Miramax unleashes the zany comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back with the widest launch ever seen in late August. Written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Jason Mewes, Chris Rock, Shannon Elizabeth and Smith himself, the R-rated feature follows a pair of slackers on their way to Hollywood to sabotage a film being adapted from their comic book. With modest hits like Clerks, Chasing Amy, and Dogma, Smith has steadily built up a loyal fan following and the characters Jay and Silent Bob have become popular staples in each story. Teens and young adults should power the new film to the top spot at the box office this weekend as one brand name R-rated comedy displaces another one at number one.

Kevin Smith fans have been eagerly awaiting Jay and Silent Bob all summer and a solid opening on a crowded weekend will result. The director’s last feature, Dogma, opened in November 1999 with $8.7M from 1,269 theaters for a healthy $6,832 average. A similarly strong opening average for Jay and Silent Bob seems likely due to the cult audience’s demand for this picture. Poor reviews will mean nothing at the box office this weekend. Moviegoers not familiar with the dynamic duo are not likely to line up for tickets as pure fans will show up during the opening frame and then disappear soon after. Racing into 2,765 theaters, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back could open with about $20M.

“People tend to romanticize this job. So, it’s fun to let the air out of it.”

– director-actor KEVIN SMITH, who pokes fun at his profession and Hollywood generally in his upcoming comedy ‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.’