In a recent interview, writer/director Kevin Smith reveals some details about his next movie, the hockey flick, "Hit Somebody".  It's a film that grows out of Smith's new direction following his post-Zack & Miri-epiphany and how we'll start to see that new direction in his upcoming film, the buddy-cop comedy, "A Couple of Dicks" starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan.  Hit the jump to read what Smith had to say about "Hit Somebody" as well as a hint that Grand Geek of the Interwebs Wil Wheaton may have a role in the film.

Katla McGylnn over at The Huffington Post did a great piece on Smith sparked by the release of his new book, Shootin' The Sh*t With Kevin Smith: The Best Of SModcast" which Smith didn't write but is a transcription of the best episodes of his highly successful podcast he does with his friend/long-time producer Scott Mosier.  The interview covers not only the podcast but his realization of how he had to change after "Zach & Miri Make a Porno" fell well below his expectations at the box office.  It's that change that reignited my interest Smith, interest that was completely evaporated when the message of "Clerks II" was "It's okay to never move outside your comfort zone as long as you're happy with the way things are," which was the wrong response to the flop of his previous film, "Jersey Girl".

So I get interested when he has this to say about "Hit Somebody" :

And a hockey movie is exactly what Smith's working on next. Based on the popular hockey song by Warren Zevon, "Hit Somebody" was recently announced by Smith as an upcoming project. The song adaptation tells the story of a guy who wants more than anything to be in the NHL, but is only good at one thing: beating people up on the ice. Smith says the tone he's going after is akin to a "Forrest Gump" of sports movies, but not as ambitious.

"It's not like my normal shit. Some people heard of it and were like 'Oh, you're gonna do a 'Slapshot'' and I'm like 'No,'" Smith said. "I mean it's set in that era [The 70's] but I'm going for something a little else, a little different on this one."

"Hit Somebody" will be one of Smith's more serious movies, although he admits he can never do something completely seriously. When he describes the main character's dream of being in the NHL only to find he's not playing the role he wants to, one is reminded of the recent shift in Smith's career.

"The great irony is that he's out there doing the thing he's always dreamed about and loves but not in the way he thought he'd be doing it," Smith said. "It's definitely right up my alley and that's where my head is right now. I think its gonna be kick-ass because when I hear that song... Ah, it reminds me of me."

It's not a massive departure for Smith (I think that's going to come if he ever gets to make his long-in-development horror film, "Red State") but when he talks about how he's pretty much dropped his dick-n-fart joke space movie, "Ranger Danger", I'm ready to believe.

Of course, when he hints on Twitter that he might cast Wil Wheaton in the flick, my excitement goes sky-high since Wheaton just seems like the coolest geek on the planet but one who can intelligently write about his unique experiences but can remain awed and excited about new opportunities in his life.  Tweeted Smith about Wheaton:

Via @jpavleck "Mister Smith - your thoughts about Wil Wheaton?" @wilw is my hockey brother from another mother. He's gonna HIT SOMEBODY.

Now either that's a dire warning or a call for celebration.  In either event, you should really head over to HuffPo and read their full interview.