Kevin Smith’s WonderCon Q&A touches on Southwest, critics and ‘Red State’

Having covered five or six patented Kevin Smith Q&As between WonderCon and ComicCon, there are things I know about the “Clerks” director that I don’t know about my closest friends or intimates.

Spend enough time listening to Kevin Smith interact with his fans — in these Q&As, on Twitter, through his Smodcasts — and you’re going to come away with possibly unwanted knowledge about his bathroom habits, his sex life and more. It’s also hard not to come away from one of these Q&A’s with a big smile, because even if you’ve heard the stories before — and Smith isn’t immune to recycling his material — this is probably the man’s natural habitat, his ideal milieu.

As he put it on Friday (April 2) evening, “You can’t come to a Kevin Smith show and be like, ‘Too much information.’ It’s like going to Disneyland and saying ‘Too many pederasts.’ It comes with the territory.”

That was a tame quote. As Smith pointed out to the WonderCon faithful, the paper name placards waiting for talent on the dais typically include a warning on the back telling them that some members of the audience will be under 18 and to keep the commentary room-appropriate. Smith turned his name placard around and showed the crowd that the warning had been covered with a white sticker before he even arrived. Con organizers know that attempting to muzzle or mute or blunt Kevin Smith is as futile as attempting to make edible Kosher-for-Passover pasta.

[In that spirit, I’ve got some highlights from Kevin Smith’s WonderCon Q&A after the break, but things get mighty blue and you probably don’t want to click through if you’re a sensitive sort…]

When you see Kevin Smith speak at a Con, you’re seeing him amongst his people, as he soaks up 90 minutes of adoration, delivering whichever lengthy shaggy dog stories fit his fancy at any given time. Friday’s highlight, instigated by a query from an earnest twentysomething straight-edge guy, was a 20-minute celebration of marijuana, including sex while high, defecating while high, ordering food from online convenience stores while high and living in Ben Affleck’s former house while high.

The punchline of this particular story? “It’s ROPEY!” I’ll let you fill in your own blanks, but let’s just say multiple things were ropey.

The story, not even the slightest bit cautionary, just concluded with a warning that pot is fine, but should never become a gateway drug.

That’s one to grow on.

But what do you expect from a man who, when asked how he’s doing, replied, “Last night I had the best sex I’ve had in 10 years. And it’s not to say that the previous 12 years of sex with the same chick haven’t been great…” and launched into an anecdote that ended with Smith pantomiming attempting to be sexy while using a FleshLight (something he said wouldn’t even be possible for Affleck). And if you don’t know what a FleshLight is, let’s just say that the adult entertainment product received at least a half-dozen shout-outs in the talk.

There have obviously been a few recent controversies in Smith’s life lately and he wasn’t exactly eager to talk about them in detail. The first person to ask about the Southwest incident elected to rescind his question in exchange for a photo op (“Come on up. We won’t talk about that fucking airline ever again.”).

Southwest came up again a little later when Smith mentioned a phone conversation he had with Arnold Schwarzenegger shortly after the writer-director was canonized in a number of media reports. Ah-nold called to invite Smith to a conference on obesity, but by the time Smith got around to believing that he was really being called by the Governor of California, the conference had passed. But even that story was being told only as an excuse for a “Conan the Barbarian” reference — “I just wanted to be like, ‘Gov, what is best in life?'” — and to take credit for California’s potential marijuana measure.

Smith was more open about his recent Twitter-driven dismissal of film critics. Asked about which of his various gigs he likes best, Smith took a step back from viewing himself as a movie director, first and foremost.

“For me, the best part of the job is being able to talk and have people hear and comprehend,” he said, later adding that when it comes to what he enjoys most, “For me it’s always going to be the part where I get to talk to the audience.”

