SUBMITTED BY Neville Longbottom

August 13, 2001 — from Empire Online:

After we reported on this site last week, the news that Kevin Smith and Tim Burton were getting all in a tither over Burton's ending to The Planet of the Apes, Smith decided to set the record straight in a posting on his official site ViewAskew.Com.

'Lest anyone think some sort of holy jihad is brewing betwixt me and the mighty Tim, I'd like to set the record straight here,' Smith begins. 'I do not think the Planet of the Apes ending was stolen from the Jay and Silent Bob mini-series Chasing Dogma, nor am I thinking about taking anyone to court. I called the similarities (which I believe are simply coincidental) to the attention of my good friend Lou Loumenick over at the NY Post and made a few jokey comments about being pissed and litigious that seem to have been taken seriously.'

'This story has gotten way out of hand,' Smith goes on to say. 'I'll still be there on opening day for any Tim Burton movie, and I urge you all to do the same. Because, whether he tells a coherent story or not, he's still one of the most interesting (albeit testy, apparently) directors working today. And that should always be supported.'

Empire Online is interviewing Tim Burton today (Monday 13 August) - so we'll be reporting back later on what he has, if anything, to add to this story.