According to an upcoming CSNsider, NewsAskew, the official news site for all things Kevin Smith, reports that Smith will write a new Jay & Silent Bob miniseries for Oni Press. The series, slated to begin in June, is supposed to bridge the gap between the end of the diner scene in Chasing Amy and the beginning of Smith’s next film, Dogma…

We’ll see ya next time, folks. Hope you’re having/had a good weekend.

We’ve been enjoying the slower flow of news askew lately…Don’t think we’re skimping, there’s just not much going on. It’s basically the calm before the storm, we think, with Dogma filming scheduled to start soon. Most of the major cast members should be in Pittsburgh today, which means principal photography can’t be too far off. Kevin’s had some things to say about this and more, so let’s get on with today’s update:

Sorry kids – no Fiorentino tonight. We rehearsed for six hours, at the end of which I had to bolt to the office and handle some unpleasantness. Maybe tomorrow night.

On the subject of rehearsal: fuck, is she talented. Nevermind Adams – Linda’s Bethany is going to surpass hers as the finest female perf in a View Askew effort.

We worked one on one for a little while, then brought Mewes in. Great chemistry between them. After a few hours, Lee joined us as well. It was hot, man – nothing beats an actor who’s ‘in the zone’ (except going down on a chick – NOTHING beats that).

Matt, Salma, and Ben arrive Sunday, so the group’s almost all here.

Man… am I excited!

And, here’s some IMPORTANT stuff for those of you that have been asking about being extras:

Sometimes, we take for granted that everyone’s going to understand what we mean when we say ‘extras’. Let me clarify it for ya’ll:

The open call for ‘Dogma’ extras is for non-speaking filler. For example – there’s a scene that takes place at an airport. We need to fill the airport with folks that look like they’re heading to or from a plane.

That’s where the extras come in.

The extras won’t be saying anything (at least not audible) or reciting dialogue – they’re there to fill the scene out.

The extras casting call (the thing that’s linked to the site here) is for those kinds of extras. There are many scenes that take place in locations that require bodies to ‘sell the scene’ (restaurants, the church, the aforementioned airport). We’ve opened that up to folks here.

The deal, however, is a voluntary gig. This means, if you want in, you’re responsible for getting yourself to Pittsburgh and putting yourself up – travel and lodgings will not be provided. You won’t be paid (though you’ll be fed), but you will have the benefit of pointing yourself out onscreen to friends and loved ones when the film’s released.

Usually, films stick mainly with local extras (people who reside where the film is being shot). But I asked that we extend the invitation to folks here, because many seemed interested in being in the film.

This is about the last I’ll have to say on the subject, as I have nothing to do with extras casting. I will say, however, that if you can spare the time and cash, it’s worth giving a shot – if for no other reason than to be involved (in a small but important fashion) with making a movie.

That about explains it. We’d suggest that you take the few minutes to get your stuff together and send it in…Hey, it can’t hurt. Good luck to you!

I’ve been rehearsing with Jason Lee for the past two days.

As expected, he’s tremendous. But more than that, he’s doing stuff in this flick he’s never done before. I think it’s much more satisfying for him to be playing Azrael, as opposed to the Loki part he was originally slated to play.

Linda’s here. We hung out tonight, jawed for awhile, grabbed some dinner, and jawed some more. She’s confessed to being a board lurker here. I found that quite touching.

We start running lines on the morrow. I so look forward to it.

There’ve been some schedule hitches with some of the cast over the last two weeks. It looks like it’s all panning out now, but for awhile there, it was hairy. This is what happens when you’re working with a cast that actually has some prospects (in many cases, HUGE prospects) beyond your flick. It’s all new to me.

On the subject of the dual boards: the Other Board reminds me of the heady days of the Rider’s Board. And like the Rider’s Board, I’m staying off it.

Some of seen this second board as a bad move. Quite the contrary, I see it as a gift: it’s your own private playground, on which you can do and say whatever you like to and with folks that you share some stuff in common with. Enjoy it – don’t curse it.

