A ‘Veronica Mars’ Movie Is a Lousy Idea

Supposedly the creator and star of the dearly departed Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas and Kristen Bell, met last week and discussed the possibility of a Mars movie. Any such project is a long way off, Thomas cautions: “It’s very tough to focus on it right now with two pilots on my plate. But as soon as I have any free time, that’s my top priority.” We hate to throw cold water on such a delightful notion, but seriously, it’s never gonna happen.

Not that we wouldn’t watch a Veronica Mars movie; after all, despite a significant drop in quality in later seasons, the show was never less than enjoyable, and the relationship between Bell’s Veronica and her father, played by Enrico Colantoni, was one of the smartest and spikiest ever shown on TV. A Veronica Mars movie would allow Thomas to give the series the proper ending it never really had, and to tie up the loose ends its untimely finale left dangling.

But why on earth would a studio — any studio — spend the money to make a movie version of a TV show that at its best never attracted 3 million viewers? A show that in, say, the 2004–2005 season, was the 148th most popular show on television — out of 156 prime-time shows? One that hasn’t (yet) seen any of its stars break out in a major way? One that got worse and worse, not better and better, as the years went on? Rather than begging studios for the cash for a Mars movie, wouldn’t it be better if Thomas, Bell, and the crew went the Dr. Horrible route, set aside a week and $100,000, and shot a couple of mini-Mars stories for download? We’d watch those!

Exclusive: Bell, Thomas Orbit ‘Veronica Mars’ Movie [EW]