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Rob Thomas’ cult favorite noir mystery drama Veronica Mars starring Kristen Bell is making another comeback, this time as an eight-episode limited series at Hulu.

I hear the streaming platform is finalizing deals for the new installment, with star Bell set to reprise her role as sleuth Veronica Mars. I hear there have been preliminary conversations about bringing back a number of the other cast members from the original series and followup movie.

Doing Veronica Mars is not going to interfere with Bell’s duties as star of the NBC comedy series The Good Place.

As he has done with all things Veronica Mars-related, Thomas is said to be shepherding the project through Warner Horizon TV, the cable/streaming division of Warner Bros. TV, which produced the original series. Reps for Hulu and WBTV declined comment.

Created by Thomas, Veronica Mars was a critical darling and developed devoted following during its three-season run from 2004 to 2007 on UPN and then on the CW.

Fueled by fan support, a successful kickstarter campaign for a movie sequel launched in 2013 by Thomas and Bell raised $3.7 million in a matter of hours. The film, toplined by Bell and featuring a number of other original cast members, was released by Warner Bros. in 2014.

The same year, Play It Again, Dick, a Veronica Mars digital spinoff series from Thomas, premiered on the CW’s Seed digital platform. It featured series co-star Ryan Hansen attempting to put together a Dick Casablancas-centered spinoff of Veronica Mars.

Hulu is the second streaming service to pursue a limited series revival of a beloved CW series. Netflix recently brought back Gilmore Girls for four followup movies, also from the original creator and featuring the original stars and also produced by Warner Horizon.

Bell is repped by CAA and Bailey Brand Management.

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Hulu’s Veronica Mars revival is inching closer to reality. As the deal-making between the streamer and Warner Bros. continues, sources confirm to TVLine exclusively that production on the eight-episode limited series is slated to begin in late October in Los Angeles and continue through March.

Meanwhile, I hear franchise overlord Rob Thomas will be rejoined behind the scenes by longtime Veronica Mars collaborators Diane Ruggiero-Wright and Dan Etheridge, both of whom will serve as exec producers alongside Thomas and leading lady Kristen Bell. Thomas and Ruggiero-Wright co-wrote the screenplay for 2014’s fan-funded Veronica Mars feature film.

Details about the revival’s plot are scarce, although I’m told the quasi-Season 4 will revolve around a serial killer terrorizing Neptune. The investigation will presumably put Veronica and pa Keith (Enrico Colantoni, who is expected to return) in the crosshairs of the new-ish local sheriff; casting is underway for an African-American actress in her 50s to play the town’s top law-enforcer.

A reps for Hulu declined to comment for this story.

Buzz about Veronica Mars‘ small-screen return picked up steam two years ago when Bell confirmed to TVLine that she and Thomas were eyeing a limited-series format vs. a fan-funded feature film this time around. “We are definitely striving to do it again,” she said. “And this time around, we’re not going to ask the audience to pony up for anything.”

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