On his critics, Smith noted, “For years, people online have been going, ‘You’re not a f***ing director, you’re no filmmaker. And now I realize they were right. They were dicks for saying it. But they were right. I wasn’t any sort of traditional filmmaker that a lot of cineastes could get their head around. They could back in the early days of my career, because I was so f***ing emo back then, right? ‘Chasing Amy’ was a total emo movie.”

As he said on Twitter in response to savaging of “Cop Out,” he’s reached the point where the people he cares most about are the viewers who pay money to see his movies.

Smith explained, “The reviews that I cared about most were the mutherf***ers who were just like, ‘I had to drive an hour-and-a-half in f***ing snow and pay $40 to a babysitter and f***ing $60 bucks for tickets to a movie and snacks and then I watched ‘Cop Out.” And if that guy’s like ‘You piece of s***. You fat f***ing jerk. I had your back with Southwest, but not f*** you.’ If he says that, at that point I’ll take it, man. Cuz that dude like climbed a mountain to go see that picture. That’s what I’m interested in now. I just want to talk to the audience and find out what they thought. That’s kinda that this is about. I don’t need an intermediary anymore to tell me how I feel and how you guys feel.”

He later said, “Film used to be a religion for me. I still love movies every bit as much now as I did then, but film is not a religion to me anymore. Now film is kinda what it is. It’s an art form and it’s going to be approached from a zillion different ways. Nobody has approached it the right way yet. Nobody’s ever going to approach it the right way, because it’s so subjective.”

Smith confessed that critics or audiences looking for him to make another “Chasing Amy” are out of luck, noting that he just can’t replicate that movie’s authenticity given how far he is from that experience. Regarding the movies he’s making instead, Smith didn’t defend the quality of “Cop Out,” but he explained his motivations.

“‘Cop Out,’ I just want to see if I can work in the studio system,” Smith said. “If I can hold my tongue, if I have to hold my tongue. I wanted to see what the mystery was.”

A few other highlights from Smith’s WonderCon appearance:

*** Smith said that part of why he prefers these Q&As or Twitter over filmmaking is the instant response, noting that he wrote the script for his upcoming horror film “Red State” two-and-a-half years ago and he’s only just getting around to making it. Of that long-gestating project, Smith would only compare it to “Race with the Devil” claiming “I just copied that movie verbatim.

*** One thing I remember from Smith’s WonderCon talk four years ago was the appearance of a small child with a strong resemblance to Jason Mewes. At the time, Smith joked that he’d have to cast the kid as Little Jay. Well, the kid was back on Friday asking when he was going to be cast. Smith’s response, “I’m a bear and that’s my move with all the cubs. ‘I’m gonna need a Little Jay.’ I’ve f***ed so many Little Jays.”

*** Think that answer is a bit salty? Try Smith’s response to a question regarding what you have to do to become a writer for his View Askew shingle: “You have to come out of my mother’s vagina and be me. A lot of dudes get it half-right. They come into my mother’s vagina. They find out very quickly that I don’t want to help them make movies. Unless my mother’s like, ‘Well, he f***ed me right’ and then I’m like ‘OK. Ben. Matt. Here’s money. Go make a movie.’ And that’s the story of ‘Good Will Hunting.'”

*** After those two answers, I should note that in the 95-minute Q&A, Smith received exactly one question from a female fan.

*** Smith also said that after seeing “The Dark Knight” and “Watchmen,” he no longer had any desire to make a comic book movie. He also applauded Jon Favreau for his work on the “Iron Man” movies saying, “A really talented filmmaker can take sh** character and make it into something. I go the other way.”

*** As funny as his stories are, Smith is at his best in totally spontaneous moments, like his Marilyn Monroe-esque rendition of “Happy Birthday” sung to an audience member.

*** Smith says he’s looking forward to when Disney has sorted out the rights to various Miramax titles so that he can pitch an extended cut of “Jersey Girl.” That pitch? “Remember ‘Jersey Girl’? Well I have an hour more of that bulls***. Let’s stir it back in.”

