The Bulletin: Kevin Smith to Film 'Porno'

Kevin Smith will next direct "a bawdy sex comedy with heart," Smith's words, with the title "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," reports The Los Angeles Times. A clip of the Los Angeles Times interview: "Zack and Miri" is about two friends who have managed to trudge into their 30s with a satisfying lack of accomplishment. But a 15-year high school reunion and dire rent problems spark the novel moneymaking idea of pulling together an amateur porn enterprise. As for where it goes from there, just think of Smith's characteristic sexual verbosity finally coupled with matching imagery. "It's … dirty, with nudity," says Smith. "But funny nudity, not gratuitous nudity." Well, leave it to Smith to choose a plotline that kneecaps the issue entirely. (The civilians-making-a-blue-movie conceit also drove the narrative of writer-director Michael Traeger's "The Amateurs," which played festivals last year.) Because the story unfolds during a snowy Minnesota winter, Smith plans to film "Zack and Miri" there in February (although, Smith jokes, global warming may force him to shoot at one of the poles). Rosario Dawson will read for a part in "Zack and Miri." To read more, visit The Los Angeles Times.

'American Gangster' Trailer Available
The trailer for Ridley Scott's "American Gangster" (Nov. 2), with Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, is available in Quicktime at Yahoo! Movies.

Lee's War Picture
Spike Lee will direct an adaptation of James McBride's World War II novel "Miracle at St. Anna," a true account in which the U.S. Army's African-American 92nd Division combats fascism in Tuscany in 1944, reports Variety. McBride will write the script. Production could begin as early as next year.

Hoffman, Thompson in 'Harvey'
Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson will star in "Last Chance Harvey," in which a melancholy American befriends an unlikely companion while in London for his daughter's nuptials, reports Variety. Joel Hopkins wrote the script and will direct. Tim Perell ("Shortbus") and Nicola Usborne will produce, and Jawal Nga will executive produce. Production will begin in London in September.

Mark Your Calendar
Michael Bay's "Transformers" will open at 8 p.m. Monday, July 2, in area metroplexes, about 48 hours earlier than the official date of July 4. On DVD: "TMNT" will be available for rental and purchase Aug. 7; and "Deck the Halls," with Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick, Nov. 6.