MTV caught up with Kristen on the set of Party Down to talk about the Veronica Mars movie.

Astro Boy ran out of dough last month, but now Nicolas Cage’s animated robot movie has returned to production with plans to hit theaters in October.

Created by Osamu Tezuka in the mid-’60s, the Japanese TV character gets a shot at the big screen, thanks to an infusion of $25 million rounded up from new investors by Imagi Entertainment, according to Variety.

Cage heads the voice cast, which also includes Bill Nighy, Freddie Highmore, Eugene Levy, Donald Sutherland and Kristen Bell.

source: blog.wired.com

Veronica Mars may be gone, but auteur Rob Thomas and star Kristen Bell are getting back into business together!

Not only is that long-rumored V.M. movie indeed in the works, but we’ve just learned the two will reunite in May on one of Rob’s new series.

At the Miss Sixty show during Fashion Week, Kristen told us, “I’m about to guest star on Rob Thomas’ new show, called Party Down. It’s on Starz…a lot of old Veronica Mars people are on it and some really cool comedians like Adam Scott.” The network confirms that yes, “Kristen Bell will be appearing in our new original comedy series, Party Down, premiering on Friday, March 20.”

Kristen is scheduled to film her scenes next week, and you can see her episode (the season finale) on May 22. Sources haven’t confirmed, but $20 says she’s playing “Veronica Moon,” the leader of the “über-efficient and wildly good-looking Valhalla Catering Team.”

In case you haven’t heard about Party Down yet, it’s the story of “a Los Angeles catering team—wannabes stuck working for tips while hoping for their big break. Each episode of the 10-part original series finds the hapless catering team working a new event—from sweet-16 affairs to gay weddings to mobster acquittal parties to porn awards—where they inevitably get tangled up with colorful guests and the absurd drama of their own personal lives.” Whoo and, also, hoo.

Party Down regulars include, among others, Ken Marino (Veronica’s Vinnie Van Lowe!), Ryan Hansen (Veronica’s Dick Casablancas!), Jane Lynch (star of everything ever and pictured above center) and Lizzy Caplan (The Class, True Blood and, of course, Cloverfield).

And that’s not all: Veronica Mars faves Jason Dohring (Veronica’s Logan Echolls) and Alona Tal (Veronica’s Meg Manning) both pop up as guest stars in episode two! Did we mention whoo?

(Source)

A movie version of the cancelled television series Veronica Mars is, it seems, much more than just another fan fever dream. Speaking to EW show creator Rob Thomas revealed that he’s preparing to pitch the movie to Warner Bros. and producer Joel Silver within the next week or two.

The television version first debuted on the now defunct UPN network back in 2004. It carried over to UPN’s successor, the CW network where it was cancelled in May of 2007. The show starred Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars, a high school student (and later college student) who moonlights as a private detective under the tutelage of her detective father.

Thomas has a few more plot details to work out, but EW says the movie version will involve the fem detective in solving a crime at college. This conflicts somewhat with statements made by Thomas last month when he said he was considering a movie which would start with Veronica’s college graduation.

For now the plot is not important. Focus people. We’ll get to that later. A Veronica Mars movie may actually happen. It’s rare that a cancelled television series gets any kind of second life, let alone one as a major movie franchise. Of course once Thomas makes his pitch they may say no, but at least for now there’s hope.

source: cinemablend.com

Veronica Mars fans, if you pray, pray hard. And if you don’t, start, because the cult fave’s long-rumored movie version is about to enter the anxiety-producing phase known as do-or-die-time.

“I’m preparing the pitch now — literally now,” Mars‘ main man, Rob Thomas, told me this morning. “I hope to go in and talk to [executive producer] Joel Silver and [Warner Bros.] in the next week or two to see if they’re interested.”

But first, Thomas has to iron out the endgame of the plot, which, as I first reported last fall, focuses on Veronica solving a crime in college rather than as an FBI agent. “I haven’t figured it out yet,” he says of the final act. “That’s what I’m working on now. It’s close. A few key details left to solve.”

Thomas is quick to caution, however, that completing an outline and pitching the studio are just two steps of a much larger, more daunting process. “I have some fear that Veronica Mars fans believe that the chief hurdle in getting the movie made is my writing it,” Thomas confesses. “Unfortunately, that’s only one of several hurdles. I’m going to give it my best shot and let the chips fall where they may.

“It’s entirely possible I won’t have an answer at the end of the pitch,” he continues. “They will want to consider [the pitch], look at some numbers — whatever it is people on the business side do — and then they’ll give me some sort of response. Then, if they want to move forward, there’s the deal-making that’ll need to go on.”

