Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland, Nell Scovell, and More Among ‘MST3K’ Guest Writers

The MST3K Kickstarter campaign has hit the $4 million mark, so now that at least nine new episodes of the show are guaranteed, Joel Hodgson revealed some new and returning writers for the next incarnation of the series. In an update posted today, Hodgson announced that Dan Harmon, Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, The Muppets writer and Letterman alum Nell Scovell, and more have signed on as guest writers, while original MST3K staffers Charlie Erickson, Beez McKeever, Crist Ballas, and Paul Chaplin are also onboard to return. Check out the full lineup below via MST3K’s Kickstarter page.

New writers:

Here’s a list of writers who have already agreed to come help out: DAN HARMON, the incredible mind who created hosts the Harmontown podcast, and co-creator of the very funny Rick & Morty. JUSTIN ROILAND, the other creator of Rick & Morty, as well as a very talented voice actor/comedian/artist, and a huge MSTie. ROB SCHRAB, an original remote writer for MST3K, co-founder of the seminal Channel 101… and now, director of the next Lego Movie. NELL SCOVELL, a long-time collaborator and friend, will be “in the house� too. She’s currently writing on the The Muppet Show but has worked on The Simpsons, Newhart and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, among others. ERNIE CLINE, the New York Times best-selling author of Ready Player One, which will soon be a movie from Steven Spielberg! If you’ve read RP1, you know how good Ernie is with cultural references. PAT ROTHFUSS, the New York Times best-selling author of The Name of Wind, has offered to have a “story breakfast� with me and go over “story beats� for the next series… and a few of you can join us! PAUL & STORM, the hilarious musical act, W00tstock founders and stars, musical contributors to Despicable Me 2, my good friends and the hosts for Friday’s live “Final Countdown Telethon� will be contributing riffs and some special music! DANA GOULD, the brilliant comedian and former Simpsons writer, who will also probably appear on camera as well for a cameo or two. But actually, that gets into the area of our Guest Cameos, which is a topic I want to save for tomorrow. ROBERT LOPEZ, the EGOT-winning songwriter from Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon and Frozen, has offered to write some original songs for us!

Returning MST3K staff:

And actually, I’m happy to tell you that a few MST veterans have agreed to come back and “Pitch� in – not just as writers, but in other creative departments too – to make sure MST3K still has the spirit of the little cowtown puppet show you know and love: CHARLIE ERICKSON, or, as he’s now known in the international DJ scene, Chuck Love, was the musical genius behind the original MST3K theme song, as well as the arranger of the haunting “MST3K Love Theme.� Charlie will be back to work on some new arrangements for us… and hopefully some new music, too! BEEZ McKEEVER, MST3K’s original “Prop Diva,� will return to design special costumes for the bots. (Watch for her special line in the credits: “Robot Fashions created by Miss Beez of Duluth!�) CRIST BALLAS, our original MST3K hair and makeup designer – and a long time friend – will also be joining us in that department, as well as plying his real trade: creating Academy Award-winning special effects makeup! And finally… PAUL CHAPLIN – old “Pitch� himself! – the veteran writer (over 144 MST3K episodes!) will be back demonstrate his mastery of “the craft we call riff�… and more important, to show the newer MST3K writers how we did it back in the day!

Today’s list of writers joins the previously announced MST3K cast Jonah Ray, Patton Oswalt, Felicia Day, Baron Vaughn, and Hampton Yount.