Who: Worlds Apart. The Reality+ development team has more than 20 years’ experience across Mobile, PC, Console, AR and VR games platforms.

About ITV Studios
ITV Studios is a creator, producer and distributor of world-leading programmes that people can’t get enough of. We connect millions of people every day and shape and reflect the world they live in, we are More Than TV. ITV Studios is home to some of the best creative minds, crafting over 8,400 hours of original programming across 60 production labels. Our global footprint spans 13 countries including the UK, US, Australia, France, Germany, The Nordics, Italy and the Netherlands and our global distribution business sells our catalogue of 90,000+ hours to broadcasters and platforms around the world.