Kevin Smith and Tim Burton have, to place it generously, a unpleasant historical past with each other. They first met within the Nineteen Nineties, when Smith was employed by Warner Bros. to pen the screenplay for the reboot of a beloved DC Comics character. Dubbed Superman Lives, the movie was to be directed by Burton and star Nicolas Cage. Although Smith was unceremoniously dispatched from the mission, and it finally by no means made it to the display, he managed to as soon as once more cross paths with Burton just a few years later — albeit in a contentious method — when the latter’s 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes hit theaters. Speaking to movie critic Lou Lumenick after seeing the movie, Smith cracked a joke about its ending, kicking off a highly-publicized spat with Burton that was as weird because it was petty.
Kevin Smith Jokingly Accused Tim Burton of Plagiarism
Kevin Smith was shocked when he noticed the ending of Planet of the Apes, by which Mark Wahlberg‘s character returns to present-day Earth solely to find apes rule the world and have changed the pinnacle of the Lincoln Memorial with a likeness of considered one of their very own. “My jaw hit the bottom after I noticed that scene,” he stated. Because it seems, Smith had written a comic book years earlier than that includes his View Askewniverse characters, Jay and Silent Bob, that contained a strikingly comparable picture.
By no means lacking a possibility to seize a headline, Smith accused the movie of plagiarizing his work. “I believe I bought robbed and I’m speaking with my legal professionals about probably suing,” he quipped. Whereas his assertion was supposed as a joke, Tim Burton caught wind of it and promptly fired again with a remark of his personal, however the tone of his response was extra scathing than sarcastic and playful. “I’ve not seen the picture and anyone that is aware of me is aware of I don’t learn comedian books,” he stated. “And I particularly wouldn’t learn something that was created by Kevin Smith.” All of a sudden discovering himself in back-and-forth media snafu, Smith was pressured to enter injury management.
Kevin Smith Backtracked on His ‘Planet of the Apes’ Joke
Shortly earlier than his subsequent movie, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, hit theaters in August 2001, Kevin Smith’s public feud with Tim Burton was inflicting a media stir. Having slung a sarcastic arrow at Burton and been dinged in response, Smith rushed to place an finish to the adverse publicity and make peace together with his fellow filmmaker. As ABC News reported at the time, he addressed the problem on his View Askew web site. “Lest anybody suppose some form of holy jihad is brewing betwixt me and the mighty Tim, I might prefer to set the file straight right here,” he wrote. “I don’t suppose the Planet of the Apes ending was stolen from my comedian guide, nor am I interested by taking anybody to court docket.” In clarifying his earlier feedback, and in attribute trend, Smith capped off his self-flagellating remarks by sneaking in a plug for his upcoming movie.
The Clerks director might have put an finish to his back-and-forth with Burton, however it was arguably the least of his worries within the days earlier than Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Again was launched. Weeks prior, the stoner comedy came under fire from GLAAD, which accused the filmmaker of selling homophobic content material. Whereas Smith defended Jay and Silent Bob Strike Again, he finally reduce a test for $10,000 to the Matthew Shepard Basis. For a author and director who has largely dealt within the seemingly inoffensive realms of comic book subculture, wordy dialogue, and raunchy yet endearing comedy, Smith’s frequent courting of controversy by way of his movies and outspoken nature have landed him in sizzling water quite a few occasions, begging the query as to why he is so typically thrust into scandalous spotlights.
Planet of the Apes is out there to look at on Hulu within the U.S.
