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Thursday, Mar 14, 2013 12:55 PM UTC

“Veronica Mars” reaches $2 million funding goal in less than a day

The movie that studios wouldn't finance is getting made thanks to Kickstarter donations

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Topics: Veronica Mars, rob thomas, Kickstarter, Movies, Film, Television, kristen bell,

(Credit: Warner Bros.)

“Veronica Mars” has officially become the first feature film to be funded through a Kickstarter campaign.

Show creator Rob Thomas launched the experimental bid only yesterday, seeking out the short-lived show’s loyal fans after failed attempts to sell the idea to movie executives. Thomas set the goal at an ambitious $2 million and the show’s lead, current “House of Lies” star Kristen Bell, signed on–provided they could procure the funding within 30 days.

The entertainment industry watched curiously to see how the experiment would fare. As Time columnist James Poniewozik noted, the implications of a successful fan-funded project showed “The potential for projects like Kickstarter” in “that they provide a way to monetize depth, not just breadth, of interest—which is something that has helped creative diversity in the larger entertainment world.”

But few (if any) expected that the movie would reach its goal in less than a day:

Although the goal has been reached, Thomas will keep the campaign open. From the campaign page:

“A two million dollar fundraising total probably means cross words are exchanged at the class reunion. Three million? We can afford a full-on brawl. Ten million? Who knows… For some reason the Neptune High class reunion takes place on a nuclear submarine! A Hobbit shows up! There’s a Bollywood end-credit dance number! I’ve always wanted to direct Bill Murray. We’ll figure out something cool. Hey, if that total goes high enough, I’ll bet the good folks at Warner Bros. will agree a sequel is a good idea.”

The movie will be released in early 2014.

Prachi Gupta

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com. More Prachi Gupta.

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