Elizabeth ready to ‘Strike Back’ at Dimension

Shannon Elizabeth is in negotiations to join the cast of Dimension Films’ “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” for writer-director-actor Kevin Smith. The project is scheduled to begin shooting in January in Los Angeles for a targeted Aug. 10 release. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who starred in Smith’s “Dogma,” are also in talks to appear in the project. Jason Lee, Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson star in “Strike Back,” which also will feature Smith and his sidekick, Jason Mewes, reprising their roles as uberslackers Silent Bob and Jay. “Strike Back” will serve as the fourth and final chapter in Smith’s New Jersey chronicles (”Clerks,” “Mallrats” and “Chasing Amy”). Dimension and Smith’s View Askew Prods. are keeping the plot and the budget under wraps.

I finished three weeks worth of Psycomic columns this weekend, and man are they good. Keep checking the site on Fridays, folks. It’ll be worth it.

Saw ‘Charlie’s Angels’, and Lord help me, I really dug it. Call me nutty, but I though McG did a great job.

Casting continues to roll along. We locked our female lead, so look for an announcement about that soon.

I’ve turned in the eighth draft – the best one yet. Honestly, and I’m not trying to toot my own horn here, but this is a very, very funny flick.

Also, I’ve finished up the ‘Bluntman and Chronic’ mini-series we’re putting out this summer, and it, too, is really funny. It’ll be published with the Allred covers from ‘Amy’, under Holden and Banky’s credits.

That’s about it for now. So many things to tell, but I don’t want to spoil anything too early.

Kevin Smith to Deliver Academy Lecture

Beverly Hills, CA – Writer-director Kevin Smith, known for his gritty dialogue, eccentric characters and keen cultural insight, will deliver the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Marvin Borowsky Lecture on Screenwriting on Thursday, December 7, at 8 p.m. The lecture will be presented in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater and is open to the public.

Smith’s credits include “Clerks” (1994), “Mallrats” (1995) and “Chasing Amy” (1997) – his self-described New Jersey film cycle. His fourth film, “Dogma,” was released in 1999 and early next year Smith will begin shooting the last of his New Jersey film cycle, “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” featuring himself as Silent Bob and Jason Mewes as Jay.

In addition to his writing and directing credits, Smith co-executive produced the Academy Award-winning film “Good Will Hunting” with Scott Mosier. An avid comic book fan, Smith is also the owner of Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, a comic book haven in Redbank, New Jersey. Smith has written his own comic titles, and is currently working on Marvel Comics’ “Daredevil,” as well as contributing to the DC Comics hit “Green Arrow.”

The Borowsky Lecture on Screenwriting provides an opportunity for established film writers to share their experiences and to discuss the challenges and delights of writing for the screen. The lecture is named in memory of the screenwriter, novelist and teacher.

Tickets for the Borowsky Lecture featuring Kevin Smith are $5 for the general public, $3 for Academy members and students with valid identification. They may be purchased in advance at the Academy during regular business hours, by mail, or on the night of the lecture, if still available, when the doors open at 7 p.m. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call 310-247-3600.

Q: Truly Trivial

Despite there being no violence, sex or nudity in the film, it was originally given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA based solely on its graphic dialogue. The film’s distributor Miramax hired attorney Alan Dershowitz to petition the MPAA to lower its rating to R.

“So I just got Dogma, Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy on DVD – I’d never seen Chasing Amy before. I like his other films (even Mallrats was fun:)) BUT MAN! Chasing Amy was amazing. Not just because of the comic connection (You’re a tracer!) but I couldn’t believe how insightful it was. It was fucking great! Dogma still hurts my ribs from cracking up.

Gee, I wonder why I’m watching all these Kevin Smith movies???:) ”