‘Veronica Mars’: Kristen Bell Says A New Miniseries ‘Is Going to Happen’ — Exclusive
Kristen Bell has some big news for “Veronica Mars” fans: You haven’t seen the last of her playing the titular girl detective on screen. This scoop comes courtesy of her friend and co-star Ryan Hansen, who called her in the middle of a Facebook Live conversation with IndieWire to ask where things stood with another potential reunion for the fan-favorite series.
“We are willing to put the effort in — I mean, if I have to do it as ‘Murder She Wrote’ at 80, we’re going to do it,” Bell told Hansen and IndieWire. “It’s going to happen.”
Hansen was in the IndieWire offices to discuss “Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television*”, the new YouTube Red series featuring the star as a somewhat fictionalized version of himself, solving crimes on television. (As one might surmise from the title.)
The extremely meta comedy makes a lot of references to Hansen’s past projects, so it was natural for a Facebook commenter to ask him where things stood with “Veronica Mars.” The cult favorite UPN/CW drama, canceled after three seasons, was recently revived with a 2014 feature film crowdfunded by fans. But while there have been follow-up “Veronica Mars” novels, there hasn’t been any official word on another on-screen adventure just yet.
When asked about the status of the franchise, Hansen first said there were no official plans in the works for a follow-up, although he felt that everyone involved would be willing. He then decided to call Bell right then (that’s right, live on camera) to see if she had any answers.
Thanks to the magic of Hansen’s speakerphone, we got them. Bell said that she and “Mars” creator Rob Thomas “are sort of in constant contact about when we can do it again. There’s a lot of willingness and commitment to doing it again.”
However, Bell, of course, is currently starring on NBC’s “The Good Place,” and as she said. “you can’t do two television shows at the same time. So we’d have to do like a miniseries.”
That’s right — a miniseries, not another feature film, and one that wouldn’t go the crowdfunded route again. “Rob and I email about it every couple of months or so,” she said. “And personally I think, and I think Rob probably agrees, is that a) we’ll never make the fans pay for it again and b) the format works better as an episodic [series].”
To be clear: No deal has been made and no timeline is in place for this happening. But for those eager to know what’s next for “Veronica,” it’s good news.
In addition to scoring “Mars” fans those details, Hansen also talked about his past work on “Gossip Girl” and “The Mindy Project,” what he thinks about the “Saturday Night Live” character David S. Pumpkins, and sang the “Greatest American Hero” theme song. Check out the full Facebook Live conversation, moderated by IndieWire’s Steve Greene, below. (“Veronica Mars” comes up at the 12 minute mark.)
For those who eager to see Hansen and Bell reunited on screen, she does make a cameo as herself in “Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television*”, the first two episodes of which are available for free now on YouTube.
Additional reporting by Ryan Hansen.
