Veronica Mars Novel Due in March Is Based on Original Movie Idea, Second Book Due in 2014

Veronica Mars: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line

, the original novel coming in late March and following up on the events of the March 14-released feature film, was in fact based on the story that was first intended to be the movie. While it's already been established that the book will take place in the same "universe" as the long-cancelled TV series and the upcoming movie and that future film and TV projects would not ignore the story, Thomas told fans via the movie's Kickstarter page today that not only will the story inform a second novel (due in late 2014), but if another movie were to be made, there's a chance they might just adapt The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line. " If you want to know what happens next after the movie, the book will tell you that," Thomas wrote. "But you won't need to read the book to get closure. The film -- which I wrote before I ever knew there would be novels -- is able to stand alone. That said...The books will exist in the same official 'universe' as the series and film. Sometimes, novels that build on the events of television shows or films are isolated spin-off stories, or adventures that seem to take place in some forgettable parallel universe. This is not one of those times. The Thousand Dollar Tan Line is the actual next chapter in Veronica's life."

The original idea for the movie, of course, started years ago, shortly after the film and so Thomas told fans that it eventually needed to be put off so that, eight or so years on, fans could catch up with the characters and figure out where they've gone in the meantime. "When I started talking about making a Veronica Mars movie, just after the show's cancellation, I had a specific story that I wanted to tell," Thomas said. "But last year, when I finally began writing the script, I realized that we'd need to tell a different story first: one that brought our characters back together after years apart. As a follow-up to the movie, the book gave me the chance to pursue my original idea again." He added that there would be an important continuity function served by the novel--bringing back somebody who didn't return for the movie. "The book will feature the return of another important figure from Veronica's past," Thomas said. "Someone you already know from the show -- who didn't return for the movie. And I promise, this isn't a cheap ploy to get you interested. I'm not talking about a cameo from a minor character. This character is important to Veronica, and has a significant role in the book." There aren't many characters that fit that description--so it seems likely that while the movie reunites Veronica with her ex-boyfriend Logan Echolls, the follow-up novel might follow suit by reuniting her with...her ex-boyfriend Duncan Kane. Thomas and Jennifer Graham's Veronica Mars: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line will be in bookstores on March 25.