Archive for October 4th, 2001

The Latest On Kev’s Comics…

October 4th @ 6:51 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Douglas Fir, Joe Jenkins & Matt Booker

  • Green Arrow continues going strong, but a few remaining projects are still nearing release, here’s the latest on a couple of them, thanks to recent AICN reports. We ran a recent story that Kevin would be involved in the “Heroes” book that Marvel’s releasing in the wake of the recent tragedy. However, his name seems absent whenever other sites have mentioned the book, so things may have changed. However, this AICN report seems more promising, and it says Kevin is working on a December shipping book called “Moment of Silence”:
The ‘Heroes’ benefit book will ship on October 17. After taking a look at the preview copy, I was absolutely blown away. On each image, I thought, ‘this is my favorite piece’ only to see something just as amazing when I turned the page. Because Marvel wanted to do something for the victims right away, the Heroes book was conceived. Conceptually, the book had to be more of a pin up book with text pieces in an effort to get it out as quickly as possible, but in December, they will be releasing ‘Moment of Silence’, which contains 4 short stories about the 9.11.01 events written by Brian Michael Bendis, Bill Jemas, Joe Quesada, and Kevin Smith and illustrated by Chuck Austin, Mark Bagley, Igor Kordey and John Romita Jr.

Also, those of you wondering on the status of the Bluntman & Chronic trade that links to the Jay & Bob flick will be interested to read this:

…The number 1 trade was the oft-delayed ‘Bluntman and Chronic’ which Valentino promised would be in stores by the time Jay and Silent Bob hits the ‘Previously viewed’ section in rental stores. The final statement Quesada read from Valentino’s email reminded audiences to think ‘Green’ and watch out for ‘Black Cats’, tongue in cheek references to Kevin Smith’s Green Arrow and upcoming Black Cat series. Joe ended the presentation by stating he wants to work for Image since they seem to be having a lot more fun.

Sounds like we’ll be waiting still a bit longer for that one.

Filed in: Comics, News

Affleck As DareDevil!

October 4th @ 6:50 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Mysterio, Big Matt Attack, Paul French, Ryan Carroll,

  • Variety is reporting that Ben Affleck has landed the role of Daredevil in Regency/20th Century Fox co-production of “Daredevil”. Vin Diesel passed on the role so he could make the sequel to “Pitch Black”. Shooting is scheduled to begin in the spring. Here’s a piece from Mr. Showbiz on the announcement:
Ben Affleck is taking over the lead in the Marvel Comics adaptation Daredevil, a role that was first offered to burly rising star Vin Diesel, who opted to do the sequel to Pitch Black instead. Let’s hope no costume fittings had been done yet, considering the difference in the actors’ stature.

Affleck is expected to fetch a low eight-figure salary for his services. Daredevil, for those of you unfamiliar with the Marvel Comics series, is the crime-fighting alter ego of blind lawyer and martial artist Matt Murdock. After an accident with a radioactive isotope, he develops the radar-like sight that helps him bring villains to justice.

When Affleck was erroneously mentioned a few years ago as the next Batman, and his then-girlfriend, Gwyneth Paltrow, was supposedly set to play Catwoman, Affleck denied the rumor, adding “Gwyneth is much more the [Marvel Comics’ superhero] Elektra type.”

Well, now’s the Oscar-winning actress’ chance to make the comic-book leap: Elektra, Daredevil’s ex-girlfriend-turned assassin-for-hire, is also making her big-screen debut, as are other yet-to-be cast Daredevil nemeses, the Mob boss Kingpin and master marksman Bullseye.

The film, which is budgeted at $50 million, is tentatively scheduled to shoot next year in Vancouver, with Mark Steven Johnson (Simon Birch) at the helm.

Affleck recently shot Surviving Christmas for Columbia and The Sum of All Fears for Paramount, in which he assumed the Jack Ryan mantle from Harrison Ford.

And, from today’s Hollywood Reporter, this story uses the word “negotiations” about the role, and doesn’t make it sound finalized, though we expect it’s only a matter of time:

Affleck senses ‘Daredevil’ role

Ben Affleck is in negotiations to topline the live-action adaptation of the Marvel comic book “Daredevil” for 20th Century Fox/Regency Enterprises and writer-director Mark Steven Johnson, sources said. Affleck will star as attorney Matt Murdock, who was blinded in a freak accident involving a radioactive transport truck. At the same time, his other senses were enhanced, giving him a secret edge and allowing the blind superhero to battle crime using his heightened awareness and special powers. Producing the project are Gary Foster (”The Score”), Marvel’s Avi Arad and executive producer Stan Lee. Regency is fully financing “Daredevil,” with Fox handling distribution. Johnson penned the screenplay. Affleck next stars in a pair of Paramount Pictures releases: “The Sum of All Fears” opposite Morgan Freeman and “Changing Lanes” opposite Samuel L. Jackson. He recently appeared onscreen in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” for Dimension Films and “Pearl Harbor” for the Walt Disney Co. Affleck is repped by Endeavor. (Chris Gardner and Zorianna Kit)

And so, the big question is, with Affleck wrapped up in this project, who will assume the lead role in Kevin’s upcoming “Jersey Girl”? It’ll be interesting to see. Coincidentally, yes, we’ve also considered the “Girl” in that title might be the daughter, since it’s a flick about fatherhood and Kevin’s learned a lot from daughter Harley. Guess we’ll find out soon enough!

