Steven Soderbergh Donates $10K To Spike Lee Kickstarter Campaign

Steven Soderbergh has donated $10,000 to Spike Lee’s Kickstarter campaign for his new motion picture.

The He Got Game director has asked fans to help him raise $1.25 million for the currently untitled project, which he says is about “human beings who are addicted to blood.” He described the film as “funny, sexy, and bloody (and it’s not Blacula)…”

Soderbergh was one of three backers who pledged $10,000 to the project, which has raised $112,557 from 808 backers since the campaign started Monday.

“I’m taking him to dinner and we’re going to the game together. I don’t even know if he likes sports! So I’m gonna pick the game for him,” Lee toldNextMovie. “But I’m giving a huge shout-out to my man Steven Soderbergh for the support and I’m really humbled with Steven coming on board and doing that. Thank you, Steven.”

Lee said he and Soderbergh have known each other since 1989, when their respective films Do the Right Thing and Sex, Lies and Videotape were at the Cannes Film Festival.

The other two backers, Lee assumed, were “finance guys” with whom he isn’t acquainted.

“I think it’s great that people are already doing it and I don’t even know them,” Lee said. “We’re gonna have fun regardless! Cause that’s a great experience. That’s the love of sports. Best seats in the house.”

If you’re wondering why someone like Spike Lee, who has directed, written, or produced over 30 movies since 1983, is turning to Kickstarter to finance his new project, he offers a simple explanation.

“With the current climate in The Hollywood Studio System it’s not an encouraging look for Independent Filmmakers. I’m not hating, 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 said.

“I have a different vision of what Cinema can be, a different vision of what some under-served Audiences might want to see. That is why I am here on KICKSTARTER, to raise the Funds for The New Spike Lee Joint, to get this BAD BOY financed,” he added.

In the meantime, fans can look forward to Lee’s remake of the South Korean classic Oldboy, which is set to be released on October 25.

What do you think of Steven Soderbergh donating $10,000 to Spike Lee’s Kickstarter project? Do you agree with Lee’s reasoning as to why he isn’t using traditional means to finance the film?

[Spike Lee photo credit: cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com]

[Steven Soderbergh photo credit: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com]