First Look: ‘Veronica Mars’

Cast: Kristen Bell, Enrico Colantoni, Jason Dohring, Krysten Ritter, Ryan Hansen, Francis Capra, Percy Daggs III, Chris Lowell and Tina Majorino

Writers: Diane Ruggiero and Rob Thomas

Director: Rob Thomas

The story: Veronica (Bell) has left Neptune, Calif., behind for a life in New York City. But as she’s interviewing at top law firms on the eve of graduating from law school, she hears from her ex-boyfriend, Logan (Dohring), who’s been accused of murder, which drags her back into Neptune and the investigative life.

The buzz: The fact that “Veronica Mars” even exists is worth plenty of buzz. But from its humble beginnings as the poster child for Kickstarter success, it’s breaking even more Hollywood rules by being available via video on demand on Friday, the day it opens in theaters. While nothing new for small, independent films, this is uncharted territory for a release from a major studio, in this case Warner Bros.

— CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE