Kevin Smith’s Tusk Finds Distribution Deal Despite Not Being Screened At Sundance

Even though Kevin Smith’s highly anticipated “horror” film Tusk wasn’t completed in time to join the tremendously deep roster of late-night screenings at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, there’s still a glowing warm spot for camp Smith coming out of this typically chilly festival. It looks like the now infamous filmmaker won’t only be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his first indie hit, Clerks, as A24 (The Spectacular Now/Spring Breakers/The Bling Ring) and XYZ Films (The Raid/The Raid 2) have announced a distribution deal for Tusk – despite still being “in progress.”

In what comes as fantastic news for Kevin Smith fans, A24 will be bringing Tusk to US audiences sometime in the third quarter of 2014, which is especially exciting after Red State could only be seen by attending one of the exclusive screenings on the film’s touring schedule. In addition, XYZ Films will be taking Tusk to the European Film Market next month, so you can expect some international release dates to start popping up once a deal is (most likely) made.

I personally love that A24 is taking a risk on Kevin Smith after Red State received some pretty mixed reactions – especially after hearing the outlandish plot Tusk is going to follow. Here we are, talking about a movie that essentially turns Justin Long into a costumed walrus, that isn’t even finished, and we can already expect a theatrical release in Fall 2014. A24 looks to be making a name for itself by embracing more vivid and creative projects, especially noted by Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers, and how can you not love a young, gun-slinging company breaking into the Hollywood mainstream by having the balls to back projects that make other studios cringe based on marketing implications alone?

Personally, I didn’t have a single problem with Red State – in fact, I liked it. Tusk seems to be more in the comedic stylings of Kevin Smith’s wheelhouse, especially because the mostly two-character production is going to rely on a heavy dosage of dialogue, and I personally can’t wait to see what insanity this Frankensteinian kidnapping story turns out to be. Neither can my weekly collaborator Remy.

We’re pro horror, pro Smith, and most importantly, pro walrus – but are you? Let us know in the comments if you’ll be heading to theaters when Kevin Smith’s latest film is released!