*** If you’re wondering about the mysterious entry “Hiatus” on his IMDB page, Smith explained that it was a pilot for Jason Lee that was never scripted and never had a network home, but would have told the story of a male porn star who leaves the adult industry behind and moves back to his hometown accompanied by his favorite fluffer. Mewes would have played another former porn star named Lester the Molester.

“…I was painted as ‘out to destroy film criticism’ last week. As you can see, that’s not what I said at all; said, instead, that I’d like to give a new batch a try at the gig. The idea seemed fair, as many of the same bloggers calling for my head have been calling for me to move over and give other filmmakers MY job for years now. When I applied the same suggestion: critical meltdown.

NEVER critique a critic, folks: they get very sensitive; as sensitive as filmmakers, it would seem.

But, as regards Roger: clearly, he felt I was in need of a public spanking. Fair enough: I’ll take it from the mighty Ebert (which sounds far more erotic than it is). I’ve been watching Eborsisk love on film since the PBS COMING ATTRACTIONS/SNEAK PREVIEWS days, before the birth of AT THE MOVIES (God rest its soul). He’s been in my life for so long, he’s kinda like a Dad. Despite his Tweet, I’ve always been, and remain, a booster.

So what else was up on Twitter recently? While as you know it’s impossible to keep up unless you’re a follower yourself, here’s a few noteworthy ones as of late. Kevin’s been on “Hit Somebody” duty lately so taking a little break over the last couple days, so we’re sure he’ll be back. In the meantime, here’s a handful of recent goodies:

Via @biaxident “would you have asked Carlin to be on Red State” The bad guy, for lack of a better expression, was written FOR George. *sigh*

Via @KRNellis “Who’s gonna play bad guy in Red state” Sent script to my top choice for a weekend read. No guesses; it’s out of left field…

Via @tom_jorgensen “Your thoughts on the Scott Pilgrim trailer?” My thoughts on the Scott Pilgrim MOVIE: http://b2l.me/hzmn2

Via @kevinvegas “Safe to say Tracy Morgans movie career is finished.” You ain’t kidding… http://tinyurl.com/YourFingersOnThePulseRectally

When the SWA shit hit the fat in Oakland that day, the only guy who called to see if I was okay was @Paul_Dini. Thanks, Paul; it meant lots.

@deadpool60169 “Might there ever be a tour for Smodcast where Bry and Walt open?” There’s talk of a bus ride from Red Bank to San Diego. On that bus would be me, @SMosier & @BryAndWalt. And we’d SMod 5nights/5venues en route to the Con.

Via @phenger “your Q&A’s still go ’til we run out of questions?” Just three hours, sir. Theaters all request the 3-&-Out running time.

Me talking to @NHL about HIT SOMEBODY and Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament: http://bit.ly/bjjgVQ Follow @VaradiBackyard for updates.

To keep up with it all, you just simply gotta follow @ThatKevinSmith on Twitter.

An evening with Kevin Smith was everything one could expect. Kevin started the night off by completely breaking the ice, by telling the audience about Bears and cubs and how cute they sound.

So last night Kevin talked about almost everything from bears and cubs, to sucking his own dick, to autographing a dude’s ass (who was there with the tattoo of kev’s signature), to working with Bruce Willis.

Hit somebody: “Will be after Red State, we will be hiring/using local Detroit talent for on and off camera use”.

Red State: “Will start production soon”.

Clerks 3: “It’s a possibility. I did Clerks about my mid 20’s, Clerks 2 about my mid 30’s, so Clerks 3 would be about my mid 40’s”.

Clerks comic book: “I think I have a few more stories I could tell there”

On the resurrection of the Clerks cartoon: “I would love to bring back the Clerks cartoon (via adult swim) but when Disney & Miramax separated, the Weinsteins didn’t take the rights for the cartoon. And have stated “We will never work with them again. So I think it’s a dead issue, but id love to do it.”

Batman & Wonder Woman: Kevin said he is working on another Batman comic, & did get asked to do a Wonder Woman story, but he has to find a story that “works for me”.

