Kevin Smith Taking SModcast to the Stage with 'Helena Handbag'

Courtesy IMDB

Before ringing in the New Year, Kevin Smith took to his Facebook to tell his fans that he would be penning another religion based horror film, "Helena Handbag." He stated that he would be turning another episode of SModcast into a movie, which worked well with his upcoming flick "TUSK." This time around, the plot centers around "mankind teaming up with Hell to save existence from extinction at the hands of a Rapturing giant Jesus."

However, with a new year comes a new idea. Instead of what was turning into an extremely high budget movie, he is looking to the theater. Musical theater, that is. Smith took to his Facebook and had this to say:

So I spent 24 hour feverishly writing another script based on an episode of SModcast - this time SModcast # 52: The (C)Rapture. I got about 20 pages in when I realized there was no way to write this inexpensively as a feature film. Everything was requiring too many effects that I could never achieve using in-camera tricks like forced perspective. It was starting to feel like a pricier project than I know I'd ever be able to find money to make. And then I remembered this is a SModcast Picture. What do we do on SModcast sometimes? We sing. We make up stupid songs. And my favorite piece of art ever produced by human hands is the glorious "Book of Mormon." So... I started reshaping the "Helena Handbag." script as a piece of SMusical theater, with "Book of Mormon"as my spirit animal. And holy shit... does THIS feel right! [...]And it'll be fun (and way easier) to stage in a theater! I'm a marginally-straight 43 year old fat man who has always loved show tunes: I guess I'd better finally try writing a musical. So there you go: another look inside the creative process. One day, you think you're writing a movie. The next day, you realize it's a that tuner you've always wanted to write. Alright: I thought "Clerks: The Musical" would be my first attempt at theater one day. So happy to realize it's gonna be something original instead.

With his previous theatrical successes, do you think Kevin Smith has what it takes to create the next big musical hit? Honestly, we're kind of excited to see how this pans out. A giant, singing rapturing Jesus? Yes please. If you have any doubts, Smith offers up this video of himself as Kenickie in a production of "Grease" as proof that musical theater is in his veins. Enjoy!




-Nowal Massari