Spike Lee launches Kickstarter for his next flick

Famed filmmaker Spike Lee is going the crowd-funding way for his new film. The legendary director who’s behind movies such as Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X has started a Kickstarter campaign with a goal to raise $1.5 million for his next movie.

In his own style, Lee has announced that the movie he’s requesting funds for will be about “human beings who are addicted to blood. Funny, sexy and bloody (and it’s not ‘Blacula’)”. The filmmaker has codenamed his project the “Newest Hottest Spike Lee Joint” and hasn’t offered any other details about it.

All eyes on Kickstarter

On the Kickstarter campaign page Spike Lee has said that the big studio system in Hollywood does not encourage independent filmmakers. “I’m not hating,” he said, “just stating the facts. Super Heroes, Comic Books, 3D Special EFX, Blowing up the Planet Nine Times and Fly through the Air while Transforming is not my Thang,” he writes. “To me it’s not just that these Films are being made but it seems like these are the only films getting made. To The Studios it seems like every Film must be a Home run on a Global scale, a Tent Pole Enterprise, able to spin off Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel…”

Lee says in a video accompanying his Kickstarter page that he took the crowd-funding route for his new movie after noticing the hugely popular funds started by Zach Braff and the creators of Veronica Mars.

The Kickstarter campaign put up on Monday has already seen 434 backers who have pledged more than $47,000 so far. With 29 more days to go, the project needs to reach a goal of $1,250,000. While the minimum contribution is $1, a backing of more than $5 will get you a special tweet from Lee and access to behind the scenes project updates. For $250, you could get to watch the film’s premiere in Los Angeles or New York. Those contributing $10,000 or more will get to watch a New York Kincks basketball game at Madison Square Garden with Lee.