Joel Hodgson And Matt McGinnis Announce ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ Season 14 Crowdfunding Plans
by Erik Amaya
We have crowdfunding sign!
Joel Hodgson, creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and executive producer Matt McGinnis announced plans for a 14th season of the cult-favorite movie-riffing series on Tuesday. But to make another set of episodes, the MST3K team, now known as Gizmonic Arts, is one again turning to fans to help crowdfund their goals.
The initial ask: $4.8 million to fund six new feature-length episodes, six new shorts, and 18 “surgically enhanced” classic episodes that have had their visual components upgraded to 1080p from the original 480p. Some of the money will also aid further development of the Gizmoplex, the series’ first-run, in-world “online theater” and community hub. At $6.1 million, Season 14 will expand to nine new episodes, nine new shorts and 27 surgically enhanced old school episodes. The final goal of $7.4 million will lead to 12 new episodes, 12 new shorts, and 36 surgically enhanced classic episodes, all set to premiere in the Gizmoplex.
If successfully funded at any level, the show will go into production after the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA strike, but movies to riff are already being secured and the cast from Season 13 have been invited back.
For this campaign, Hodgson and Gizmonic Arts have turned to a new in-house crowdfunding platform, The Showmaker — powered by Crowdfundr — which will host campaigns to fund each new season going forward. Yes, as McGinnis made quite clear in the campaign video, MST3K will be a crowdfunded effort from here on out after trying to partner with the likes of Netflix and other initiatives to fund the continuing series.
“The enduring success of the show is a tribute to the collaboration between our many talented writers, performers, and craftspeople, and our generous, loyal audience,” Hodgson said in a statement and now the audience will determine in a very direct way if the show goes on or if it’s time to sing “A Clown in the Sky” for the last time.
Rewards for backing Season 14 range from Gizmoplex subscriptions, physical editions of the new season, pins, stickers, t-shirts, and beanies to big-ticket experiences including set visits and classes taught by Hodgson about various aspect of producing the show. If you’re interested in backing another season of MST3K, head on over to the Showmaker page and give. Won’t you?