It's been more than four years since "Veronica Mars" left the airwaves: four years of fans clamoring for a film to continue the adventures of the sassy blonde sleuth. Is it time to give up hope? Kristen Bell, Veronica herself, doesn't think so, but she's also realistic about the prospects of a film based on a canceled TV show.
"We are still working on it," Bell told The Huffington Post in a phone interview. "I don't mean to say that to placate you. We are -- we, like the few people involved that have it in our hearts -- are still assessing all of our options and game-planning it."
"Veronica Mars" lasted for three seasons on TV, two on UPN and one on The CW. The show peaked at about 3.5 million viewers. It was never a ratings success, but it certainly attracted a cult following. When its chances of renewal for a second season looked slim, fans organized a letter-writing campaign. After The WB merged with UPN to become The CW, fans flew a plane over the new network's headquarters with a "Veronica Mars" banner attached.
Since the show's cancellation, bits of movie news have come and gone, the most headline-grabbing of which came in 2010 when Bell offered to finance the movie. Warner Bros. even set up an email address for fans to send their letters. According to Bell, who can next be seen in Showtime's "House of Lies" (Sunday, Jan. 8 at 10:30 p.m. EST), some of the key parties are still in the game, but it's "the powers that be" who need convincing.
"I don't know if it will ever come to be, but it's not off the table for me," Bell said. "I would make time for it in a heartbeat and that's a decent part of it done, when you've cast Veronica Mars. I know Rob Thomas has it in his heart to make it; this is his baby. It's not off the table for any of us. We're just still trying to champion the powers that be to believe us. The reality is, we need a few million dollars to do it and that's a lot of money. It's difficult to convince a studio to take that risk when you're proposing to them to make a movie of a television show that's been off the air for four years."
Movies based on cult-hit shows like "Arrested Development" and "Party Down" are still in the works, something Bell said is indicative on the state of the industry.
"I think it's actually because there are not a ton of really great movies being made," she said. "There's this great content -- some of which has been pumped out by Rob Thomas like 'Veronica Mars' and 'Party Down' and things like that. There's just a huge opportunity. It already has a fan base. It's already a great story. We're still championing it."
With that said, Bell isn't giving up, and she's encouraging fans to stay strong.
"Don't lose hope," Bell said. "That's all I can say. Do not lose hope."