"The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension" may not be going on the small screen without Kevin Smith. The actor, who will supposedly play the lead role in the "Buckaroo Banzai" TV series, refused to do the project without Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter.
Kevin Smith took to Facebook to announce that he is no longer going to be involved in the television adaptation of "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension," a 1984 sci-fi film. Smith's decision came after MGM brings the battle over the rights to produce a TV series of the film to the courtroom against the original screenwriter Earl Mac Rauch and the director W.D. Richter.
Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter said they have the exclusive rights to produce the "Buckaroo Banzai" TV series and told Amazon Studios and Kevin Smith's agents so. However, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, MGM said this is not the case and filed a complaint in California federal court.
The lawsuit document states: "There is now a substantial controversy between the parties with great immediacy. MGM seeks to develop its new television series without Defendants' interference. Accordingly, Plaintiffs bring this action to seek a declaration of the rights and legal relations of the parties with regard to Buckaroo Banzai."
Kevin Smith said he's not joining the legal battle, but he doesn't want to the "Buckaroo Banzai" project without Earl Mac Rauch and W.D. Richter. "I don't want to make anything unless those dudes are involved. They had the vision. All we're doing is taking their amazing vision and making a TV show of it," he said.
Kevin Smith also clarified that there's no ill will and that he loves the people at MGM and Amazon who have treated him so well. He added that the "Buckaroo Banzai" project remains at the early stages of development, saying that "there's no production yet, no script has been turned in, I haven't been paid a dime, no money has been really spent. So it's not like we're going to upend a lot of things."
