NEW YORK (Variety) – Though the animated half-hour TV series based on Kevin Smith’s “Clerks” theatrical flopped in primetime on ABC two months ago, it will get a new life on DVD starting in January.

That’s the word from Billy Campbell, head of Miramax TV, who said sister company ABC (both are divisions of Walt Disney) commissioned six episodes of “Clerks.” The network ran it only twice in the Wednesday-at-9:30 time period before canceling it, so four half-hours will be making their world premiere on DVD.

Campbell said ABC’s censors gave Miramax a hard time on content, which will not be a problem when the mini-major releases the uncut DVD. He said Miramax plans to squeeze all six episodes onto one DVD and add an introduction and commentary by Smith and some of the actors who voiced the characters.

“The show came out too harsh for what ABC wanted,” Campbell said. “DVD will present ‘Clerks’ in its pristine form.”

Affleck motors toward thriller ‘Lanes’ for Par

By Zorianna Kit
LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) — Ben Affleck is negotiating to star in Paramount Pictures’ “Changing Lanes” for producer Scott Rudin and director Roger Michell (”Notting Hill”). Affleck would shoot “Lanes” in December and then segue into the studio’s “The Sum of All Fears” in the spring.

Affleck is still considering Miramax/Universal’s “Cinderella Man” for director Billy Bob Thornton, but that project would likely go midyear, a date that could be affected by the threatened Screen Actors Guild strike.

“Lanes” is about a lawyer and a businessman who are involved in a small traffic accident that escalates to frightening levels during the course of a day, eventually leading to an all-out war between them.

“Sum of All Fears,” which Philip Noyce is slated to direct for producer Mace Neufeld, is based on the Tom Clancy novel. Chap Taylor (”Black Ice”) wrote the script, which is being rewritten by Michael Tolkin (”Deep Impact”).

Affleck, repped by CAA, next stars in Miramax’s “Bounce” and the Walt Disney Co.’s “Pearl Harbor.” He won an Oscar for co-writing “Good Will Hunting,” in which he also starred.

Clerks (1994) — Kevin Smith’s no-budget debut received critical acclaim and propelled Smith into the major leagues as a writer and director.”Clerks” follows Dante and Randall, two hapless losers who jockey cash registers at a New Jersey quickie mart and video store. Loaded with crude humor (Randall spits water onto customers and sells cigarettes to toddlers), “Clerks” is also full of witty dialogue and is a hilarious portrait of a group of disillusioned 20-something slackers muddling their way through life. The film was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival.