'Veronica Mars' movie on the way, if Kickstarter goal is reached [UPDATE]
Credit: The CW
Veronica Mars was once one of TV's most sophisticated teen dramas, a mystery serial starring Kristen Bell as a Nancy Drew for the new millennium whose exploits exposed the rotten injustices of her hometown of Neptune, California. The CW canceled the series in 2007 after three seasons -- the first two of which were on UPN -- but fans never gave up hope that the series would be revived in some form -- as did Bell. “I have never fallen so deeply in love with a character,” Bell told Entertainment Weekly. “We all became so close, and the cancellation of the show left a huge hole in my heart. I would have put on Veronica Mars: The Circus to bring it back.”
It's now looking like it won't have to come to that, as Bell and series creator Rob Thomas (not that one) have launched a Kickstarter campaign that, if successful, could put a Veronica Mars film on the big screen by next spring. The campaign has a set goal: $2 million in 30 days. If they reach it, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution has agreed to move forward with the production, which would be shot this summer. In addition, they would foot the bill for the marketing, promotion, and distribution of the film, which would be released for a limited theatrical run in the first quarter of 2014, before moving to VOD, iTunes and other digital platforms.
Thomas and Bell spoke with Entertainment Weekly earlier this week in an exclusive, joint interview, in which the creator and his lead star discussed the necessity of the Kickstarter strategy, explaining that Warner Bros. had previously determined that a film with a bigger budget and a conventional marketing plan would not have been a viable commitment, given the relatively limited (though passionate) fanbase for the long-dead series. Hence, no movie. However, Kickstarter represented an opportunity to allow the fans to vote with their wallets, displaying their dedication to the franchise by pledging their money to the campaign, essentially showing Warner Bros. that the film could be a financially-viable prospect for the studio. Thomas and Bell are confident that fans of the show will pull through, particularly since they’re offering a wide array of rewards packages for pledges as low as $10 (updates during production and a copy of the script on the day of release) and as high as $10,000 (a part in the movie).
They're already well over half-way there. According to its official Kickstarter page, the campaign has amassed a downright massive $1,494,658 in less than twenty-four hours. So yeah, this movie is totally happening.
You can contribute to the campaign by visiting the movie's official Kickstarter page.
Via: Entertainment Weekly
UPDATE: The goal has been reached! And it took only six hours!“My mind is blown. I’ve been fantasizing about this taking big and had to tell myself, ‘Stop it, Rob, you’re being silly. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment,’” Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas told EW. “And now today has exceeded the wildest pipe dream I let myself entertain. Holy cow. We better make a good movie. These amazing fans have stepped up.We better deliver.”
“I knew Veronica Mars fans were cool, but I had no idea they could rally with such power. They are unstoppable — just like Veronica. I will have a permanent blush on my face, feeling so lucky to be associated with this entire thing,” says Bell.