Also there was a “strict” no photo/video policy, they were taking the cameras from people taking photos, but if anyone got up and asked Kevin for a photo, he gladly obliged and no one seemed to take their cameras. These are a few things that stuck out in our minds if we remember anything else we will be sure to send it. As for us me (Movie Miguel) being from Cleveland & Heidi being from Columbus (my gf) we are planning on attending Kevin’s SModcast @ Peabodys on april 27th. We both really enjoyed the show, and had a great time.

There ya go, folks — That’s the way to write up a review and take good notes! Thanks to our scoopers for the enlightening info from this recent Q&A. Wanna see Kev live? He’s coming to a town near you. Don’t miss the chance.

DVD Talk: For big movies, like Transformers, most people really don’t care what critics have to say.

Kevin Smith: No, of course not. It’s ridiculous and it’s a waste of time to have some critic write a fucking review of Transformers or Cop Out. There’s no point. Get a twelve-year old to review it because that’s who you wanna hear from. I’ll believe a twelve-year old. If they say something sucks I’ll believe it. If a twelve-year old says something rocks, I’ll believe it. I’m not going to believe some fucking dude or chick who says, “I saw the movie for free, had a few hours to digest it, had a chance to think of my political stance on the filmmaker and the studio and had the chance to think about the people I want to push or hold back on, and now I’m going to write my fair and unbiased review.” It doesn’t work like that. I believed that forever since that was the world I was raised in. I believe to this day the New York Times review of Clerks made my career. Janet Maslin opened so many doors with that review. That review meant something. Reviews don’t matter as much anymore. Why? Because you can talk to the fucking audience. That was the only way to hear about. I don’t know, it’s weird. I’m not bitter about it, because I didn’t read many of the reviews. Even if I did, it’s just a lot of energy to spend on a movie that didn’t try to do anything besides making people laugh. That was it and that was our agenda. It has nothing to do with art except for the art of making people laugh. We had very talented artists onboard to make that happen. But for a movie like this, why even bother reviewing it? To me, it just makes a film critic look like a bully. Why bother?

Want more? Hit up DVD Talk and keep an eye right here. We’ll let ya know when more is on the way.

Director Kevin Smith, known for movies “Zack and Miri make a Porno” and “Cop Out”, is about to start work on a horror movie. The movie will be called “Red State” and will be about hate towards gays in the American Church. Smith, himself bisexual and according to some the inspiration for the character with the same name in cult-horror game “killer7”, wants to make Red State into a very serious and dark horror movie. The release is planned for next year.

Bisexual, eh? That’s a good one.

With a script already complete, “Red State” would likely come first. Kevin theorizes that the film, an intense horror/thriller, and a total 180 from anything he’s done before, could be made on the cheap and on the quick. With a script that he’s had in his pocket for a couple of years now, a green light on this one could come sooner than later. If the cards fall in the right way, we wouldn’t even be shocked to see this one cut together before the end of 2010. Of course, a lot of that depends not only on funding, but scouting locations, finding the right cast, and so on. We’ve got our fingers crossed that “Red State” may be a reality soon. With its low profile and cost, it could be a real earner, too.

Then, there’s “Hit Somebody”. This is Kevin’s passion project and the one he’s most excited about bringing to life. Since the script is not yet complete, this one’s looking a little further off, unless of course, the studio supplying the cash likes the project more. With Kevin’s close attachment to the Devils, this summer’s Gretzky street hockey tourny, and his own personal pick-up games, there’s no doubt that he’s the best guy working in the industry today to bring a hockey movie to life. Sounds like others have taken notice of that, as well. Once again, nothing official on the books, though last week, it seems those final steps were taken when Kevin made a trip back east for some meetings.

Here’s a few of the tweets relating to the potential funding and the plan:

This week in NYC was all about securing the financing for the next two flicks.

