What should magazines do to differentiate their iPad offerings from their conventional print or online content, in order to entice users to pay for what they are accustomed to getting free-of-charge? In the case of Wired, four short comedy videos featuring Will Ferrell can’t hurt.

The New York Times‘ Bits reports that the ipad edition for the latest issue of Wired, “The Future that Never Happened,” will offer four exclusive short comedy films featuring Ferrell, who teamed up with Wired creative director Scott Dadich and photographer Dan Winters.

Ferrell portrays a mad scientist from a fictional company called Ferrell Industries who tries out devices of the future including a ray gun, food-size pills, and jet packs, according to Bits.

Dadich told Bits Wired hopes to expand similar content to smart phones and other tablets, saying:

This is not exclusively for the iPad. It’s the beginning of a new type of magazine that will be viewable on other tablets and slates, on smart phones like the iPhone and Android, and even on your television when it’s connected to the Web.

Wired – Will Ferrell Short from Nick Bilton on Vimeo.