Kevin Smith has revealed that his “Cop Out” co-star Seann William Scott will be leading his upcoming hockey film “Hit Somebody,” based on the Warren Zevon song of the same name written by Mitch Albom.
“Seann, for me, was the key into the character,” Smith told NHL.com. “I had all the elements in place, and the one thing I was missing was the personality. Generally I like to write to a voice, but I didn’t know who that voice was or what that voice could be. And then after spending all the time with Seann on this movie, he’s pitch perfect. He is that guy. This dude has something in him that you can just see hangs so well on Buddy [evidently the protagonist’s name for “Hit Somebody”]. He’s got some pain that’s going to work out well. More importantly he has so much love in his heart.”
It’s definitely a left-field casting decision. Smith always likes re-casting but we always figured for his self-described magnum opus Smith would want to bring along an older View Askewniverse actor like a Jason Mewes or even Ben Affleck. Turns out, Smith thinks highly of the comedy star, William Scott, and even has plans to take the actor to a Hanks-level A-grade actor.
“Hanks for years and years did this (lesser) role and then he became that (blockbuster movie) guy. This is Seann’s chance to do that as well, not just be Stifler. And it’s my chance to not just be the ‘Clerks’ guy. It’s my chance to do something big, epic in scale. Stories I tell span one day. … This spans 30 years. You’re talking a period. You’re trying to bring people to a time in your life that hasn’t existed in 30 years. The look of it, the feel of it, the sound of it — everything I have is going to be in that movie.”
Smith did cast Affleck and Matt Damon before they were huge, and Jason Lee is doing pretty well for himself these days so you have to give him some talent scouting credit. But a Kevin Smith hockey epic that spans 30 years led by the biggest douche in “American Pie”? It has shades of Sofia Coppola casting Stephen Dorff and Chris Pontius for “Somewhere” and, like those two, perhaps it’s Scott’s weaknesses that makes the most suitable candidate.
“I didn’t grow up playing hockey which is good because the character is not supposed to be a great player, he’s a great fighter,” Scott admitted.
Smith also explains that he still has about a month left of writing but it sounds like shooting should start later this year in Michigan as planned.
