Kevin Smith's unrealized projects

The following is a list of unproduced Kevin Smith projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American film director Kevin Smith has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects, are officially cancelled and scrapped or fell in development hell.

1990s

4:30

Long before Clerks, Smith worked on an anthology movie consisting of three thirty minutes shorts.[1]

The Architects of Fear

In 1996, Smith was offered three films to potentially rewrite for Warner Bros., one of them was a film adaptation of The Outer Limits episode, The Architects of Fear.[2]

Busing

Following Clerks, Smith wrote a film called Busing for Hollywood Pictures, a now-defunct Disney studio. It was described as "Clerks in a restaurant." They decided not to produce the picture, but the film was featured at the end of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back as a poster parodying the Clerks poster.[3]

Clerks: The TV Show

Fletch Won

Green Lantern

In 1997, Smith was given the opportunity to write a Green Lantern film as he was finishing up the script for Superman Lives. But he declined the offer as he felt there would be more talented people who can work on it.[4] Following his decline, it wouldn't be for another 14 years until a Green Lantern film would be released and would eventually become a critical and box-office disaster.

Hiatus

Smith revealed at Wondercon in 2010 about a lost porn-centered television series that eventually became his 2008 film, Zack & Miri Make a Porno.[5] The series would've starred Jason Lee, and was about a man returning home after being away in California and leading a double life as a porn star. When Smith pitched the series to tv networks in 1997, they all rejected the idea believing that the kind of material handed to them can never happen on television.

Name

A follow-up to Chasing Amy, Smith wrote a new film set in the View Askewniverse starring the trio from Chasing, but it wasn't a sequel. Smith said "it was kind of porn-bent." Both Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams were interested on doing the flick, but it fell under through. [1] In January 2018, Smith discussed possibly developing the film in some form with students of the Ringling College of Art and Design.[6]

The Six Million Dollar Man

Universal Pictures developed a screenplay in 1995 with Smith based on the '70s television series of the same name. But, by 1998 the outing never materialized and has been passed on to other studios. His script was reinverted into a limited comic book series titled The Bionic Man. [7]

Superman Lives

After Kevin Smith had been hired to write a new Superman film, he suggested Tim Burton to direct.[8] Burton signed on with a pay-or-play contract of $5 million and Warner Bros. set a theatrical release date for the summer of 1998, the 60th anniversary of the character's debut in Action Comics.[9][10] Nicolas Cage was signed on to play Superman, with a $20 million pay-or-play contract, believing he could "reconceive the character".[9]:192 Producer Jon Peters felt Cage could "convince audiences he [Superman] came from outer space."[11] Burton explained Cage's casting would be "the first time you would believe that nobody could recognize Clark Kent as Superman, he [Cage] could physically change his persona."[12] Kevin Spacey was approached for the role of Lex Luthor,[12] while Christopher Walken was Burton's choice for Brainiac,[13] a role also considered for Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman. Sandra Bullock, Courteney Cox and Julianne Moore had been approached for Lois Lane, while Chris Rock was cast as Jimmy Olsen.[13] Michael Keaton confirmed his involvement, but when asked if he would be reprising his role as Batman from Burton's Batman films, he would only reply, "Not exactly."

Filming was originally set to begin in early 1998.[14] Burton hired Wesley Strick to rewrite Smith's script and the film entered pre-production in June 1997. Smith was disappointed, stating, "The studio was happy with what I was doing. Then Tim Burton got involved, and when he signed his pay-or-play deal, he turned around and said he wanted to do his version of Superman. So who is Warner Bros. going back to? The guy who made Clerks, or the guy who made them half a billion dollars on Batman?"[9]:193 When Strick read Smith's script, he was annoyed with the fact that "Superman was accompanied/shadowed by someone/something called the Eradicator."[9]:193 He also felt that "Brainiac's evil plot of launching a disk in space to block out the sun and make Superman powerless was reminiscent of an episode of The Simpsons, with Mr. Burns doing the Brainiac role."[9]:193 However, after reading The Death and Return of Superman, Strick was able to understand some of the elements of Smith's script.

