Kevin Smith and Tim Burton have, to put it generously, a disagreeable history with one another. They first met in the 1990s, when Smith was hired by Warner Bros. to pen the screenplay for the reboot of a beloved DC Comics character. Dubbed Superman Lives, the film was to be directed by Burton and star Nicolas Cage. Though Smith was unceremoniously dispatched from the project, and it ultimately never made it to the screen, he managed to once again cross paths with Burton a few years later — albeit in a contentious manner — when the latter’s 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes hit theaters. Speaking to movie critic Lou Lumenick after seeing the film, Smith cracked a joke about its ending, kicking off a highly-publicized spat with Burton that was as bizarre as it was petty.
Kevin Smith Jokingly Accused Tim Burton of Plagiarism
Kevin Smith was taken aback when he saw the ending of Planet of the Apes, in which Mark Wahlberg‘s character returns to present-day Earth only to discover apes rule the world and have replaced the head of the Lincoln Memorial with a likeness of one of their own. “My jaw hit the ground when I saw that scene,” he said. As it turns out, Smith had written a comic book years before featuring his View Askewniverse characters, Jay and Silent Bob, that contained a strikingly similar image.
Never missing an opportunity to grab a headline, Smith accused the film of plagiarizing his work. “I think I got robbed and I’m talking with my lawyers about possibly suing,” he quipped. While his statement was intended as a joke, Tim Burton caught wind of it and promptly fired back with a comment of his own, but the tone of his response was more scathing than sarcastic and playful. “I have not seen the image and anybody that knows me knows I do not read comic books,” he said. “And I especially wouldn’t read anything that was created by Kevin Smith.” Suddenly finding himself in back-and-forth media snafu, Smith was forced to go into damage control.
Kevin Smith Backtracked on His ‘Planet of the Apes’ Joke
Shortly before his next film, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, hit theaters in August 2001, Kevin Smith’s public feud with Tim Burton was causing a media stir. Having slung a sarcastic arrow at Burton and been dinged in response, Smith rushed to put an end to the negative publicity and make peace with his fellow filmmaker. As ABC News reported at the time, he addressed the issue on his View Askew website. “Lest anyone think some sort of holy jihad is brewing betwixt me and the mighty Tim, I’d like to set the record straight here,” he wrote. “I do not think the Planet of the Apes ending was stolen from my comic book, nor am I thinking about taking anyone to court.” In clarifying his previous comments, and in characteristic fashion, Smith capped off his self-flagellating remarks by sneaking in a plug for his upcoming film.
The Clerks director may have put an end to his back-and-forth with Burton, but it was arguably the least of his worries in the days before Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back was released. Weeks prior, the stoner comedy came under fire from GLAAD, which accused the filmmaker of promoting homophobic content. While Smith defended Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, he ultimately cut a check for $10,000 to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. For a writer and director who has largely dealt in the seemingly inoffensive realms of comic book subculture, wordy dialogue, and raunchy yet endearing comedy, Smith’s frequent courting of controversy via his films and outspoken nature have landed him in hot water numerous times, begging the question as to why he’s so often thrust into scandalous spotlights.
Planet of the Apes is available to watch on Hulu in the U.S.
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