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"I know the real story. A man wouldn't even sit down for a Poster of AF **. ” These are the words of director Kevin SmithSpeaking to Mark Maron in the episode of January 2011 from his podcast "WTF". Smith came out of his studio Comedy in 2010 Cop Out, starring the legend "Die Hard" Bruce Willis and SNL Alum Tracy Morgan as a pair of unusual police officers. Needless to say, Smith had a difficult time to make the film. Also worth saying, Smith was not discouraged by Morgan. "Wasn't it for Tracy, maybe I have killed myself or anyone else in making that movie," Smith added.

Smith, who He made the world famous with his beloved hit in 1994, indie "officials", It came out of the disappointment of the box office that was "Zack and smelled porn". What seemed to be his mainstream hit on the mainstream of Apatou-ESK's Apathou-ESK, proved to be commercially. For his sequel, the director went through the entire studio with Warner Bros. for a double, big budget comedy with one of the most beloved movie stars of all time. It will prove to be another commercial peak, the one who left a lasting impression on Smith and changed the course of his career.

In the stories this week of the box office, we look back at Cop Out in honor of its 15th anniversary. We go beyond how it happened, why the title had to change, which descended behind the scenes with Willis, which happened when it hit the theaters, which happened in the years after its announcement and what we can learn from it all these years later. Let's dig, right?

The film focuses on veteran detective Jimi Monroe (Willis) who needs money to pay for his daughter's upcoming wedding. He decided to sell his valued baseball card PAFKO, but was stolen before he could raise the money. As a result, JiMi and his partner Paul (Morgan) must oppose a gangster who is obsessed with sports memories to find this valued possession.

Written by Rob and Mark Cullen, The film started life as a script titled "Several Dicky" He did so on the black list, which is an unofficial list of the best unproductive scripts in Hollywood. The script was in Warner Bros. and, in the end, in the hands of Smith. This will be the first time Smith ever directed a film he did not write. Also, that would be the last.

"The whole movie is like police officers who are practically married, but not, in fact, and, I think, it's right on my street. It's like Dante and Randall (from" "officials") as police officers, "Smith said before Vulture in 2009. Smith actually took a pay cut to direct the "policeman" Partly because he wanted to keep the ranked, but also because he was so excited about working with Willis. "For anyone who said" He just sold out, he just goes to Buck " - I make less to make this movie than I did" Dogma ", which is a movie I made 10 years ago and I didn't make a lot of money," Smith said in March 2009.

Willis did not make a full comedy for a long time, while it was firm in the Smith's cart. But the $ 30m budget was far more than Smith was used to working. However, he was used to working with Willis, Because the director played a small role in 2007 "Live Free or Difficult". They had an established relationship. What can go wrong?

In his book "The Hard of Smith", Smith described Willis as "the most Durna" person he had ever met. The whole chapter is dedicated to Smith's time, making the film, and is not optimistic. "If I wrote the real story in the book, it would be even worse," Smith later said in A. A comic book panel in San Diego In 2012. Put mild, Willis was not the man Smith hoped he would be. According to Smith, he was uncooperative, late and difficult. In the same interview with "WTF", Smith made it crystal clear how he felt.

"It was difficult. I have never been involved in such a situation when a component is not in the box at all. It was a violation of the soul. No, but I had no help with the king of this friend."

But some tried to transfer the blame to Smith himself. "He smokes too much pot. He sat behind his monitor. He did not communicate with the actors. The actors thought they were alone, "said a talent representative who worked on Smith's production Hollywood reporter In 2011. Smith fought against that characterization. The point is, the whole thing was ugly, and the vibrations of the set were clearly bad. Willis camp even released a statement Trying to calm the rumors that the two did not conclude.

"There is absolutely no quarrel between Bruce Willis and Kevin Smith. Bruce enjoyed working with Kevin Smith, as well as his co-Starvedus Tracy Morgan.

