Looks Like Kevin Smith’s Name isn’t Being Used to Promote ‘Cop Out’

I’ve mentioned it many times, I’m a Kevin Smith fan, but I have to say his last two films didn’t really do it for me. Clerks 2 was unnecessary and felt like a major step backward and Zack and Miri Make a Porno just felt like an Apatow rip-off and on top of that just wasn’t all that funny. Neither film tore up the box-office, but Zack and Miri did manage to become his highest grossing domestic release with $31 million, topping Dogma by a mere $805,056. So, what’s a writer/director to do when he has done nothing but write and direct his own material with what looks like a $30 million box-office ceiling? Well, it looks like directing an adolescent version of Lethal Weapon starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, and on top of that it appears Warner Bros. isn’t even going to use his name to promote it.

The film is Cop Out. Once titled A Couple of Dicks, the film’s title was watered down so it could be marketed in primetime and if you watch the trailer attached to this post it appears it too was watered down as words are cut short and the word “freaking” is used one too many times for this to be a Smith film. The trailer, if I may be so bold, isn’t exactly funny unless Morgan eating lots of chips is what tickles your funny bone. I have a lot of love for Morgan’s contributions to “30 Rock” and Smith’s earlier work is all a part of my Blu-ray collection. (I just added Dogma this past Christmas.) However, this one looks a bit rough around the edges.

Today I received the poster, which you can see below, and if you squint you can make out Smith’s name in the lower right. As a fan of Smith, perhaps I am one of the few surprised the studio isn’t using his name, but I guess they probably assume his fans are already aboard. Perhaps?

Cop Out hits theaters on February 26, it will be interesting to see how it turns out.

For additional looks at the film click here.