Next Tuesday A.D… the MST3K CAST REUNION, LIVE! Plus: Production and Reward Updates!
almost 8 years ago
– Thu, Jun 23, 2016 at 12:11:33 AM
Dear MST3K Revival Leaguers,
Joel again. I'm just coming up for air after about a month of very busy but fun writing on the new season, and I’m happy to report... it’s looking good! When I'm working on scripts, it's very hard for me to "shift gears" and think about anything else… so now that I'm taking a few days to breathe, I thought I could maybe say hello, and let you know what's going on.
But first, I want to make sure to share a Very Important Announcement...
Join the MST3K CAST REUNION… LIVE, next Tuesday night!
A few months ago, I told you that our friends at RiffTrax -- Mike, Kevin and Bill -- had organized a "MST3K Cast Reunion" event in Minneapolis, back where it all started. And now, it's almost time!
In the not-too-distant future – next Tuesday night, A.D. – we'll have almost the entire original cast back together: Mike, Kevin, Bill, Trace, Frank, Mary Jo, Bridget and me, all riffing live on stage for a special one-night event. And you know, to get him ready for his new job as the host of MST3K, I'm even taking Jonah Ray with me.
We'll be filming the whole thing live in front of a big crowd at the State Theatre, in Minneapolis, and I think the theater is completely sold out. But listen, don't worry: If you want to join us next Tuesday night, you still can. That's because, thanks to the magic of live digital cinema events...
Our MST3K Cast Reunion will be broadcast live to hundreds of movie theaters around the country… and you can get your tickets right now.
I hope you'll come out and join us… but if you need more convincing first, here's a special trailer, with an exclusive message from Mike, Kevin and Bill:
Now, how about some updates about how the new season is coming along?
Quick Progress Updates
WRITING
We're getting close to finishing the first pass on all fourteen scripts for the new season. As soon as we get those finished up, I think I'll be able to tell you a little bit more about our process, and what it's been like writing with the new team. Elliott has been doing a great job so far, so don't worry about him. And just in case you're wondering... these new movies are really cheesy, which means it’s going to be great.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES
Also, I know it's been a little while since I shared any new details or artwork from behind-the-scenes, so I'm looking to see what we can share with you. The team has been working a lot on the details for the new version of MST3K's show open, but I want to keep most of that a surprise until you see it. I've got a couple other things I might be able to share soon, though.
DISTRIBUTION
I'm not allowed to share any specifics just yet, but I can tell you that we're getting close to finishing our negotiations to give MST3K a new home. So, it shouldn't be too much longer before I can tell you where. But you know, again, I'm just so grateful for all of your support, because without it, we wouldn't be on the home stretch of writing a new season… we'd still be waiting with "baited breath" just to get started!
REWARDS
Our Kickstarter team is actually finishing up a very detailed update about all of your Kickstarter Rewards, so we'll have all of the details you've been waiting for next week. We'll also show you some pictures of what almost all the rewards will look like, to help you make the right choices! Then, I think we're going to start sending out your Reward Order Forms the week after, right after July 4th.
LICENSING
Also, I know our first order of business is getting you all of the neat Kickstarter rewards we promised, but I'm happy to tell you that we're also starting to think about what comes after that, which is why -- as a few of you already saw in the news -- Shout! Factory has hired a very bright guy named Elie Dekel to handle licensing. I've got a lot of ideas of what I'd like to see MST3K do in the future, and Elie has a lot of experience making big ideas happen, so I'm glad he'll be working with us. And of course, we’re going to keep all of you in the loop as we develop and grow this aspect of the show and brand.
So yeah, there's a quick look at some of what's been happening behind the scenes at Shout Factory and Alternaversal… but there's a lot more coming up, so look for another update next week.
In the meantime, I thought maybe we could help get Elie started.
So, what do you think, MSTies: What kind of MST tchotchkes and merchandise would you like to see made? Let us know in the comments on this update, and we'll pass it all along!
Cheers and Thanks,
Joel