‘Veronica Mars’: Kristen Bell Ready for More After Hulu Revival

Veronica Mars might have ended its original run after three seasons in 2007, but the series about the titular teen detective has a dedicated (and vocal) fan base (aka Marshmallows) that’s no stranger to recent fan conventions and festivals thanks to the crowdfunded 2014 film of the same name.

The success of that movie led to a full-on revival at Hulu, which the cast and creative team brought to Comic-Con on Friday.

While it’s been five years since the film’s premiere — the first footage premiered during a San Diego Comic-Con panel in 2013 — the crowd at the show’s 2019 SDCC session was just as excited for the series’ fourth season return. So was Hulu, apparently — although the eight-episode fourth season was scheduled to debut Friday, July 26, the panelists announced to stunned fans that the full season would be dropping a week early, immediately following the Comic-Con panel.

Following a screening of the first episode of season four, stars Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars), Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls), Percy Daggs II (Wallace Fennel), Francis Capra (Weevil), Ryan Hansen (Dick Casablancas) and newcomer Kirby Howell-Baptiste joined creator Rob Thomas and executive producer Diane Ruggiero-Wright for a panel about the series’ revival, though the news of the early release caused the biggest stir.

In the first episode, Veronica refers to “the beginning of the end,” but Bell reiterated to the crowd that she would happily revisit the character. “I’ll play Veronica until everyone in Neptune is dead,” she said.

“Yeah, but I’m afraid I will be dead [before that happens],” cracked Thomas, who has also said he’d be game to do more.

Much has changed in the years since the show’s third season, which ended in 2007 — including the 2014 film — both personally and professionally for the stars and creators. Notably, Bell is now a mother to two daughters — and she told one audience member that has seeped into the series.

“It was a hard decision at first [to return to the series], but then I was like, no, you have to have this character — this superhero without a cape — out there as an example for your children, and it’s going to be worth it,” she said. “What was really great is the last frame of this pilot you’ll be able to see the influence I had as a mother” in a teenage girl character who is affected by the events of the premiere episode. Veronica takes the girl under her wing. “I was able to sort of transfer all my emotions about wanting to keep my daughters safe to this new character.”

All eight episodes of the series’ fourth season are now available to stream on Hulu.