There are almost countless hours of Smith discussing the situation with Bruce Willis/Police Officer, which makes it difficult to distill. What matters is that the promise script was spoiled by a dysfunctional set. Although all accounts are a great scenario and a great cast, the one that includes the likes of Shan William Scott ("American Pie"), Rashida Onesons ("Parks and Recreation") and Michelle Trahtenberg ("Gossip Girl"), who recently diedThe end result failed to meet expectations much.

Warner Bros. did his best to place the film, which is part of why the title has changed. Unfortunately, the end result was a film that was very few critics, making things too complicated, especially since the budget was approaching $ 40 million. Marketing was clever. The above trailer relies on the fact that Warner Bros. has been making some classic policemen for years. It's a fun hook, but just went so far.

COP Out hit theaters on February 26, 2010, taking a respectable $ 18.2 million. Smith's comedy had to settle for second place as Martin Scorsese's "Island of Blend" was in the middle of its big box -officeAt the top of the charts with $ 22.6 million. Unfortunately, the brazen views and the competition from Alice in the Wonderland country of Tim Burton meant that the film fell sharply in the coming weeks, falling from the top ten to mid -March.

Smith's Buddy's comedy ended its escape with $ 44.8 million at home to leave $ 10.7 million abroad for a total of $ 55.6 million worldwide. With a smaller budget and better reviews, who knows what can happen? However, the film was a significant flop. However, something ironic, is still The highest big feature of Smith's career.

"He still changed everything for me. Because now I will never meet anyone. That was it. I would rather people from a distance, "Smith told Willis in that interview" WTF ". The experience left a mark on it, with Smith also aiming for film critics in the years to come. "So many critics have tried to pull a sad and embarrassing" policeman "train as it was Ennenifer Jason Lee in" The Last Exit to Brooklyn ", watching them beat him (that) was sad," he was sad. Smith said in an infamous Trit of Twitter in 2010.

Smith then return to its indie roots with the action/horror -flick "red state", Although it relies on podcasting. He did not make another study movie from and, for some time, even threatened to leave the world directed world. Smith's melody changed after his heart attack seven years ago, An event that even influenced "Officers 3." However, for most of that time, he was not very nice to say about Willis or a police officer.

Time has a way to change things. In 2022, Bruce Willis has been discovered with acting because of his diagnosis of aphasia. This sent a shock waves across Hollywood, with Loveubeub and support that enter the desired action. Smith, taking up Twitter At that time, he apologized for everything he said about the actor over the years:

"Long Before any of the 'COP Out' Stuff, I was a big bruce Willis fan, so this is really heartbreaking to read. He loved to act and sing and the loss of that has to be devastating for him. Complaints from 2010. So sorry to (Bruce Willis) and his family. "

Willis did not say much about the experience after the press tour ended. For him, it was the next thing. For what is worth, other executives have expressed some irritation with Willis over the years, with Antoine Fuka calls him "pain in the ass" while directing "tears of the sun". So it's not like Smith is individual more decisive.

Whether Smith returned otherwise to "COP Out" seriously 15 years later is something he may know. What is true is that he certainly accepts it more now, even maintaining the 15th anniversary of the projection of his own China Smodel recently with Tracy Morgan at hand. At the very least, Smith released bitterness. There is something to say about how many animal lessons go, more than one for the filmmaking business. On a similar note, there is something for the whole thing "Don't meet your heroes". The actors are not the people they display on the screen.

For filmmakers there, there is a square plank, a round hole. Smith wanted a change after what happened to "Zack and Smell", but the interpretation of other people's work with big movie stars in the study system did not allow him to progress. The collapse of "COP Out" cannot be purely attributed to friction between Willis and Smith. Do I suggest that the directors should not be branched out of their comfort zone? Of course not, but there is something to say about trying to happen. Rarely discharged.

As for Bruce Willis from it all, Hollywood tends to think Starsvali = Success. Can that be true? Absolutely. But getting Willis increased the budget and created an unhealthy working environment. Maybe this comedy progressed with a different duo? Of course it's worth wondering. The Starwar's PowerVar is not always the answer.