But all the ruckus is a tangible reminder that people fear change.

That’s all. Tomorrow night, I’m bringing Fiorentino on, so please behave like civil chaps.

Sounds like filming can’t be far off now, with Jason and Linda both in town. We’ll keep our eyes and ears open for all the latest rumors on Dogma’s shooting schedule.

ONI PRESS GOES BACK TO PRINT ON CLERKS: THE COMIC BOOK

“Well, here we go, again! Reorder activity for Clerks: The Comic Book has been so strong that we are now going back to press for a second printing on it, as well as Oni Double Feature #1 ,” Oni Publisher, Joe Nozemack reported today. “This, only two weeks from the book’s initial ship date, and once again, we ran an aggressive amount of overstock on this book, but it just wasn’t enough for the incredible demand that we’re seeing.

Oni Press has documented that stores, nationwide, are reporting of selling out of their initial orders within hours of its arrival!”

Clerks: The Comic Book showcases the comic book writing talents of Indy filmmaker, Kevin Smith. Kevin is the writer/director/actor of the film, Clerks, that turned independent cinema upside-down, and now he continues to do the same to the comic book industry as both of his comic book projects fly from the shelves. Clerks: The Comic Book is written by Smith and features the interior illustrations of Jim Mahfood (Generation X:Underground, Zombie Kid). Kevin’s other story in Oni Double Feature #1, is a tale illustrated by Mage creator and comic veteran, Matt Wagner, and features Jay & Silent Bob. “Could the news get any better,” Kevin Smith commented. “This is more fun than any movie premiere I’ve ever been to.”

Oni Marketing Director, Shannon T. Stewart, went on record saying, “The public, retail and media response to our books is unprecedented. We will have articles highlighting Kevin Smith’s involvement with Oni Press, specifically, Clerks: The Comic Book, coming up in Premiere, Spin, Playboy, and numerous other magazines, not to mention Kevin’s “Jay & Silent Bob” short features which continue to air in high rotation on MTV (one short showcases an entire wall of Oni Double Feature #1! ). Just the other day, MTV News did a feature on our projects, which ran several times during a twelve-hour period. We are committed to keeping these books in print, and we will continue to do so,” concluded Stewart.

Retailers should be aware that the second printing of Clerks: The Comic Book will sport a different color scheme on Gilbert Hernandez’ cover art that features the Smith characters, Dante & Randall in order to make it easily distinguishable from the first printing.

Congratulations to all the folks at Oni Press! Here’s wishing them more of the same success with all their future projects.

“I get my own table in Las Vegas casinos, free this, free that- I totally exploit it.”

–Ben Affleck, costar and coscreenwriter of the Oscar-nominated blockbuster “Good Will Hunting”, on his newfound fame

Oh, and the flick was just as good, if not better, in the second viewing. It definitely holds up. Don’t miss a chance to catch it on the big screen. Vincent says it should definitely see video distribution, and still hopes for a theatrical run in large cities if he can pique some interest.

Upcoming Flixtour dates and locations can be accessed HERE or through the graphic at the top of the page.

In the new issue of Rolling Stone (the one with Sarah Michelle Gellar on in a nice leather suit) there is a small section in the movie part where Peter Travers (I think) has a little article called Also Dissed by the Academy. The first paragraph reads:

We all have favorites that didn’t make the cut. I would have liked a Best Picture nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights, acting nods to Johnny Depp and Al Pacino (Donnie Brasco), screenwriting acknowledements to Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men) and KEVIN SMITH (Chasing Amy), and a place on the directing honor roll for John Woo (Face/Off).

That isn’t the entire paragraph, just the important part.

Also, he puts Good Will Hunting as the closest runner to Titanic for Best Picture, and says it is a lock for Best Screenplay. However he says that it can’t beat Titanic because of the Academy’s love for epics- Dances With Wolves, English Patient, Schindler’s List, Braveheart, you get my point.