Surprisingly, one of the project’s primary selling points won’t be tagging along to the meeting. “Kristen [Bell] will not be joining me,” he says. “I’m sure she has no desire to see how the sausage is made.” (Source)

The “Veronica Mars” and Forgetting Sarah Marshall hottie Kristen Bell took some time from her busy schedule (right after an audition �€“ she wouldn’t say for what) to chat about her new film, Fanboys. She plays Zoe, the rare female diehard Star Wars fan, who joins her buddies in an attempt to break into Skywalker Ranch so their terminally ill comrade can watch Episode I before its release.

As she pauses to scarf down her vegetarian lunch, we touch on topics ranging from her fave Star Wars character to her upcoming projects, including Astro Boy and a possible Veronica Mars movie.

Fandango: What was it about Fanboys that brought you on board?
Bell: It was so fun and quirky�€”a legitimate love letter to Star Wars fans, and there were so many obscure references that subculture would enjoy. It was just about time that a movie like that was made.

Fandango: How did diehard fans react while Fanboys was filming?
Bell: The cool thing was, they all came out of the woodwork to help with props, set and costumes because it’s part of the culture to make your own costume. It was high-end stuff, like pouring the plastic, making the Jedi costumes�€”the real deal. They drove to where we were�€”shooting in Albuquerque�€”to let us use the costumes, which I thought was amazing and so supportive

Fandango: Besides re-watching the Star Wars films, did you do anything else for preparation, like meet George Lucas or tour Skywalker Ranch?
Bell: No, I wish. The director had some contact with George �€“ I mean, Mr. Lucas. He was really, really kind because Skywalker Sound mixed it for us. We got to use all the real Wookie and Chewbacca sounds from their archives.

Fanboys Fandango: Any scenes that didn’t quite go as planned?
Bell: None of the scenes with four boys in it really ever go as planned, but they were all a lot of fun! I think the after-hours were even more fun than shooting. I remember they turned my entire room upside down at one point because they had gotten a key. The bed, the desk, all the shampoo bottles, shoes �€“ everything was completely upside down. They’re all absolutely hysterical.

Fandango: Who’s your favorite Star Wars character?
Bell: I like Chewie because he looks so cuddly. It makes me want to jump into his arms.

Fandango: Your �€œHereos�€� friend Zachary Quinto is in the upcoming Star Trek movie. Did you have any debates on Star Wars fans versus the Trekkies?
Bell: Oh no! I didn’t even think about it! Do we have to stop being friends now? Maybe we�€™ll once and for all settle the debate and get Star Wars fans and Trekkies to finally unite and just be friends. Between Zach and I, it’ll all be water under the bridge, so hopefully they’ll follow our lead.

Fandango: There are fans voting online that they want you resurrected on “Heroes.” What do you miss most about the show?
Bell: That’s so nice! I miss the people and the stunts. It’s really fun to go to work and have blood splattered all over you. It makes you feel like you’re a mob boss or a gangster. There’s something really dorky and cool about it.

Fandango: You’ve got the animated Astro Boy coming up�€”what was it like voice acting and which character do you play?
Bell: Astro Boy was really fun because I’ve always dreamed of being a cartoon voice. I play a girl named Cora who Astro hooks up with toward the beginning of the film. They become best friends, then get into a turbulent relationship when they find out that he’s actually Astro Boy.

Fandango: Are you down for a possible Veronica Mars movie?
Bell: I’m really excited about the prospect of a Veronica Mars movie because we’ve been talking about it for so long. If they write it, I’ll do it. Absolutely.

Fandango: What’s one of your favorite vegetarian dishes?
Bell: Can you hear me eating? [Laughs] I’ve been really into using the crock pot lately, which is amazing because you can put anything fresh or frozen in there and it cooks for 10 hours and you have a stew. It’s fantastic! I actually cooked meat for the first time the other day. I made a dish that was somehow fried chicken with Italian dressing and A1 sauce. It was so weird and the reviews were stellar�€”I made it for my roommates and they really liked it. [Laughs] I didn’t eat it, but I figure it’s about time I learned to cook it.

Fandango: Do you find yourself getting recognized a lot more in public?
Bell: I think I have one of those faces where people think, if they do know me, they think I might just be friends with their sister. I don’t have that much of a problem with it and I�€™m thankful for that.

Kristen was on Craig Ferguson last night and here’s the video from it! I’ll try to have some screencaptures up shortly!: