'Wanted' Officially Goes Viral
Filed under: Action, Thrillers, Site Announcements, Universal, Angelina Jolie, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek
I guess whether we like it or not, viral campaigns are hot, hip and here to stay. Universal pictures has launched the viral site for Timur Bekmambetov's Wanted, and it all revolves around a shadowy group known as the Fraternity of Weavers. Now for the tricky part: to crack the code on the website you must enter five secret words to earn a peek at the handbook for the fraternity -- plus you get a little bit more info behind Angelina's bad-ass hand tattoo. So if you're the kind of person who likes puzzles, then feel free to figure it out on your own. But, if you're like me and a little impatient, you can click over to Coming Soon and they have the solution -- I won't spoil it here. Wanted is based on Mark Millar's graphic novel about an everyday schmo (as played by James McAvoy) who turns out to be the heir to a secret society of assassins. Angelina Jolie stars as Fox, the second in command and mentor to McAvoy. Morgan Freeman plays the elder statesman and co-founder of the group, while hip-hop artist Common stars as the weapons expert, The Gunsmith.
The viral site provides plenty of background info on the history of the ancient fraternity, but for the most part it's a bunch of spiritual mumbo-jumbo about fate, destiny, the Cathars, and ancient weaving cults -- oh, and plenty of Wikipedia links. There's also a sign up page if you're interested in becoming a member of the fraternity (hazing optional?). One imagines more viral goodies will most likely show up at some point before Wanted opens in theaters on June 27th.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-09-2008 @ 1:27PM
alex said...
I think this may have something to do with the ARG: www.theweavercode.com
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7-03-2008 @ 10:11AM
AGC said...
Indeed, the background information on the websites cited are mumbo-jumbo. A simple online search to reputable scholarly sources will quickly disprove the premise of any of the links cited.
Contrary to the viral marketing websites commissioned on behalf of Universal Studios there was no ancient order of assassins formed by a group of weavers 1000 years ago who were the spiritual descendants of the medieval Cathars.
The idea that simple living, plain speaking pacifists would turn into pistol packing secret coding, future-telling genetically engineering purveyors of death is not only defamatory and historically unfounded, but simply ludicrous. It is as extreme an idea as the violence found in the movie.
Brad Hoffstetter
Communications Division
Assembly of good Christians
www.cathar.net
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