Actor, producer, writer, and digital entertainment pioneer Felicia Day today launched the Kickstarter campaign for The Guild: Ren Faire’d, a new feature-length reunion film that brings the original Knights of Good back together for an all-new adventure ahead of the groundbreaking web series’ 20th anniversary in 2027.
For the first time since the series concluded in 2013, the original Knights of Good return together in a brand-new story. The fan-powered feature reunites Codex, Tink (Amy Okuda), Vork (Jeff Lewis), Clara (Robin Thorsen), Bladezz (Vince Caso) and Zaboo (Sandeep Parikh) for an adventure set in the vibrant world of the Renaissance Faire: a beloved corner of geek culture that has rarely taken center stage on film. Like the original series before it, The Guild: Ren Faire’d is being created independently with the support of the community that helped make The Guild a phenomenon. The film is executive produced by Felicia’s longtime collaborator Ryan Copple and directed by The Guild veteran Sean Becker.
Created, written by, and starring Felicia Day, The Guild premiered on July 27, 2007, following the members of an online gaming guild whose virtual adventures frequently collided with their real lives. Across six seasons, 70 episodes, and three music videos, the series generated more than 300 million lifetime views and helped pioneer creator-funded entertainment long before Kickstarter popularized crowdfunding, with fans supporting the self-funded first season through donations on the show’s website. The Guild went on to win numerous awards, a place on Rolling Stone’s list of “The Net’s Best Serial Shows,” and recognition from the Smithsonian Institution which accessioned Codex’s costume into its digital culture collection. Now, nearly two decades later, Day is once again inviting fans to help bring the Knights of Good back together.
“When I set out to make The Guild, I wanted to show the world that gamers and nerds could be the heroes of our own stories,” Day shared. “But even with the growth of geek culture over the years, Hollywood would never let me tell a story set in one of my favorite places: the Renaissance Faire. They’d consider both the setting and our characters too niche; just like they used to think people would never watch a show about geeks who play MMO’s. Instead of waiting for permission, we’re going directly to the people who’ve believed in us from the beginning. We’re going to make a hilarious movie together!”
Nearly twenty years ago, The Guild helped pioneer the creator economy before it even had a name, proving that passionate storytellers could build global audiences outside the traditional Hollywood system. Today, as creator-led films like Iron Lung, The Backrooms and Obsession make the leap from YouTube and online communities to the big screen, The Guild: Ren Faire’d aims to continue that trend to celebrate The Guild’s 20th anniversary where it has never been before: in movie theaters, surrounded by the community that made it possible.
At a time when most film crowdfunding campaigns revolve around Blu-rays, posters, and T-shirts, The Guild: Ren Faire’d is taking a radically different approach. By combining original tabletop games, premium collectibles, creator collaborations, exclusive merchandise, and live experiences into a single campaign, the project transforms crowdfunding into a full-fledged fan event. It’s an ambitious approach designed to fund an independent feature while celebrating the culture that inspired it.
THE KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN INCLUDES:
- The full-length reunion movie featuring the original Knights of Good cast
- Swords & Sweethearts, a dating-sim card game created by Ryan Copple and developed in partnership with Scrungo Games, the licensing division from the team behind Cyanide & Happiness and Joking Hazard
- A collected The Guild graphic novel omnibus from Image Comics with original cover by Leila Del Duca
- A 120-page The Guild tabletop roleplaying game written by Vince Caso and developed in partnership with Hit Point Press, along with art from Dan Gartman and Pauliina Hannuniemi
- Custom 7-piece dice set with nods to the each main cast members
- A collectible “Poopcorn” popcorn bucket inspired by the film’s ren faire setting designed by Ryan Lesser at Wild Power Games
- A cast signed movie poster illustrated by Adam Allsuch Boardman
- A signed and bound version of Felicia’s personal production script, with all the marks and doodles
- A campaign-exclusive T-shirt designed by Sam Prentice Jones, blind-box enamel pin collection by David DePasquale, and sticker set by the original Guild character artist Erik McKenney
- A three-disc, 20th anniversary Blu-ray of the original with new content
- Additional digital rewards, collectibles, add-ons, and campaign-exclusive experiences
- Additional rewards, stretch goals, and campaign updates will be revealed throughout the Kickstarter.
Join the Guild and back The Guild: Ren Faire’d on Kickstarter HERE.
