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At some point in all of our lives, we have dreamed of making a movie. An integral part of youth is letting the imagination run wild, fantasizing about what may never be. A few lucky individuals grow up and discover themselves in a position to accomplish this dream. The rest of us have always been left to look on them with envy, helpless to participate.

In 2013, Rob Thomas changed all of that.

Rob Thomas, not to be confused with the musician of the same name, is the creator of Veronica Mars. The short-lived series debuted on The UPN in 2004 and then survived long enough to become one of the launch programs for its successor, The CW. Never a ratings hit, even by the lowly standards of UPN and The CW, Veronica Mars generally claimed about 3 million viewers each week. Its high point was 3.58 million while the series finale had a modest 2.15 million. Veronica Mars was beloved, but it was never popular.

Even though the show was canceled in 2007, it has provided one lasting gift to Hollywood: actress Kristen Bell. She portrayed the eponymous private detective who happened to be a high school student on the side. Bell was a revelation in the role, and she has elevated her status in the industry as a feature film lead actress. To wit, Bell has achieved one of the ultimate goals in the industry. She provides the voice for a Disney princess in their animated blockbuster, Frozen.

Bell’s situation could have played out quite differently, though. In 2007, Thomas was desperate to save Veronica Mars. He boldly suggested a new version of the series that fast-forwarded the character several years down the line. Bell was 27 at the time so her portrayal of a college student possessed a 90210-esque element. Thomas’ idea would be move the character of Veronica Mars into the real world as an FBI agent fresh out of the academy. It was a great idea that demonstrated how much Thomas and Bell cared about the show and its fans.

When The CW declined in favor of a fall schedule featuring such notables as Aliens in America and Life Is Wild, Bell suddenly discovered herself in demand in Hollywood. A star turn in Forgetting Sarah Marshall led to work in half a dozen other films over the next few years as well as a Showtime series co-starring Don Cheadle. Bell is a critical darling who walks the line between mainstream Hollywood fare such as Couples Retreat and buzz indie projects like Safety Not Guaranteed. She never forgot the character that made her famous, though.

For years, Thomas and Bell told any and all media outlets that they would love to stage a return for Veronica Mars. Given that the final five episodes averaged almost exactly two million viewers, nobody believed them. The only two major series that were resuscitated as movie titles were both science fiction epics, Star Trek and Firefly. Veronica Mars did not have such zealots staging an outcry of support for a new story. Nobody believed that a movie was in the cards. Thankfully, Rob Thomas ignored the naysayers. He was helped by an unexpected technological advance.

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