While some folks may think he’s not doing the right thing, today proved that Spike Lee has still got game. The 56-year-old filmmaker surprised many at the end of July by entering the Kickstarter fray to raise $1.25 million for his next joint. Unlike previous “celebrity” campaigns, Lee didn’t offer much in the way of plot details about the project, or even cast members but over the past four weeks he’s taken over social media, done countless interviews and more to raise awareness for his project. And it has clearly paid off.
Lee will be back doin’ work very soon because today, with five days left on the Kickstarter clock, he’s crossed $1.25 million target for the as-yet-untitled movie. While it seemed like it was coming down to the twenty-fifth hour for the filmmaker, everything worked out and he got support not just from fans but from peers and colleagues too. Folks like Steven Soderbergh and Matthew McConaughey lent their money and fame to the project, and Lee himself continued to update the various rewards being offered to anyone who pitched in.
“Thank You To All Our Loyal Supporters Who Have Been With Me,Who Continue To Stay With Me.You Folks Did This.You Great People Made HERSTORY,” Lee tweeted this morning. While his production company, 40 Acres And A Mule added, “WE DID IT! We hit a buck two fiddy and we’re still going! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT HAS HELPED US HIT OUR GOAL! Thank you!”
As for the movie, all we still know so far is that it will star Zaraah Abrahams and be about “addiction, blood and sex.” Over 5,300 people helped to make this happen, now we’ll just have to wait until 2014 to see what the final result is. And to anyone who scored a seat at a Knicks game with Lee, we’re totally jealous.