2000s

Clerks: Sell Out

For several years following Clerks: The Animated Series' cancellation, Smith announced plans to make an animated direct-to-video film. The basic plot involved Dante and Randal making a movie about their lives at the Quick Stop, a reference to the production of the original film. In an interview Kevin Smith expanded on the delays surrounding the film. Apparently, when Harvey and Bob Weinstein left Miramax, owned at the time by Disney, the split was not completely amicable. The rights to the Clerks television show were still owned by the Disney Corporation, who as a result were reluctant to work with The Weinstein Company, throwing the future of Clerks: Sell Out into question.[15] At the 2007 Cornell Q&A Kevin said due to the Miramax/Weinstein argument "you will see a Jay and Silent Bob cartoon before Clerks: Sell Out."

Dogma II

In late November 2005, Smith responded to talk of a possible sequel to Dogma on the ViewAskew.com message boards:

So weird you should ask this, because ever since 9/11, I have been thinking about a sequel of sorts. I mean, the worst terrorist attack on American soil was religiously bent. In the wake of said attack, the leader of the "Free World" outed himself as pretty damned Christian. In the last election, rather than a quagmire war abroad, the big issue was whether or not gay marriage was moral. Back when I made Dogma, I always maintained that another movie about religion wouldn't be forthcoming, as Dogma was the product of 28 years of religious and spiritual meditation, and I'd kinda shot my wad on the subject. Now? I think I might have more to say. And, yes, the Last Scion would be at the epicenter of it. And she'd have to be played by Alanis. And we'd need a bigger budget, because the entire third act would be the Apocalypse. Scary thing is this: the film would have to touch on Islam. And unlike the Catholic League, when those cats don't like what you do, they issue a death warrant on your ass. And now that I've got a family, I'm not as free to stir the shit-pot as I was when I was single, back when I made Dogma. I mean, now I've gotta think about more than my own safety and well-being. But regardless – yeah, a Dogma followup's been swimming around in my head for some time now.[16]

Over a decade later, there has apparently been no further discussion.[17] But in October 2017, Smith revealed that he no longer desired to make any new religious films.[18]

The Green Hornet

In February 2004, Miramax president Harvey Weinstein announced that Smith was to write and direct a Green Hornet film, based on their previous four-film collaborations. "I dig the fact that he kicked off a run of billionaire playboys who decided to put on a mask and fight crime and that he was Batman before there was a Batman," Smith said. "I always said I'd never do a superhero film, based on my limited experience writing on Superman Lives and having to answer to the studio, Jon Peters, the comics company and eventually a director. Then there's a fandom that gets up in arms if you even try to stray from their character. Here, there is simplicity in the character and the situation."[19] Jon Gordon and Hannah Minghella were now on as producers, with Harold Berkowitz and George Trendle, son of the character's co-creator, as executive producers.[19]

Smith approached Jake Gyllenhaal for the lead role in March 2004.[20] In mid-November of that year, he said he had written about 100 pages, and estimated another 100 to come.[21] In February 2006, Smith's official website noted, "Kevin officially no longer has anything to do with the Fletch Won or Green Hornet projects."[22] Smith went on to write the Dynamite Entertainment comic book Green Hornet, which has run 11 issues as of late 2010.[23]

Heroes: Origins

Scary Movie 3

Smith was assigned to write the 2003 movie, Scary Movie 3. His script was eventually not used.[24]

Scooby-Doo

Smith was interested in working on the 2002 Scooby-Doo remake.[25]

Untitled Prince documentary

2010s

Anti-Claus

In April 2014, Smith announced the Christmas-themed horror movie Anti-Claus, with a script based on the episode "The Christmas Special" of his Edumacation podcast. The script was co-written by his Edumacation co-host Andrew McElfresh, marking it the first script Smith collaborated on with another writer. Filming was initially scheduled for September 2014, with Tusk actors Justin Long, Michael Parks and Haley Joel Osment returning as cast. The movie centered around the European folklore figure Krampus, a devil-esque creature who punishes naughty children.[26]

The film was cancelled due to the release of the 2015 film Krampus, which centered around the same topic. In June 2017, Smith announced that the script was retooled to Killroy Was Here, with Krampus being replaced by a monster based on the graffiti phenomenon. The film started shooting that same month, with the crew consisting of students of the Ringling College of Art and Design.[27]

A Buckaroo Banzai TV series

Smith was for a short period of time involved in a television adaptation of Buckaroo Banzai[28] to be produced by Amazon Studios and MGM.[29] Smith stepped down from the project in November 2016 due to MGM filing a lawsuit against the original creators; although he is willing to return if the studio wants him back.[30]