Via @murdochjay “So you secured financing for Hit Somebody?” There’s not even a script for HIT yet. But we met w/potential true-believers.

Via @TAFKARR “Just to clarify, which is first on the To-Do List: Hit Somebody or Red State?” Looking like RED’s up first. Writing HIT now.

We’ll keep you posted on these breaking stories, in the hopes we have some official good news for you soon.

Kevin Smith on the media’s coverage of ‘Fatgate’: ‘They’re really pathetic’

“We all took pay cuts to keep it R-rated, which with me meant I gave up 80% of my salary, but it was worth it,” he says, explaining that, thanks to some tax rebates, the movie cost roughly $37 million to make. He certainly wasn’t worried about his actors having good chemistry, always a key ingredient with a buddy picture. “Tracy just oozes chemistry,” he says with a hearty laugh. “He could have chemistry with a ceramic ashtray. Bruce loved him. He kept calling him kid, even though Tracy’s over 40, so there’s not really that big an age difference. But I think calling him kid meant Bruce liked him.”

Smith insists that he didn’t have any problems communicating with Willis, at least once he realized that Willis wasn’t going to do anything that he felt was out of his comfort zone. Smith illustrates the issue with an unbelievably raunchy metaphor involving a detailed description of oral sex, then teasingly said, “Try and get that into your old-media story.” I asked him if he could offer a PG-13 version of the story.

“Put it this way,” he said. “On the first day of shooting, I started to mess with Bruce, trying to get him to do something crazy, and he took out his gun and went bang — and shot me in the head. His point was pretty obvious. He’s done this part so many times that he knows what works and what doesn’t. He’s the caretaker of the Bruce Willis persona. He’s been a star for 25 years while most of his peers have fallen by the wayside, so he knows what works for his image. Basically, we all tried to make him laugh, figuring if we got Bruce just to smile once we’ve have something to tell our kids about.”

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Kevin Smith: I almost wanted to “curl up in an asylum” when Southwest controversy was brewing

Q: So does that mean we can expect you to do another movie with them?

KS: It was easy this time. I don’t know what it would be like if I went in with something I wrote, or let’s say something I didn’t write but wanted to write. They were talking about “Hit Somebody,” the hockey movie I wanted to make based on the Warren Zevon song. And I said, “I know you like me right now. But I sweat blood for this. If you say you’re committing to it then you’re saying you’re greenlighting this movie.” So we said we’ll talk.

Q: What’s “Hit Somebody” actually about?

KS: It’s not a movie about the NHL. It’s a movie about the game, and it’s a movie about Canada. I look at it and keep describing as what I’m going for as the “Forrest Gump” of hockey movies. Not flat-out funny stuff I’ve always done. It’s a more serious comedy.

Q: If you get that one going, does that preclude you from coming on to direct another studio comedy that already has a script written?

KS: There are about five scripts that Warner Bros. has handed me that they’re interested in. One of them is with Tracy [Morgan]. The romantic in me wants to paint it as a “Platoon”-like battle for one soul, a battle between Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe. But it’ll come down to what happens next. If best-case scenario, I’m shooting “Hit Somebody” by the end of the year, then what am I going to do between now and then? Maybe nothing. Or I can multi-task and spin another plate while waiting for it to come together. And there’s also “Red State” [a dark political drama he’s written]. There’s some very interested money that wasn’t interested a week ago, before “Cop Out” came out.

Frame’s wide releases, Warner Bros.’ buddy comedy “Cop Out,” starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, as well as Overture’s horror-thriller pic “The Crazies,” turned in solid estimates with $18.6 million and $16.5 million, respectively.

