After becoming possibly the biggest story out of Sundance Film Festival 2011 this year, writer/director Kevin Smith took the stage to discuss the distribution plans for his action/horror film Red State. We found the film to be a bit underwhelming, but it looks like Smith has made some tweaks as he took the film on a nationwide roadshow tour to generate revenue. After a successful run to pay for the production of the film, he planned to release the film late October to general audiences. It now looks like we may be getting the film starring Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, Stephen Root, Melissa Leo, Michael Parks, John Goodman, Ralph Garman, and Nicholas Braun a bit earlier.
Kevin Smith (via Bleeding Cool) tweeted that we may see the film on Labor Day Weekend. Check out his message below:
Via @bdkreviews “any word on RedState coming out earlier than October?” What’re you doing Labor Day weekend? Details this month…
This would mean a September 2nd, 2011 release, pitting it against the recently switched Apollo 18 from The Weinstein Company, The Debt, and Shark Night 3D. He also talked to NHL.com about his final film, the hockey drama Hit Somebody. He plans to not keep it secret like Red State, rather openly letting the public read the script after he finishes it. Check out his quote below.
I have a new plan for Hit Somebody. I’m going to publish the script way before I make the movie. It’s so much more difficult to explain your intentions to people or to open up your head and let them see what the plan is or how you connect the dots. It’s so much easier to just say here and cut to the chase. So much of film, if you’re a writer or director, is predicated on keeping it secret. It’s my currency, right?
But … it feels stupid to be working on something in the dark that you just want to share. The only reason we do it is because we want people to see it, want people to share in the feeling, the emotion.
In his last film, he plans to bring back as many actors he previously worked with as he can, even Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. In regards to his Dogma stars he said, “in my head, both of those dudes are on the Boston team Buddy gets traded to.” Expect official news on the Red State release soon and more about Hit Somebody, as it heads into production.
Are you excited to see Red State a bit earlier? What do you think about his Hit Somebody plans?