Yesterday we talked about the success of the kickstarter campaign for the “Veronica Mars” movie and whether or not it’s more of a curse than a blessing. As of now, the campaign has more than surpassed its $2 million goal, even crossing the $3 million mark. What we did not really talk about was what the success could mean for other potential projects. On that note, Buzzfeed managed to talk to filmmaker Joss Whedon regarding his feelings on the matter and what the “Veronica Mars” Kickstarter campaign could do for another “Firefly” movie.
First off, Whedon expressed “unfettered joy” regarding the crowd-sourcing campaign stating three reasons: it’s a “ballsy move,” he’s a big fan of the show, and it could be a game-changer. But he wasn’t so optimistic on what it could mean for a “Firefly” sequel, though he’s more than aware he’s going to asked about it forever. “That’s what everybody wants to know about. Uh, yeah. My fourth feeling when I read about [the ‘Veronica Mars’ Kickstarter campaign] was a kind of dread. Because I realized the only thing that would be on everybody’s mind right now. I’ve said repeatedly that I would love to make another movie with these guys, and that remains the case.”
Still, he does not rule out the possibility completely: “Couple years from now, when Nathan [Fillion]’s no longer [on] ‘Castle‘ and I’m no longer the Tom Hagen of the Marvel Universe and making a giant movie, we might look and see where the market is then. But right now, it’s a complete non-Kickstarter for me.”
As for the controversy and debate in some quarters about fans giving their money to a mega-corporation to fund their dream movie, Whedon isn’t so troubled. “I understand that it feels not as pure, and that the presence of a studio makes it disingenuous somehow. But people clearly understood what was happening and just wanted to see more of the thing they love. To give them that opportunity doesn’t feel wrong,” he says. “If it was a truly wrong move, I don’t think it would have worked. I feel like people would have said, ‘Hey, that’s not fair! That doesn’t count!’ It costs a lot to see a movie anyway. And it’s usually not one you like. That kind of passion, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. I might not be thinking it through. I’m not exactly business Joe.”
However, he does concede that the added pressure that comes with not only delivering a fan requested movie, but also one they funded, could be fraught with its own issues. “And of course, there’s the other fear: What if it’s not that good? I can do something that’s not that good — that’s fine. But if I do that and it’s not that good, I’m going to feel really stupid.”
So until Whedon decides and has time to revisit his past work, you’ll have to find another canceled TV show to start a Kickstarter campaign around. But do you agree with his assessment on the new Kickstarter phenomenon? Are fan expectations too high to ever be met? And what happens if the “Veronica Mars” movies just isn’t very good?