Kevin also mentions that the WB was very pleased with the weekend’s take, especially the rise in ticket sales on Saturday, which is always an excellent sign that a movie was well-received:

Thanks for all the well-wishes. Got called by happy WB big guns. 35% spike on Saturday means good things. Thanks for the support! #CopOut

Let’s hope one of those “good things” is a chance for “Hit Somebody” to become a reality with the WB. Of course, competition always gets tougher when new movies hit theaters next weekend, but that doesn’t mean you can’t see the film again, or spread the word to your friends and co-workers this week. When you’re having trouble getting into work mode on Monday, let folks know you saw “Cop Out” and that it’s hilarious. Let’s just see if we can’t rake in a few more bucks. If bad weather kept you indoors over the weekend, treat yourself to a movie this week as a reward to yourself for all that digging. “Cop Out” is now playing all over the place.

Smith ready for U.S.-Canada, then it’s ‘Hit Somebody’

By Adam Kimelman – NHL.com Staff Writer

Acclaimed filmmaker Kevin Smith spent Sunday doing interviews for his new movie, “Cop Out,” which comes out Feb. 26. But there really was only one thing on his mind.

U.S. vs. Canada.

“I called my kid (daughter Harley), she’s sleeping in a different hotel room from me this morning,” Smith said. “I got up very early and I said, ‘You know what happens tonight?’ And she said, ‘Parise vs. Brodeur,’ and I said ‘Yes!’ It’s a big game for us.”

Smith, New Jersey to the core despite his current Los Angeles address, still bleeds Devils red. So for him, it’s a win-win situation knowing either Canada goalie Martin Brodeur or U.S. forwards Zach Parise and Jamie Langenbrunner are going to leave Canada Hockey Place happy.

“That’s a big bucket of win for me,” said Smith. “I’m not sitting there going (go) Team USA, and I’m certainly not sitting there going (go) Team Canada. I’m just like, that’s the best hockey you’ll ever see. Unlike an all-star game, these guys are going for medals. They’re going to play really hard.”

So hard, in fact, he hopes for some NHL-like extracurricular activity.

“I’m hoping they’re so competitive Marty starts busting out like (Ron) Hextall and starts slashing ankles,” Smith said. “It would be awesome to see a Marty-Parise fight.”

While that likely won’t happen — at least outside of Lou Lamoriello’s nightmares — expect to see that kind of action in Smith’s next project, the hockey-themed “Hit Somebody.”

Smith revealed exclusively to NHL.com that Seann William Scott, who worked with Smith on “Cop Out,” will play Buddy, the title character in “Hit Somebody.” The script, based on a Warren Zevon song with lyrics by acclaimed writer Mitch Albom, is a story of a hockey enforcer who strives to score just one goal in a hockey game.

“Seann, for me, was the key into the character,” Smith told NHL.com. “I had all the elements in place, and the one thing I was missing was the personality. Generally I like to write to a voice, but I didn’t know who that voice was or what that voice could be. And then after spending all the time with Seann on this movie, he’s pitch perfect. He is that guy.

“This dude has something in him that you can just see hangs so well on Buddy. He’s got some pain that’s going to work out well. More importantly he has so much love in his heart. Seann Scott is such an ebullient, happy person who’s just happy to be there. And on (“Cop Out”) you could see it. On our set the guy is just so delighted to be working, to be making people laugh. But he’s always dismissed as Stifler. … This is his chance to shine.”

Scott, a native of Cottage Grove, Minn., admittedly isn’t much of a skater, but for the role of Buddy, that works just fine.

“I didn’t grow up playing hockey which is good because the character is not supposed to be a great player, he’s a great fighter,” Scott said.

“When I pegged Seann, I said ‘You’re Minnesota; that might as well be Canada,” said Smith. “You’re from hockey country. He was like, I’m an athlete and I played a lot of baseball and basketball, but I wasn’t good at hockey. I can skate, though. I said that’s all I need. He doesn’t have to be Paul Coffey on skates. He shouldn’t be.”

Scott said spending time with Smith drew him back into hockey — he follows the Minnesota Wild, but not closely — and Smith said he’s hoping Scott will join him in June at the Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament in Brantford, Ont., that Smith has turned into a personal pilgrimage. Besides his playing goalie for his own team, Puck U., Smith will be bringing seven teams along with him.

