Shout Factory has acquired the rights to the '90s hit sci-fi series which will feature new B-movies to riff, new host and new mads.
- Nov 11, 2015
AceShowbiz - Multiplatform media company Shout Factory made an announcement on Tuesday, November 10 that it had acquired the proprietary rights to "Mystery Science Theater 3000" from Best Brains Inc. The reboot of the sci-fi cult hit franchise is therefore officially in the works.
The comedy was created by Joel Hodgson. It follows two mad scientists who launch a janitor working for Gizmonic Institute, into space and force him to watch B-movies in order to measure how much bad movie watching it takes to drive a person crazy in order to pinpoint the perfect B-movie to use as a weapon in Dr. Forrester's scheme of world domination.
The show scored Emmy nominations for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Variety or Music Program in 1994 and 1995. It was also among Time's 100 Best TV Shows of All Time list in 2007.
Hodgson launched a Kickstarter campaign to revive the series with $2 million goal and more than $650,000 have been pledged so far. The goal amount would be enough to produce three full-length episodes. He aims for $5.5 million to make a full 12-episode season.
"I don't think there's ever been a show more dependent on its fans than Mystery Science Theater 3000," Hodgson said on the Kickstarter page. "Twenty-five years ago, we asked our fans to 'Keep Circulating the Tapes' (a nod to a write-in campaign to keep the show alive) and sharing MST3K with their friends and family to help the show find its audience. Now, I'm hoping the fans will join me again to 'Keep Circulating the URL' of our Kickstarter so that we can bring MST3K back to life for a new generation."
Shout Factory plans to create new content, digital media initiatives, live events, merchandise licensing programs and content syndication to international territories. "Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a true cult-classic comedy series that continues to attract fans [to] this day. This is a momentous acquisition for us. We've been pursuing this deal for many years, and we're thrilled that it's finally coming to fruition," Shout Factory founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos said in a joint statement. "We see that there's still tremendous untapped potential for the MST3K brand. We're looking forward to the next phase of MST3K with Joel."
Hodgson added, "I am thrilled to team with Shout Factory - one of MST3K's greatest supporters - to once again pick up the creative mantle. It's been a long time coming, and I feel ready for the show's reboot and hopefully lots of new iterations in different media. I'm also looking forward to working with both creative pros and the loyal fan base who have been inspired by our humble show over the years."
While Hodgson remains the creative force behind the show, the revived series will feature new movies to riff, new mad scientists and new host.
