Editing Mystery Science Theater 3000 (section)

====Kickstarter funding====
Starting in 2010, Hodgson had been trying to bring back ''MST3K'', spurred on by fan appreciation of the cast and crew 25 years since the show's premiere and the success of his ''[[Cinematic Titanic]]'' project.<ref name="verge sdcc">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/24/12266652/mystery-science-theater-3000-joel-hodgson-interview-comic-con-2016|title=Mystery Science Theater 3000's Joel Hodgson on the undying appeal of mocking bad movies|author=Bryan Bishop|date=July 24, 2016|access-date=July 24, 2016|website=[[The Verge]]|archive-date=July 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724223644/http://www.theverge.com/2016/7/24/12266652/mystery-science-theater-3000-joel-hodgson-interview-comic-con-2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Hodgson also considered the timing to be ideal, with non-traditional outlets like [[Netflix]] picking up original series, and the success of [[crowdfunding]] for entertainment projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2015/11/13/9727784/mystery-science-theater-kickstarter-joel-hodgson|title=Exclusive: Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator Joel Hodgson explains why it's time for a comeback|first=Todd|last=VanDerWuff|date=November 13, 2015|access-date=November 13, 2015|website=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|archive-date=November 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151114173524/http://www.vox.com/2015/11/13/9727784/mystery-science-theater-kickstarter-joel-hodgson|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Hodgson needed to reacquire the rights to the series, at that point still held by Mallon and Best Brains. By 2013, Hodgson was working closely with [[Shout! Factory]], the distribution company handling the home media releases of ''MST3K'', and completed negotiations with Mallon to buy the rights for ''MST3K'' for a seven-figure sum by August 2015,<ref name="wsj shout">{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-company-behind-the-mystery-science-theater-3000-revival-1492029705|title=The Company Behind the 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' Revival|first=John|last=Jurgeson|date=April 12, 2017|access-date=January 24, 2018|website=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|archive-date=January 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125134811/https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-company-behind-the-mystery-science-theater-3000-revival-1492029705|url-status=live}}</ref> enabling a [[Kickstarter]] campaign to fund the revival to move forward.<ref name="rollingstone ks">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/mst3k-returns-joel-hodgson-on-resurrecting-the-cult-tv-show-20151222|title='MST3K' Returns: Joel Hodgson on Resurrecting the Cult TV Show|first=Jennifer|last=Wood|date=December 22, 2015|access-date=December 23, 2015|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|archive-date=December 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223231243/http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/mst3k-returns-joel-hodgson-on-resurrecting-the-cult-tv-show-20151222|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/mystery-science-theater-3000-shout-factory-new-season-1201637585/|title='Mystery Science Theater 3000' Acquired by Shout! Factory, Kickstarter Launched for New Season|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=November 10, 2015|access-date=November 13, 2015|author=Elizabeth Wagmeister|archive-date=November 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113002225/http://variety.com/2015/tv/news/mystery-science-theater-3000-shout-factory-new-season-1201637585/|url-status=live}}</ref> Hodgson felt the Kickstarter approach was necessary so that the show's style and approach would be determined by fans rather than through a network if he had sought traditional broadcast funding, as well as to demonstrate the demand for the show through a successful campaign.<ref name="blastr remake">{{cite web|url=http://www.blastr.com/2016-1-29/back-satellite-love-joel-hodgson-talks-behind-scenes-journey-back-mystery-science-theater|title=Back to the Satellite of Love: Joel Hodgson talks the behind the scenes journey back to Mystery Science Theater 3000|author=Aaron Sagers|date=January 29, 2016|access-date=February 23, 2016|website=[[Blastr]]|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214202627/http://www.blastr.com/2016-1-29/back-satellite-love-joel-hodgson-talks-behind-scenes-journey-back-mystery-science-theater}}</ref><ref name="paste nov2015"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/12/entertainment/mystery-science-theater-kickstarter-feat/|title='Mystery Science Theater 3000' revival sets new Kickstarter record|work=[[CNN]]|date=December 12, 2015|access-date=December 14, 2015|author=Emanuella Grinberg|archive-date=December 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151216053616/http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/12/entertainment/mystery-science-theater-kickstarter-feat|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Kickstarter was launched in November 2015, seeking $2 million for the production of three episodes, with stretch goals with additional funding for 12 total episodes.