This article comes fromDen of Geek UK.
Kevin Smith has always had to fight to get his films of the ground.
The latter camp of couldve-beens is what were talking about today.
Although details are scant, Smiths pre-Clerksfeature wouldve consisted of three half-hour chunks containing entirely independent stories.
A strange anthology movie featuring massive concepts condensed into chunks?
That couldve been great.
He also wanted Braniac to fight polar bears and have a cute Chewbacca-like pet.
There was talk of a gay robot too.
Tim Burton came on board to direct, and Nicolas Cage signed on to for the lead role.
Burtons version never made it to screen either, and eventually Warner Bros. madeSuperman Returnsinstead.
Jon Peters, meanwhile, found a place for his giant spider third act showdown inWild Wild West.
Smith ended up directing Supergirl Lives an episode of The CWsSupergirlseries.
We wrote our own defense of Smiths work onSuperman Livesright here.
Over 90 instalments were made between 1973 and 1978, with a few TV movies following later.
Between 1995 and 1998, Smith worked as the writer of a big screen adaptation of the series.
The film, perhaps unsurprisingly given that tumultuous environment, was never made.
Smiths script lived on though; it was adapted into a comic entitledThe Bionic Man.
you’re able to read the first issue for freeright here, or order the whole thinghere.
That one didnt get made either.
Nothing came of that either.
Fletch Won
Around 1997, Kevin Smith was working onFletch Wonfor Miramax.
They were based on a series of novels by Gregory Mcdonald.
For five years, Smith worked on an insanely-faithful-to-the-book origin movie chronicling Fletchs first big story at the newspaper.
Smith intended to cast Jason Lee as the young Chevy Chase.
Harvey Weinstein, who was producing for Miramax, wasnt convinced Lee had an audience.
He even said hed match AfflecksGhosts of Girlfriends Pastsalary.
Production offices were opened, and the budget forFletch Wonshot up to $50 million.
It was always porn-bent, Smith said of his script.
It didnt becomeZack And Miri[Make A Porno], butZack And Miritook its place years later.
The story wouldve started with a guy and girl in a relationship.
They break up, the girl leaves town and she ends up starring in pornography.
It becomes clear that shes the wall he never got over.
Here, there is simplicity in the character and the situation.
Actually making the movie proved to be less simple though.
Michel Gondry wound up directing.
Smiths script, once again, wound up becoming a comic book.
it’s possible for you to see some teaseshere, or order the whole volumehere.
Hed already sneaked a logo for its titular hero intoClerks II.
It sounds like this was meant to be Smiths next movie afterCop Out, but it never materialized.
But now I feel like its easier to work through things.
But years passed and an official announcement never came.
Now I can do it as a web series if I want.
Its no longer just you have to do this one thing.
Thats scary, man.
Especially when theyre gambling on a dopey idea you had, like a make pretend idea.
Youve got to make this movie gross.
I dont know if it will.
So far,Ranger Dangerhasnt been produced in any of these formats.
Hes good at hitting people though, and the big teams are always in need of a goon.
So Smith got theHit Somebodyscript to Ledfords hockey contact, and suddenly a plan was afoot.
Smith toldSlashFilmthat they were able to kind of pull the budget together.
But fall 2015 came and went, as did fall 2016 and 2017.
Smith has madeYoga Hosersand episodes ofThe FlashandSupergirlin that time, but he hasnt madeHit Somebody.
Details are scarce as to why.
Clerks III
Clerks IIIis another film that Smith and his fans have been talking about for years.
And then last year, Smith posted a lengthy update on hisInstagram feed.
The fact that a Jay and Silent Bob movie is plausible confirms that Smith and Mewes are both game.
And the script page that Smith teased on Instagram clearly includes Dante.
So it might be Jeff Anderson that doesnt want to return.
And without Randal, you simply dont haveClerks.
Searching for Kevin Smiths handle,Clerks IIIand Jeff Anderson on Twitter brings up atweet from 2012.
Smith has long since stopped talking about retirement, butClerkshas apparently been put out to pasture.
But, as it turns out, this process has been fruitless.
Ive pitched said sequel series to six different networks only to find no takers thus far, Smith wrote.
Over 2500 words into this article, I can confirm that Smiths assessment is correct.
So I dont ownClerks,Mallrats,Chasing Amy,orDogma…
But I DO own Jay and Silent Bob.
HenceJay And Silent Bob Reboot.
Among them wouldve been Harley Quinn Smith playing Brodies daughter, Banner Bruce.
Production is yet to actually occur though, and its unclear now what this ones status is.
Smith did say hed be willing to return if they could solve the legal squabbles, though.
I started reshaping theHelena Handbagscript as a piece of musical theater, withBook Of Mormonas my spirit animal.
And holy shit… does THIS feel right!
Well be sure to let you know if the status changes on any of these.