Filed in: News

View Askew NewsBites™

October 4th @ 6:50 pm | No Comments » | Scooped by Insane Ian, Salt, Kent Jakway, Chad, Dan, Jason Bailey, Paul B, Tom, Liz Moser, Matthew, FMA & A311 Hicks

  • The interview with Kevin from Toyfare last month has been reprinted on Wizard World’s website this week, with two new questions! Check it out HERE.

  • Speaking of interviews, we’ve got scans of one with Kevin from the latest issue of (of all things) Hustler Magazine. As this IS Hustler, we’re scrambling the thumbnails, only click them if you have no objections to some cartoon nudity. View and read at your own risk.
  • This event sounds like one NOT to miss…And here we thought nothing ever happened in Kansas! The Landmark Starlite Drive-In (Wichita, Kansas) will be having a “Kevin Smith Triple Feature” this Friday and Saturday, with Clerks showing at 8pm, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back at 9:45, and Dogma at 11:30. Admission is $10 per carload. Sounds like a FANTASTIC deal, and worth the drive if you can make it in. Their website is www.starlitefun.com.
  • In other screening news, “Clerks” will screen at the University of Dayton, Ohio this Friday night at 8 PM.
  • Kevin comes up a big winner in this massive Empire Magazine “Ultimate Movie” poll. First, he took honors as the #19 director , and even cooler, placed #5 in the screenwriter competition. Check ALL the results of the poll online HERE.
  • And in other UK news, this small piece on “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” from Total Film:
Rolling Stoners

Kevin Smith returns with cameo-crammed fan-fest

There are directors who’d sell their own grannies to buy security from the hordes of internet fanboys who fanatically study every inch of their output. Not Kevin Smith – he’d rather make a movie about all those bile-spewing netheads. And he’s also made a film which references all of his own movies and includes his bezzie mates. A little egotistical, perhaps, but Smith has proved he knows comedy (Clerks, Mallrats) and he’s not short of famous mates who’d queue up to read the New Jersey phone book for him.

So while Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back focuses on the eponymous stoner characters (played by Jason Mewes and Smith himself) normally just a geek chorus in Smith’s world, there are cameos aplenty, including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Lee and Star Wars icon Mark Hamill.

A road-trip comedy, Strike Back sees the druggie duo heading to Hollywood when they discover that the comic book based on them is being made into a film – and they won’t see any cash from it. Along the way, there are movie spoofs (ET, Good Will Hunting) and the usual Star Wars references / scatological laughs. US audiences voted with their feet and Strike Back launched at number three at the box office charts. So, overblown self-promotion or love letter to the fans? Judge for yourself when it arrives here in December.

  • The latest issue of Inquest (the sister publication to Wizard that focuses on games) has a “Twisted Toyfare”-ish 2 page spread titled “Jay and Silent Atog”. Basicly it’s Jay (or a Jay action figure) chilling on a sidewalk with an Atog (from the card game Magic) while various characters (again-from Magic) walk by and Jay makes comments to or about them. It’s 11 panels total. If someone has a scan for us, send it on in and we’ll post it up.
  • A View Askew reference has popped up on one of the many Bin Laden flash games out there these days. If you play the game HERE , and choose the nuclear weapon, the nuke’s got a picture of the Buddy Christ with the text “Whos Your Buddy?” on there.
  • When J&SBSB is released in Australia on November 15th, it will go up against “Evil Woman” (”Saving Silverman” in the US) and “Don’t Say A Word”.
  • With the Halloween season upon us, theme parks and cornfields around the country are setting up their big Halloween scare fests. Jay & Bob’s popularity must be soaring, as we’ve already received reports of them appearing at two of the country’s largest.

In Southern California, there’s a little amusement park known as Knott’s Berry Farm. At Knott’s Berry Farm, they transform the park into “Knott’s Scary Farm” – The Halloween Haunt for the month of October. This event has been happening for 29 years now. One of the main attractions of the Haunt is “The Hanging” show. The Hanging has evolved through the years from an old-style witch hanging into a current spoof of pop-culture. This year, two of the characters in the Hanging are Jay & Silent Bob. The set up for their arrival is a Planet of the Apes lead-in. The Apes are looking to take over two areas of the park, The Ghost Town & The Gauntlet. Jay & Bob arrive on the scene to “Save the park for the stoners”. Hilarity ensues with a culmination to our boys dressed in Bluntman & Chronic garb & having a light-saber duel with the apes! (One of the apes is actually using the “Green Destiny” sword (from Crouching Tiger fame) against Jay as he is wielding his dual ended light-saber. The Haunt runs for 21 days this month in Buena Park, CA. It all starts tonight, October 4th!

The duo also have large parts in this years Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure and Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. The guy playing Bob is like a smaller version (both shorter and skinnier) but other than that good, and the guy doing Jay reportedly “pretty much nails it”. Check these shows out if you’re in the area!

  • Finally today, this interesting tidbit from Wizard that contained a reference to Mallrats:
WILD THING

“Be Fair,” Brodie says in the movie “Mallrats”. “Everyone wants Mr. Toads Wild Ride.” That might be true but only one person was able to walk away with this original Mr Toads Car, from the Walt Disney World ride when it was auctioned online. It sold for a whopping $6,600. Someone takes Kevin Smith characters way too seriously.

The Wild Ride, by the way, has been turned into a new Winnie The Pooh ride, and lines for it have been VERY long at the park.

Filed in: News