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Anderson|first1=Kyle|title=Mystery Science Theater 3000 is returning|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/10/mystery-science-theater-3000-reboot|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=10 November 2015|archive-date=August 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820223713/https://ew.com/article/2015/11/10/mystery-science-theater-3000-reboot/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Kickstarter effort was led by Ivan Askwith, a consultant who also had worked on the ''[[Veronica Mars (film)|Veronica Mars]]'' and ''[[Reading Rainbow]]'' Kickstarter campaigns.<ref name="wsj shout"/>  Hodgson estimated each episode would take $250,000 to make, in addition to five-figure movie licensing rights, in contrast to $100,000 per episode needed for the original series.<ref name="blastr remake"/> The campaign reached its base funding within a week of its launch.<ref name="polygon ks 1wk"/> On the final day of the campaign, Hodgson and Shout! ran a streaming telethon which included appearances from the newly selected cast and crew, and various celebrities that supported the revival to help exceed the target funding levels for twelve episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2015/12/9/9878980/mystery-science-theater-3000-revival-final-countdown-telethon|title=Mystery Science Theater 3000 revival ending campaign with star-studded telethon|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=December 9, 2015|access-date=December 14, 2015|author=Allegra Frank|archive-date=December 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212012518/http://www.polygon.com/2015/12/9/9878980/mystery-science-theater-3000-revival-final-countdown-telethon|url-status=live}}</ref> The campaign ended on December 11, 2015, with total funding of $5,764,229 from 48,270 backers, with an additional $600,000 in backer add-ons, which allowed Hodgson to plan two more additional episodes, including a Christmas episode, to bring the total season to fourteen episodes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/12/12/mst3k-breaks-veronica-mars-record-for-crowdfunding-filmvideo|title=MST3K Breaks Veronica Mars' Record for Crowdfunding Film/Video|author=Alex Osborn|date=December 12, 2015|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=April 16, 2020|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108135023/https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/12/12/mst3k-breaks-veronica-mars-record-for-crowdfunding-filmvideo|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/mst3k-breaks-kickstarter-records-secures-14-new-episod-1798287322|title=MST3K breaks Kickstarter records, secures 14 new episodes|author=William Hughes|date=December 12, 2015|access-date=December 12, 2015|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628192111/https://www.avclub.com/mst3k-breaks-kickstarter-records-secures-14-new-episod-1798287322|url-status=live}}</ref> The Kickstarter became the largest one for Film & Video, surpassing the $5.70 million raised for the ''[[Veronica Mars (film)|Veronica Mars]]'' film,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/12/mst3k-becomes-the-biggest-crowd-funded-video-proje.html | title = MST3k Becomes the Biggest Crowd-Funded Video Project in Internet History | first = Jim | last = Vorel | date = December 11, 2015 | access-date = December 11, 2015 | url-status = dead | website = [[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] | archive-date = December 13, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151213164629/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/12/mst3k-becomes-the-biggest-crowd-funded-video-proje.html }}</ref> but was ultimately surpassed in March 2019 for an animated series based on the web series ''[[Critical Role]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/critical-role-kickstarter-record-legend-of-vox-machina-1203156292/ | title = Critical Role's 'Vox Machina' D&D Animation Project Breaks Kickstarter Record | first = Todd | last = Spangler | date = March 7, 2019 | access-date = March 7, 2019 | work = [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] | archive-date = November 8, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211108141710/https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/critical-role-kickstarter-record-legend-of-vox-machina-1203156292/ | url-status = live }}</ref>