The effort to bring young sleuth Veronica Mars‘ adventures to the big screen was a huge success, as fans of Rob Thomas’ beloved television series, known as “Marshmallows,” raised more than $5.7 million to ensure a filmic extension of the character could be made. However, some of these Marshmallows are now melting due to some difficulty downloading a digital version of the movie.
Thomas wrote an apology to fans who dished $35 or more to the Kickstarter campaign in 2013, which guaranteed them “a digital version of the movie within a few days of the movie’s theatrical debut.” Server and connectivity issues through Flixster made it difficult for many to watch the film as desired though and now, people are starting to get angry.
In his letter, Thomas writes: “If you paid for a copy of the movie a year ago, we don’t want you to have less choice and freedom than people who decide to buy it today. And we definitely don’t want you to end up paying twice just to see the movie on your preferred service.” He also told the film’s backers to let Warner Bros. Customer Support know if they are having issues getting the film to work. “I want you to be able to watch it on whatever platform or device works best for your needs,” Thomas says.
Fans can also purchase the film on iTunes and Amazon and email a receipt to the studio to get a refund in full. Furthermore, backers of the Veronica Mars movie can opt for a $10 refund for their investment – the price of the digital download.
Though some people were able to obtain a digital copy just fine, the onslaught of negative feedback could put a damper on hopes for a Veronica Mars sequel. This negative experience on opening weekend could backfire on Warner Bros. as well, as they are currently trying to figure out whether to move forward with a follow-up after a solid but not spectacular opening weekend. However, with such faulty service toward the core audience, will enough fans be willing to look past this disastrous roll-out to help fund another mystery?