Perhaps you’d like to be Jay & Silent Bob for Halloween, instead? We’ve seen it done before, and many folks have made it work quite well. Rotten Tomatoes has their handy guide to this costume and a lot of other cool ideas from the world of film (all you GoGo Yubari girls, send photos!).

Of course, you’ll also hear some new insight into “Zack and Miri” as the duo promote the film, now less than two weeks away from theaters. And hey, who knew Seth Rogen did such a mean Danny Glover impression? Surf over to Scene Unseen for the free MP3 download of their 100th episode. iTunes users, search “Scene Unseen”. Enjoy, and listen to experience what a sitdown with these two guys might sound like in your own living room — Very entertaining, and a highly recommended listen from us here at News Askew.

SModcast 65: Captain Kev and Mister Scott – In which our heroes race with the devil, question a non-singing moon-walker, and make contact with the most aloof alien in the galaxy.

Check out episode #65 via free download over at Quick Stop Entertainment. While the front page is very centered on “Zack And Miri” and the webisodes this month, surfing down and clicking the Quick Stop Entertainment banner will get you back to the site’s normal facade. Enjoy, and thanks to Smith and Mosier for taking the time during this incredibly busy schedule to entertain us for another hour.

The Hollywood Reporter breaks the story today, speculating that there will indeed be a spaceship (which we could have figured, being a sci-fi flick), a $45 – $50 million budget, the biggest ever, and, the most significant, that the story will revolve around the relationship between a father and a son. Since Kevin often writes with specific actors in mind, we can’t help but wonder who he might already have planned for those two main roles.

Here’s the story:

Kevin Smith sets space comedy

Indie-film veteran eyes biggest budget yet

By Steven Zeitchik

Writer-director Kevin Smith is developing a futuristic outer space comedy.

The film will reference other sci-fi movies and revolves around a father-son relationship. Smith has nodded to the genre in his earlier work but never made a sci-fi film.

The indie-minded Smith is aiming for a budget in the $45 million-$50 million range, which would be his biggest. He again will produce with partner Scott Mosier via their View Askew banner.

Harvey and Bob Weinstein, with whom Smith has collaborated on most of his movies, could reteam with Smith on the film. Insiders said that TWC execs have read part of the script and are interested in making the movie. Smith has finished a first draft of the script, but the project will not move forward until after his next project, “Red State.” Smith will not be doing that with the Weinsteins but instead is seeking independent financing and a spring start date for his dramatic tale of a domestic terrorist in the Heartland.

The Weinstein Co. this month will release Smith’s Seth Rogen comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.” That film, at about $25 million, had his biggest-budget to date, but Smith knows the sci-fi movie will be pricier.

“The moment someone steps out of the spaceship, it’s going to cost a little more,” he said.

Smith said he’s looking forward to exploring new character dynamics as well as outer space.

“All the relationships in the flicks I’ve done have been done before, have been either a guy falling for a girl or two dudes hanging out in a ‘bromantic’ comedy,” he said. “I wanted to explore a father and son.”

Though the article still has “Red State” next on the slate, we wouldn’t be surprised if this one wound up coming next, depending on how actors, schedules, and financing line up. We’ll be on top of this story and you’ll hear it first right here at News Askew.

More news later – By the way, TWO WEEKS until “Zack And Miri Make a Porno” takes over North America.

Okay, you’re still here. Cool. So, getting these variant covers will prove tough, and here’s why — Retailers will get limited copies of each variant. One variant of issue #1 is 1 in 25, meaning that shops who order 25 books will get only ONE of the variants to go with it. The sketch covers are twice as rare, meaning only 1 for every 50 shipped out will be of this style.

So what’s a collector to do? Hit our online Secret Stash, of course — You can now pre-order all three issues of the book (inlcuding a great deal on a signed set of books 1-3). Issue #1’s variant covers are also up for pre-order, so forget seeking them out at local comic shops, and get them through the Stash along with a signed lithograph for the bargain prices of $20 and $40 respectively.

These make great gifts for yourself or the comic book fan in your life. The series is sure to hit the hot charts in Wizard and break a bunch of records.

Get your orders in today and reserve your copies from the first run!

This week, the guys have debuted a hilarious new format of “The More You Porno” PSA type stinger segments, our fave being one from Jason Mewes – Nice delivery. We’ll say no more. See for yourself over at QSE. We have a feeling more stingers like this are on the way.

The aforementioned Mewes shot is currently holding up the front page, but also seek the archives for part two of the Ricky Mabe interviews, along with a special PSA from Ricky himself.

Of interest, The Weinstein Company revealed that variations of the title may be created solely for print ads or commercials for venues that will not carry the title as-is. Already, a new ad that states “Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks made a movie so outrageous that we can’t even tell you the title.”.

Let’s take a look at the article:

`Porno’ proves a five-letter word for movie’s ads

By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer

LOS ANGELES – Kevin Smith made a movie with such a bothersome title he cannot even place ads for it in some places.

Some newspaper, TV and outdoor ads for Smith’s comedy “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” have been rejected because of their content or the five-letter word that ends the title, said Gary Faber, head of marketing for the Weinstein Co., which is releasing the film.

