So while PopWatch was loving the idea of Will Arnett voicing KITT, the Ford Mustang in NBC’s upcoming Knight Rider movie (airing Feb. 17), apparently the folks at General Motors, who pay the actor to be the voice of GMC Trucks, were not. GM asked Arnett, who’d already recorded all of his scenes, to back out of the project, which he did "respectfully." Val Kilmer has taken over the role, and we can accept that. If only because, as my colleague Gary Susman points out, he played Chris Knight in Real Genius. ("You are Chris Knight, aren’t you?" "I hope so. I’m wearing his underwear.")
Do you think Kilmer has the right monotone to pull off KITT?
Knight Rider re-boot? You’re dead to me.
No Will Arnett? I’m not in the audience.
On the positive side, this allows Will to cook himself in a chowder, be ladeled out to feed the firefighters. He sure wants to get in that Poof. (the magazine, not the…)
I couldn’t help but notice in the earlier statement (and in your post Mandi) that he made a point of back out of the project “respectfully.”
I just have a good time imagining what that means. Did he bow his head slowly to all the sound engineers as he left the studio where he did his vocals? Did he make it a point to shake everyone’s hand and look everyone in the eye who was involved with the project.
And what if he’d backed out disrespectfully? Would he have knocked a cup of water on the floor on his way out? Would he have spit in the face of the director and badmouthed all his co-stars (including the Mustang)?
Sorry for the rant, but I enjoy reading these press releases for the amusing little phrases they slip in there. I’ll get back to work now.
Awww. A Real Genius quote, that makes my day.
Val voiced the best God ever in Prince of Egypt. Of course it will be a little weird having KITT played by the voice of God, but I’ll take it. Now I hope they re-issue the KITT big wheel so my little boy can know the same racing thrill that I knew as a boy. (Maybe they can make a grown up sized one too!)
Will Arnett was the only reason I was even interested in this! I’m so disappointed. Now, not only will I not watch Knight Rider, I will never buy a GM vehicle. (That’ll show ‘em)
Oh well this is what happens when you sell your talents to the highest bidder. Guess if Arnett wanted those GM checks to keep comming in he had to say goodbye to Kitt (bet if Kitt was GM car this would have been a non-issue)
Yay T-Rex for pointing our that Val Kilmer made an amazing God in The Prince of Egypt. That automatically qualifies one for any voice-over project…
I’m with evie. I’m out on both counts now.
I’ve lost all of what little interest I’ve had in this pile o’ crap.
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, “I drank what?”
Arnett would have been the ultimate voice to KITT but General Motors got pissed. I think that Ford should merge with GM because GM is almost broke, but still. As for Kilmer? Eh. Okay so let KITT “take two steps forward, then two steps back, then two steps forward, then do the cha-cha!”
So stupid he has to back out because KITT isn’t a GM car.
I’m in the camp who was only even slightly interested in watching this because of Will Arnett. Now that he’s no longer attached, I’m off the hook.
It’s GM’s fault. The original KITT was a GM vehicle- a Firebird. But GM discontinued the Firebird and the Camaro (same platform as the Firebird) won’t be back into production until next year. So they had to use a different brand. What? You think they’re going to crash a $50K Corvette every week?
Val’s voice melts MY engine! Will’s got a killer voice, but I’m definitely up for anyone who can hammer a six-inch spike through a board with his P-nus.
The only reason I was even considering watching the new “Knight Rider” was because Will Arnett was involved. I loved “Real Genius” & I like Val Kilmer, but it this change doesn’t do it for me. I guess I’ll wait for the possible “Arrested Development” movie.