Critical Role Critical Role's Kickstarter Breaks $1,000,000 In About An Hour!

For those hoping for a new D&D cartoon, Critical Role has just launched a Kickstarter for an animated show based on their livestream campaign. It broke a million dollars in about an hour, and has 45 days left to go...

​

"Critical Role's The Legend of Vox Machina reunites your favorite D&D heroes for a professional-quality animated special!"

Also on offer are theme song MP3s, production art prints, sticker sets, dice, playing card sets, plushies, pin sets, canvas bags, and more.

 

[MarkB]

At this point, the limiting factor regarding how much content they produce is probably how much time they want to devote to it, considering they're intending to do the vast majority of the voice work themselves. I doubt they'd want to place themselves in the position of being too busy producing their animated show to keep up with their streamed shows.

 

[Reynard]

What's their average live viewing audience?

 

[jimmytheccomic]

Do they even have the legal rights to do a D&D movie or could this end up in the courts? I mean I can't see Warner Bros. Being okay with this or Hasbro if they aren't getting a cut of the money.

The "Adventure Zone" comic was an adaptation of the DMs altered take on "Lost Mines of Phandelver", they just scratched off all the serial numbers and changed some names around.

 

[OB1]

On the other hand, I'd point to things like Rooster Teeth's Red vs Blue series based on the Halo video game. Which has been put up on Netflix as well. Millions of viewers and now 17 years of seasons. Pretty darn successful I'd say.

Like I said, a very good way to test the waters. Not that this is a mainstream big budget movie. That's not what a test is. If this is successful, they can show that it's possible to make a D&D show that can make money.

Right exactly! I think it’s a great test for doing either an animated or live action series that would run on a streaming service. I just don’t think we should set a theatrically released film as the standard or even the goal.
I’d much rather get a 10 episode a year live action series budgeted at $100m a year like GoT rather than a single $150m theatrical release. Hopefully the success of this can help something like that get made!

 

[Hussar]

Well, they're just about to break 2.5 million. Yeesh, since I have my Kickstarter set in Yen, the bloody number is just a blur.

 

[Parmandur]

What's their average live viewing audience?

I dunno, but they have over 300,000 subscribers just on YouTube. I know their streams have cracked the.million viewers mark, but that is not average. There are a lot of people who might get involved in 45 days, basically, for a small bit at least.

 

[SigmaOne]

I'm in. I love being able to support CR in this way.

 

[Parmandur]

They want to make a D&D movie, Hasbro owns the rights to D&D and Warner Bros. Licienced the movie rights as I understand it.

They have passed the 2 million dollar USD mark and are still shooting higher.

They aren't making a "D&D" movie, though, they are making a Ceitical Role movie. They've published RPG material and comics without violating Hasbro legal space, and as they are entertainment industry professionals I'm sure they have sought legal advise on this project. Maybe even talked to Hasbro about it

 

[Parmandur]

So, they just knocked down the penultimate stretch goal, and have one more 22 minute block at $3 million remaining. The next 45 days will be interesting.

 

[gweinel]

They will not have any problem.
I am sure they contacted Wizards before they make their move.
It is a win - win case, since CR is a living D&D advertisment. The most successful one. Ever.