Among those refusing to carry ads are about 15 newspapers and several TV stations and cable channels, Faber said. Commercials for the film during Los Angeles Dodgers games on Fox Sports were dropped at the team’s request after some viewers complained, said Dodgers spokesman Josh Rawitch.

One complaint came from a man watching a game in September with his young son, who did not understand a suicide-squeeze bunt the Dodgers tried, Rawitch said.

“He was explaining to his son what a squeeze bunt was. Commercial break, the ad comes on, and the kid asks, `Dad, what does porno mean?'” Rawitch said. “Dodgers baseball has always been about family, and we’ve always been sensitive to the type of advertising that runs on our games.”

The city of Philadelphia refused “Zack and Miri” posters at bus stops. Similar posters at Boston bus stops have drawn complaints from a child-development expert who said they are inappropriate for children.

Smith found it ironic that the posters have been a problem. Some playfully risque ads with images of “Zack and Miri” stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks were forbidden by the Motion Picture Association of America, which called the ads “highly sexually suggestive and not suitable for general audiences.”

So Weinstein came up with posters using stick figures to represent the actors.

“The whole idea was, our hands were so tied on all previous entries we’d given them that this ad was meant to be the innocuous one that would get approved everywhere,” Smith said.

Rina Cutler, Philadelphia deputy mayor for transportation, said the stick-figure posters were cute and clever but unacceptable for bus shelters where schoolchildren would see the word “porno.”

“If they want to call the movie `Zack and Miri,’ that’s fine, but Zack and Miri cannot make a porno on my bus shelters,” Cutler said.

Opening Oct. 31, “Zack and Miri” features Rogen and Banks as platonic best buddies and roommates who decide to make their own skin flick to dig themselves out of debt.

Diane Levin, an education professor specializing in child development at Boston’s Wheelock College, said the posters at city bus stops send a message to children that working in the porn industry is an acceptable occupation.

“It’s drawing attention to a movie which is mainstreaming and normalizing pornography, saying if you need money, this is what you do,” said Levin, co-author of “So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids.”

The stick-figure images are especially appealing to youngsters, since “stick figures are something for children,” she said.

Weinstein marketing boss Faber countered: “It’s a comedy. It’s a joke. We’re not advertising a porno. It’s not a porno. The word `porno,’ it’s not supposed to turn you on. It’s supposed to make you laugh.”

The ratings board of the MPAA initially slapped “Zack and Miri” with an NC-17 rating, a box-office kiss of death because audiences view such films as explicit adult-only flicks. Smith appealed and talked the film down to an R rating.

Faber said the company has been able to place its ads in most of the outlets it has approached. For newspapers that rejected them because of the word “porno,” Weinstein might play around with variations that exclude the title, he said.

The company developed a version of the stick-figure poster without the film’s name, bearing the slogan, “Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks made a movie so outrageous that we can’t even tell you the title.”

You know, we can’t help but wonder how many ads for violent films or TV shows never raised an eyebrow with these groups, but once again, America shows the double standard of sex vs. everything else. Maybe one day, our society will learn to lighten up about sexuality. Until then, we’ll be up here on the soapboxes…

First up, a Two-Disc Special Edition DVD that we were pleased as punch to see on the News Askew office desks today — “A Threevening With Kevin Smith”. It hits stores on Tuesday the 21st – It’s hitting our DVD players tonight. Sure, we were there in person, but we can’t wait to see it all cut together. The disc art is sweet and promises over 5 hours of uncut material. Goodbye, sleep. We’ll have an advanced review and new screenshots before the disc hits the streets. Thanks to our friends at Genius for sending these on. Wanna see it early? More details in an upcoming story. Read on.

Then, of course, there is the View Askew event of 2008 – “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” hits theaters in North America on Friday, October 31st. Be there. We’re smelling a record-breaking weekend here.

Finally, rounding out the big three, early November brings Kevin’s long awaited return to comics, with art by Walt Flanagan – “Batman: Cacophony”. Not only is it the first time Kevin has written for the Batman character, the book returns his unique Green Arrow villain. We’re gonna be scooping up variant covers galore where we can. A few more details on the books in a story below.

Kevin’s latest blog entry today has a few words on everything. Among the post, he reveals that we’ll see him on The Tonight Show this Friday, October 17th. The film’s got a few premiere events happening next week as well. Here’s a sample:

We’re inching ever closer to that October 31st release date, folks. I’m doing “The Tonight Show” Friday, then the junket all weekend, and the Premiere on Monday the 20th at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. After that, I head east for some Devils’ games and a NY premiere at CMJ on the 23rd, then a homecoming of sorts in Pittsburgh, where we’ll debut the flick we shot there last winter. Then, back home for release week.

Meanwhile, in the midst of all this “Zack and Miri” stuff, I forgot this



was coming out as well – That’s the birthday Q&A from last year’s Count Basie show. Hits stores a week from today.

And for you comic book folks, this



comes out at the start of November.

Big month around here. Hope ya’ll can come out and support the flick

Read the full blog entry, titled “Soon, There Will Be Porno”, over at the Boring-Ass Life diary site or Myspace.

You’ll get all the photos and links to go with Kev’s words.