Clerks III

Plans for a third Clerks film circulated during a press screening of the second film.[31] It would've explored the characters in their 40s or 50s. Other plans included the film to be a Broadway play.[32] From March 8[33] to May 13, 2013,[34] he completed the first draft of the script. Shooting was planned to begin in May 2015, but was put on hold for Mallrats 2. By February 2017, both Mallrats 2 and Clerks III were cancelled. This was canceled due to one of the four leads opt out.[35]

Helena Handbag: The Movie

In 2013, Smith announced a new film of his in development. Based on a SModcast episode called "The (C)Rapture", the film was to be about "mankind teaming up with Hell to save existence from extinction at the hands of a Rapturing giant Jesus"[36][37] Originally titled Christzilla by long-time collaborator/SModcast producer Scott Mosier, Smith allowed fans to name the film, ending up with the title being Helena Handbag.[38] On New Years Day 2014, Smith took to Facebook that instead of making it as a movie, it will be a stage musical called Helena Handbag: The SMusical. He says that the movie won't be film is because of budgeting concerns. He said,

I got about 20 pages in when I realized there was no way to write this inexpensively as a feature film. Everything was requiring too many effects that I could never achieve using in-camera tricks like forced perspective. It was starting to feel like a pricier project than I know I'd ever be able to find money to make. And then I remembered this is a SModcast Picture. What do we do on SModcast sometimes? We sing. We make up stupid songs. And my favorite piece of art ever produced by human hands is the glorious BOOK OF MORMON. So... I started reshaping the HELENA HANDBAG script as a piece of SMusical theater, with BOOK OF MORMON as my spirit animal. And holy shit... does THIS feel right! After making up all those goofy tunes on EDUMACATION and PLUS ONE, not to mention the FAT MAN ON BATMAN theme song, this feels like a logical progression.[39][40]

Mallrats 2/MallBrats

There have been plans to make a sequel to Mallrats. It was first mentioned on the films audio commentary as a comic book.[41] It was instead planned as theatrical sequel, but then became a 10 episode tv series, now titled MallBrats. It was described as "Die Hard in a mall," with the planned movie's original title literally being called Mallrats 2: Die Hard in a Mall. Smith was not able to sell the show to any network.[42]

Ranger Danger

Smith was working on a science fiction film since 2008 titled Ranger Danger and the Danger Rangers, or simply Ranger Danger. According to Smith, he said it's, "My stab at a comic-book/sci-fi movie. It's in the vein of Flash Gordon, something I've noodled with a couple of years. Now I feel we are mature enough filmmakers to tackle it."[43] The appearance of Ranger Danger first appeared in Clerks II on a t-shirt that Randal was wearing. The movie was intended to be his 10th film he made as a director (following after Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Red State).[44] In 2012, when it was announced that Hit Somebody would be Smith's final film as a director, Smith was asked if he's no longer interested in making Ranger Danger. He said,

Well, now I can do it as a cartoon. Now I can do it as a web series if I want. It’s no longer just you have to do this one thing. I don't know about anybody else, I’m sure it’s exciting for other cats, I hate taking tens of millions of dollars. That’s scary, man. It really is. Especially when they’re gambling on a dopey idea you had, like a make pretend idea. So for me, I kind of feel like I’d almost rather do that anywhere but have the pressure of “Here’s $50-60 million. You’ve got to make this movie gross.” I don't know if it will. So at the end of the day, if I want to do it, I feel like I can do it comics, animation, web series, any number of things, TV now."[45]

As of 2017, no new udpates have been announced for Ranger Danger.”