The tournament also allows him to indulge his personal obsession with all things Gretzky, and have a life outside the movies. It’s why he enlists close friends and family members for his own team, rather than friends like Seth Rogen and Ben Affleck.

“These cats are super-famous and they got other things to do, they got lives,” said Smith. “The notion that you want to go to suburban Ontario to play street hockey while Wayne Gretzky’s dad watches — some people don’t want to do it. Seann William Scott will definitely go. He wasn’t aware of it last time. I remember saying while we were making the movie that I was going to play hockey, and he was like, where? Maybe he’ll come.”

While nothing is locked in contractually, Smith said having Scott’s voice in his head makes finishing the script a far easier task.

“Once I get going I could probably write it in less than a month, because it’s all right here at the top of my throat, ready to go, and in my heart,” Smith said. “In my heart of hearts I know it’s Seann, it’s so easy to go. Just easy to skate all-out when you have a voice in your head and I have his voice well in my head.”

That voice doesn’t sound like Scott’s famed “Stifler” character from the “American Pie” franchise. Scott has done dramatic roles before, and Smith believes Hit Somebody can elevate both their careers.

“I look at this as Seann’s opportunity to go to the (Tom) Hanks level,” Smith said. “Hanks for years and years did this (lesser) role and then he became that (blockbuster movie) guy. This is Seann’s chance to do that as well, not just be Stifler. And it’s my chance to not just be the “Clerks” guy. It’s my chance to do something big, epic in scale. Stories I tell span one day. … This spans 30 years. You’re talking a period. You’re trying to bring people to a time in your life that hasn’t existed in 30 years. The look of it, the feel of it, the sound of it — everything I have is going to be in that movie.”

Kevin’s a good soldier, and continuing to do his part to promote his role in directing the film as much as possible. He’s also revealed that he’s just given Warner Brothers the OK to use his name in ads for the film if they choose to do so. When in Toronto, he conducted this 18-minute sit down with Tribute which they’ve graciously just made available online.

In other press, in case you missed our earlier story with the beautiful stills from the “Cop Out” press kit, /Film has taken it a step further and included a very long-form article on the production along with the photos from the press kit as well. There’s a LOT of detail in this one, so if you’re trying to avoid plot and theme spoilers, you might wanna take a pass on that one, though. Up you. It’s a LOT of detail, but if you’re looking for stuff on some of the minor characters, that’s your place to find it.

Finally, in round three for “Cop Out” today, AskMen.com talks with Kevin about becoming a director for hire, as well as the future. Here’s a peek:

KS : …What I did was different. I would rip open my chest, pull out the fatty chunks of heart and put it on the platter and project it. That to me is making a movie, that’s film, that’s the only way I know how to do it. Some people will see that and identify with that and feel it like religion. Other people will say it’s not standard: “This doesn’t count! This can’t possibly count!” They’re right, man. I was not fundamentally born to direct. But I’ve been doing it for 15 years and I’m sorry, I’ve gotten better at it. If you can stay in that long and work on your craft and sh*t, you get to the point where it’s like: I’m sorry, man, I got a legacy behind me now. I may have been chasing a $100 million gross for my whole career, but there are eight movies in my wake that have impacted the culture, impacted people [who] love those movies.

AM : So you think you had it all wrong?

KS : I did. And weed helped me out of it. Weed and hockey, and that’s why the next flick I’m doing is a hockey flick. It’s based on the Warren Zevon song “Hit Somebody” about a goon — a guy who shouldn’t be playing hockey because he’s not very good at it, but they make him play the one role he doesn’t want to play.

@Choccster “What did WB say to Hit Somebody?” Essentially? “That movie requires a needle-threading approach. We make chainsaws here.” Understandly, it’s an easier call with a script. So as of 2/24, I gonna start writing HIT SOMEBODY. WB’s in-or-out remains to be seen.