Ben Affleck is open to the idea of appearing in Kevin Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. Affleck is one of Hollywood’s biggest names, both on-screen and behind the camera. As well as directing such Oscar-recognized films as Argo, the actor starred in such acclaimed dramas as Gone Girl and even took on the iconic role of Batman in both Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Though the latter disappointed both critically and commercially, Affleck garnered some praise for his portrayal. Most recently, he can be seen in Netflix’s Triple Frontier.
Affleck first came to prominence, however, as part of Smith’s View Askewniverse. Not dissimilar from the MCU, the View Askewniverse, which began with Clerks and continues with the upcoming Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, is a world of interconnected stories that feature actors playing numerous different characters and the odd cameo from Stan Lee. After playing the antagonistic store manager Shannon in Mallrats, Affleck collaborated frequently with the popular indie director. He ultimately went on to play comic book creator Holden McNeil in Chasing Amy and rebellious angel Bartleby in Dogma, as well as cameoed in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back as a twisted version of himself. They last worked together on Smith’s separate project, Jersey Girl, before the two stopped talking.
According to a recent interview with Collider, however, Affleck seems ready to heal that divide. While promoting the largely well-received Triple Frontier, he was asked whether any of his previous characters would feature in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. His response was surprisingly optimistic and welcoming of the idea. “Your guess is a good as mine. I haven’t been asked to make an appearance but you never know, there’s still time,” he said. “We’ll see. I think if it was up to me, I would rather do Holden than Shannon, but I would defer to Kevin.”
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot will retread the footsteps of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, as the titular characters attempt to once again prevent a film adaptation of their in-world comic book counterparts: Bluntman and Chronic. In a world of actors playing ever-shifting characters, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) have been the universe’s hilarious constant. The upcoming film is set to be equal parts a celebration of movies and a wry mocking of remakes and reboot culture. In other words, the perfect meta vehicle for Smith’s return to the big screen. With filming currently underway, the cast, which already includes the return of stalwarts Jason Lee and Brian O’Halloran, continues to expand. As well as the stars of The Flash, both Joe Manganiello and even WWE star Chris Jericho have signed on.
The return of Affleck, however, would no doubt be icing on the cake for many fans. Despite emerging as more of a serious dramatic actor and director, it could be the perfect time for Affleck to return to his comedic and even satirical roots. It could also serve to bring things full circle in a similar way to the recent nod to Smith and Mallrats in Captain Marvel. Smith was, after all, one of the first to bring attention to Affleck’s talents. The material that could spawn from them both once again collaborating could be comedic gold. Whether or not Smith is aware of Affleck’s statements is unclear. And what the director will choose to do with the information remains to be seen. All people can do now is hope that the olive branch blooms a reconnection between the two. If so, then all the fans will need is Matt Damon to also come aboard in order for Jay and Silent Bob Reboot to feel fully complete.
More: The DCEU Wasted Ben Affleck’s Batman (& His Other Skills)
Source: Collider