References

  1. 1 2 Rob Leane (February 13, 2017). "The Unmade Films of Kevin Smith". Den of Geeks. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  2. ↑ An Evening with Kevin Smith (DVD). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2002.
  3. ↑ "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back Easter Egg - The Film That Never Was". July 16, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  4. ↑ Gunn, Elston (May 14, 2000). "Elston Gunn interviews Kevin Smith". Ain't It Cool News. Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Zack And Miri Make A Porno Was Originally A TV Show". Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  6. ↑ http://www.smodcast.com/channel/smodcast?audio=389
  7. ↑ "Kevin Smith's THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN". Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  8. ↑ Edward Gross (May 12, 2000). "SUPERMAN LIVES, Part 2: Writer Kevin Smith". Mania Movies. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Hughes, David (2008). The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made (1st revised and expanded ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 9781845767556.
  10. ↑ Ken Hanke (1999). Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker. Renaissance Books. pp. 213–8. ISBN 1-58063-162-2.
  11. ↑ Griffin, Nancy; Masters, Kim (1996). Hit and Run: How Jon Peters and Peter Guber took Sony for a ride in Hollywood. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 463. ISBN 0684809311.
  12. 1 2 Salisbury, Mark (2006). Burton on Burton (Revised ed.). London: Faber and Faber. p. 154. ISBN 0571229263.
  13. 1 2 Tim Burton, Jon Schnepp, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened?, 2015
  14. ↑ Anita M. Busch (April 22, 1997). "Helmer Gilliam readies 'Defective,' 'Loathing'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
  15. ↑ MTV Movies Blog - Kevin Smith Hopes To Make Jay And Silent Bob Animated Film by Shawn Adler, December 3, 2007
  16. ↑ Kevin Smith (November 27, 2005). "The View Askewniverse Message Board". Retrieved 2009-06-18.
  17. ↑ Franich, D. On 'Dogma,' Kevin Smith, and the road not taken. Entertainment Weekly archive, retrieved January 11, 2016.
  18. ↑ Kennedy, Michael (October 5, 2017). "Kevin Smith Says Dogma 2 Will Never Happen." ScreenRant.com. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  19. 1 2 Rooney, David; Michael Fleming; Dave McNary (2004-02-17). "'Hornet' Buzzes Smith". Variety. Retrieved 2017-08-05. . (Requires subscription.)
  20. ↑ Susman, Gary (2004-03-18). "Miller Time". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2017-08-05.
  21. ↑ Murray, Rebecca (2004-10-14). "Kevin Smith on "The Green Hornet" Script, "Star Wars", and Other Projects". About.com. Retrieved 2017-08-05.
  22. ↑ Cryer, Jay (2006-02-17). "Wondercon: What We Learned!". News Askew. Retrieved 2017-08-05.
  23. ↑ Bernardin, Marc (2009-05-13). "EW Exclusive: Kevin Smith takes on Batman and the Green Hornet". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  24. ↑ Brian Linder (December 5, 2002). "Kevin Smith Writing Scary 3". IGN. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Scooby-Doo review". Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  26. ↑ http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/anti-claus/30286/kevin-smith-to-make-christmas-horror-film-anti-claus
  27. ↑ Giroux, Jack (June 15, 2017). "Kevin Smith’s Monster Movie ‘Killroy Was Here’ Begins Filming At A Florida College". /Film.
  28. ↑ Damore, Meagan (May 16, 2016). "Kevin Smith to Adapt 'The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai' for Television". ComicBookResources.com. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  29. ↑ Patten, Dominic. "Amazon Close To Deal For Kevin Smith-Adapted 'Buckaroo Banzai' TV Series – Comic-Con". Deadline.com. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  30. ↑ Jayson, Jay (November 28, 2016). "Kevin Smith Walks Away from Buckaroo Banzai TV Series After MGM Sues Creators". Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  31. ↑ Johnson, Neala (August 24, 2006). "Silent Bob speaks". Herald Sun.
  32. ↑
  33. ↑ West, Kelly (8 March 2013). "Kevin Smith Has Started Writing Clerks III". Cinema Blend. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  34. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (13 May 2013). "Kevin Smith's 'Clerks 3' Script Is 137 Pages Long, Says It Will Be The 'Empire Strikes Back' Of The Series". Indie Wire. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  35. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/YesThatKevinSmith/posts/10154103461971930
  36. ↑ "Kevin Smith unleashing giant rapturing Jesus in 'Helena Handbag'". December 31, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  37. ↑ Russ Fisher (December 30, 2013). "Kevin Smith Will Pit Man and Hell Against Jesus in 'Helena Handbag'". /Film. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  38. ↑ Scott Johnson (December 31, 2017). "Kevin Smith Names His Giant Jesus Film Helena Handbag". Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  39. ↑ "Helena Handbag: The SMusical!". January 1, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  40. ↑ Germain Lussier (January 13, 2014). "Kevin Smith's 'Helena Handbag' Might Become a Stage Musical". /Film. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  41. ↑ "Mallrats audio commentary". Universal Home Entertainment. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  42. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/YesThatKevinSmith/posts/10154103461971930
  43. ↑ "Kevin Smith's 'Ranger Danger and the Danger Rangers'". January 10, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  44. ↑ "Ranger Danger and the Danger Rangers to Be Kevin Smith's 10th Film". January 11, 2008. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  45. ↑ "Exclusive: Kevin Smith on Hit Somebody and Ranger Danger". July 11, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
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