Kevin Smith isn’t crying this time (at least not yet).
While promoting the 25th anniversary re-release of Dogma, which gets released Thursday (details below), Kevin Smith jumped on Reddit for an AMA and shared his thoughts on comic book movies, Marvel, DC, and how his own film fits into the superhero conversation.
In a separate interview, Smith also tackled James Gunn Superman and politics.
What did Kevin Smith say about the Infinity Saga?
Regarding the mention of Marvel’s Infinity Saga, a fan questioned Smith, “What’s your favorite media adaptation of a comic book(s) so far in regards to television shows or movies?” He replied:
“I love the Infinity Saga. Those flicks made me feel like a kid again. I’m not talented enough to make one but I LOVE comic book movies. I was raised Catholic (hence Dogma), so I was fed a steady stream of morality plays about good versus evil from a young age. For my money, the greatest tale ever told (and retold, and retold, and retold…) is about the worst thing you can imagine happening, and as hundreds of people wisely run for their lives from that thing… one person heads straight at it, usually dressed very colorfully. I’ve never been put to the test, whatever that may be, thank Christ – but I hope if I ever find myself facing down the worst that I can be my best. After a lifetime of reading about them, I hope I can be one of those cats wading into harm’s way – all colorfully dressed.”
What did Smith say about The Avengers?
Smith then recalled a funny exchange with his future son-in-law, Austin:
“After he saw Dogma for the first time, my future son-in-law Austin said ‘It’s kind of like Biblical Avengers.’ When I said I enjoyed the comparison, Austin added ‘Why didn’t you market it like that?’
I said ‘Because The Avengers came out 13 years later.’
See The Biblical Avengers! Starting this Thursday!”
Marvel and DC course-correcting says Smith
Smith also addressed the current state of the superhero genre, noting that both Marvel and DC seem to be course-correcting after years of criticism, when a fan questioned, “Do you fear that there will be crest to the wave of the Superhero movies… with the Hollywood ‘machine’ being more eager to turn out product than to slow down and make good quality stories?” Smith replied:
“First off, thanks for the kind words. Happy to hear things I made made your life a little easier when you needed it. It’s literally what I’m here for.
I’ve got as much insight as any outsider, but it would seem both the MCU and the new DCU are both going out of their way to make comic book movies an event again. It sounds like they’re both self-correcting, based on the last few years of negative feedback, eschewing quantity in favor of quality. I read a report that Disney did an actual test screening of Fantastic Four — and Marvel stopped doing public test screenings years ago.
But I don’t have a very high bar, so I’m pretty easy to please when it comes to this stuff.
Also: I thought Thunderbolts was a moving surprise. Marvel made a mental health flick that entertained AND enlightened.”
Dogma re-release info
Kevin Smith’s Dogma: Resurrected! A 25th Anniversary Celebration kicks off this Thursday, June 5.
The cult classic has been remastered in stunning 4K for the big screen, in collaboration with View Askew Productions and Iconic Events. Over 1,500 theaters will take part in this special event, giving fans everywhere the chance to experience Kevin Smith’s irreverent and unforgettable film in theaters once again.
The re-release includes exclusive Q&A content from Kevin Smith’s national tour, offering a behind-the-scenes look and reflections on the film’s legacy. AMC Theatres is backing the release with select screenings featuring live Q&A events hosted by Smith himself, leading up to the official wide release.
Dogma, written and directed by Kevin Smith, follows two fallen angels—Bartleby, played by Ben Affleck, and Loki, played by Matt Damon—who discover a loophole in Catholic doctrine that could allow them to return to Heaven, potentially unraveling existence itself. It’s up to an unlikely group to stop them, including Bethany (Linda Fiorentino), the erased 13th Apostle Rufus (Chris Rock), and the iconic duo Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith). With sharp satire, outrageous humor, and surprising heart, Dogma tackles faith, morality, and redemption.
The film also stars Alan Rickman as Metatron, Salma Hayek as Serendipity, George Carlin as Cardinal Glick, Alanis Morissette as God, Janeane Garofalo as Liz, Jason Lee as Azrael, and Brian O’Halloran as a reporter.
Watch the trailer:
