Trade Round-Up: The Clerks Sequel
· Never underestimate the psychic wounds inflicted by Jersey Girl: Director Kevin Smith completely gives up and will deliver a Clerks sequel (from his screenplay, The Passion of the Clerks), to good buddy Harvey Weinstein at Miramax. Wouldn't it have been easier to just cut off all contact with Ben Affleck to deal with the flop-induced grief? [THR]
· Garfield: The Movie finishes first at the international box office, giving the world community still more fodder for hating America. [THR]
· Get me more Smits! We need more Smits, do you hear me?! You do? Oh, good. ABC signs up Jimmy Smits for an overall television deal and moves his production company over to Touchstone Television. [Variety, sub. req'd.]
· Movie studios foot the bill for the Governator's trip to the RNC. [Variety, sub. req'd.]
· Tom Cruise visits with the French Finance Minister to discuss Franco-American relations. Watch for the entire country to officially convert to Scientology by the end of the week, powerless against Cruise's billion-dollar smile. [THR]