The Jay & Silent Bob reboot adds Joe Manganiello and Craig Robinson to the supporting cast among others. Last month, director Kevin Smith began production on the seventh film in his View Askewniverse franchise. The upcoming reboot marks the big screen reunion for Jay and Silent Bob, both of whom were featured in the 2001 comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
In 1994, Smith released the breakthrough indie hit Clerks, in which the stoners Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) first appear. Whereas the former character is loud and obnoxious, the latter is mostly mute yet expressive with his non-verbal behavior. Throughout the ‘90s, Jay and Silent Bob appeared in Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma, leading to their narrative spotlight in the aforementioned 2001 film. Last April, the characters appeared on The Flash episode “Null and Annoyed,” which was directed by Smith. In addition, Jay and Silent Bob have appeared in various media platforms, and will now finally team up once again for Smith’s untitled reboot, which the director has described as “literally the same f**king movie all over again.”
On Instagram, Smith posted a photo from Jay & Silent Bob’s New Orleans set. Within the extensive caption, the filmmaker confirms the involvement of both Manganiello (a bailiff) and Robinson (a judge), while also providing the character specifics for Frankie Shaw (a prosecutor) and Stephen Blatt (a lawyer). For fans of Smith’s filmography, the image is significant as Robinson and reboot actor Justin Long appeared in the 2008 romantic sex comedy Zack and Miri Make a Porno, which takes place outside the View Askewniverse. In the message, Smith offers thanks to his friends and frequent collaborators, noting that they lended their talent despite the “meager money.” Smith ends the post by describing the moment as a “Reboot-y Call.” Check out Smith’s Instagram post below.
For Smith, it’s been a trying decade in the spotlight, as his last three films performed poorly at the box office: Red State (2011), Tusk (2014), and Yoga Hosers (2016). In addition, Smith suffered a massive heart attack after a 2018 stand-up performance, which led to a significant weight loss and a new perspective. Smith is now an official spokesperson for Weight Watchers and reportedly has a vegan diet. Last month, the filmmaker appeared on CBS’ The Big Bang Theory and seems to be progressively moving forward with his career across various media platforms. With that said, Smith was targeted early this year by HBO host Bill Maher, this coming after the passing of Stan Lee, which led comic fans to publicly express their grief.
Smith’s latest Instagram post will surely please fans of the View Askewniverse. Hopefully, the Jay & Silent Bob reboot will be much more than a gathering of old friends.
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Source: Kevin Smith
