While Kevin Smith's skills as a filmmaker can be debated until the end of time, there's no arguing that the man is a crazy passionate filmgoer. He loves movies and while I don't think anyone needs a reminder, he'll go on for hours and hours talking about them. In a recent chat with Speakeasy, Kevin Smith was asked about the idea of a rebooted JAWS flick, and Smith brought up an idea so preposterous . . . it might actually work.
Kevin Smith on whether or not we'll see a JAWS reboot:
Yeah, just probably not while Mr. Spielberg’s around. But sooner or later, someone will be like, yeah, people are still afraid of sharks, right? And probably get to it. You see them every once in a while take a stab at the shark market, but JAWS is just such a tremendous name brand. It could be in this lifetime if one day Mr. Spielberg is like, “You know what? I wouldn’t mind revisiting it.”
That’s my dream, dude. Honestly, I’ll watch a JAWS movie a year because I love the concept and it was my favorite movie as a child. It still captures my imagination. They could still make it a rubber shark and it would still be awesome. But my dream — that’s the movie that launched Steven Spielberg in a massive way. How awesome would it be — in a world where Ridley Scott goes, “I’m doing BLADE RUNNER 2 and PROMETHEUS” — how awesome would it be if Spielberg was like, “You know what, man? I want to go back to Amity Island one more time.” OH! F*ck you and take my money!
You set it in the present, and you use a hurricane, and you flood the town. Then the shark is in the town. Not just in the water. Because, again, on the land you’re fine. But all that imagery from Hurricane Sandy, of houses underwater — add a great white shark. There’s your JAWS, modern-day JAWS. Because then you gotta be on a rooftop. A shark could come into your house, dude.
You can click here to check out more of the interview, although it's obvious that Smith's words are ridiculously tongue-in-cheek. It does get one thinking though. I feel it's really only a matter of time (unfortunately) before JAWS is given a remake or reboot of some sort. Sure, it'll probably be when Spielberg is dead and gone, but IF given the option, would you rather see someone else remake it or have the originator of the summer blockbuster step up to the plate?
Kevin Smith's latest, TUSK, is now in theaters!