Val Kilmer Will Be Voice Of K.I.T.T.
Posted by Rodneyon 07. 02. 2008in News Chat
In a strange twist of events it looks like Val Kilmer will be the voice of K.I.T.T. in the upcoming Knight Rider project. We get the story from the professionals at Variety:
A carmaker conflict has caused NBC to hire Val Kilmer to replace Will Arnett as the voice of KITT on its “Knight Rider” revival. Arnett (“Arrested Development”) had already completed his part for the pic, which is slated to debut on NBC in less than two weeks. Problem is, Arnett had a contractual conflict of interest.
For the better part of a decade, Arnett has done voice-over work for General Motors — as the voice of GMC Trucks. NBC’s new “Knight,” however, is “played” by a Ford Mustang. Not surprisingly, when GM found out about the Ford connection, it asked Arnett to pull out.
As far as I am concerned no one other than William Daniels should be the voice of K.I.T.T. I do however think it is hilarious that they have to re-record all of the car’s lines because GM pulled the contract card. I think it is very unfortunate that K.I.T.T. is going to be a Ford Mustang. Nothing against the car, my girlfriend has one and it is a delightful ride, but K.I.T.T. is a Trans Am.
Having Kilmer do the voice is certainly a surprise, I will admit that. When I woke up this morning, I certainly didn’t think that this would be one of the headlines. I may try to find some clips of Kilmer voicing the car after the fact; I don’t think I will be watching the made for TV movie. I find the lack of Trans Am action disturbing and am unable to forgive. Look at the poster below – It just doesn’t sit right with me.
International Friends, what are your thoughts on the Kilmer casting?
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Eh, I’m surprised John hasn’t chimed on this with his usual “keep the spirit of the character” philosophy. Just like Mr. T does not “have” to play B. A. Baraccus in the A Team remake, William Daniels and a Trans Am don’t “have” to play K.I.T.T. I would love for them each to return to play the iconic characters in the remakes, but it doesn’t kill the series if they don’t. This is not a “Galactus is a storm cloud” level change. Its more on par with “Bumblebee is not a VW Bug” change, and look how Transformers turned out :)
Transformers sucked. Changing from Trans Am to mustang sucks. Remakes, reimaging, re-dos SUCK! Please give us new movies and TV shows with new original characters.
Corporate sponsors interfering with creative decisions REALLY sucks!
Well, Val Kilmer is one of my favourite actors and he has nice voice and i think that its not a bad thing to change it. It could bring more “character” to the car too.
Doug has a girlfriend?
The change isn’t a problem.
This isn’t a remake or a reimagining. It’s a continuation of the story. This is a new K.I.T.T. and Michael’s son “drives him”.
Wow, Val Kilmer’s career really has taken a dive lately.
This casting just seems nothing but bizarre to me.
I still hate the new car. Hate it, hate it, hate it with a passion.
And still don’t care at all about the new guy.
Everything they’re trying to modernize about the series just seems misguided to me.
They’ll probably end up modernizing the theme music by remixing it hip-hop style. Oh wait, Busta Rhymes has already done that, so they can just use his track.
Remaking this was a bad idea in the first place. KNIGHT RIDER sure has earned it’s cult place in history and it’s funky, campy fun. It was however, never a good show. Never. And remaking it “serious-style” will just make the premise seem more ridiculous. I won’t even go into the “not using the Hoff again”-thing.
The pilot episode will get great ratings, because everybody will check it out just out of curiosity. After that, numbers will drop very fast.
Do Star Trek fans get upset because there are different Starship Enterprise’s as time goes on? Nope, it’s all part of the progression of the story.
I’m completely uninterested in this TV movie. I saw a little making of bit at the movie theater and it looked awful. And it does bother me that K.I.T.T. is a Mustang, maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.
Okay. maybe I’m just silly here but —- they don’t make Trans Am anymore right. So to me I can understand going with a different car. It make be want old school fans want and maybe they could of worked with the last model that was produced— but it seems they didn’t and went with another icon car. I can see where that makes sense.
Anyways- maybe the movie will be good, maybe not but I think that won’t be because of the car it’ll be because of the acting/writing.
just my thoughts- thanks
BHcolin
poor val.
have another donut.
I cannot stress enough how stupid it is that KITT is now a FORD MUSTANG! What the hell! I don’t what the executives were thinking. The money was probably too much to turn down.
But if they truly cared about the integrity of the project and not just use it as an exploit, they would have and could have used the new Camaro like they did in Transformers.
Ridiculous. I’ll still check it out though. Most likely, it’ll be shit.
This slavish devotion to the minutiae of deeply flawed source material is bordering on silly. Did XMen suck because the outfits were different? Did Transformers suck because they changed stuff from a cartoon?
Prejudging film projects based on voice talent is just woerd.
I’m more concerned that the whole premise is just so stupid, as was the original, that it is operating under a huge handicap. That said I’ve enjoyed many re-imaginings of old TV projects of late, especially ones that went firmly to the dark and serious side. Battlestar Galactica and the Bionic Woman come to mind. The first is a TV classic and the second was growing on me as the strike put it into hiatus.
It is a totally different situation to replace an actor who is doing “voice” work only as opposed to an actor’s “onscreen” part being recast. For evidence of this, whilist I hated the Charlie Angels films, was it not John Forsythe who voicd the mysterious Charlie again as he did on the TV show? How about Peter Cullen on Transformers, reprising the voice of Optimus Prime?
However, what’s done is done. and I do have an axe to grind but for another reason
Now, one of my favorite, good (and underused) actors is Val Kilmer. Even if not all the films are successful (I still haven’t the foggiest why no one but me saw Spartan) he still does a good, sometimes great, job. I think he’s a good actor, been in a lot of films I liked or loved, in lead or supporting roles.
So what’s the problem? The concern? I don’t think he’s a good voice over actor. If Kilmer gives a laid back, pedestrian approach sound…which I hope doesn’t happen- and I don’t know if anyone knows what I’m talking about-but…how do I put it? He can “sound” bored. Not boring, but bored.
Maybe they tried getting William Daniels back as KITT. Maybe not. But I’m surprised they didn’t even try to lure Robert Picardo.
I think they went the wrong way with Kilmer. Arnet was forced by GM to leave for his voice over work. So Ford should have forced their voice over guy Mike Rowe into the job as KITT.
scoville replies at 7th February 2008, 1:45 pm :
Do Star Trek fans get upset because there are different Starship Enterprise’s as time goes on? Nope, it’s all part of the progression of the story.
————————————————
A new ship/car is fine, but imagine if the newest enterprise was a Klingon garbage scow that they simply spraypainted “Enterprise” on.
I mean i have no problem with a new car, AND i have no problem with the Ford Mustang. I just think that the original KITT was known for being a Camaro AND if remade it should be either a NEW/Prototype Camaro or a more generic/non-existant fancy sports car. The Mustang is VERY distinctive in its own right and i think will take away what little credibility this show may have. Imagine if they had a new Indiana Jones film with Tom Cruise as Indy. You may love Indy, you may love Cruise, but having such a high profile/known actor may actually be a detriment and pull you out of the experience…
Just MHO…
There is a big issue here, in my opinion. And it all has to do with the advertorial content of American TV. There is a reason that product placement in banned in the EU, and this is EXACTLY it.
A TV programme should be editorially independent of all control by advertisers, and by Ford paying — or providing services free — it means that the production cannot proceed in it’s own editorial direction.
Personally, I think Arnett was the perfect choice for KITT. Kilmer strikes me as a bad direction to go in. I would have much preferred someone like Christopher Judge (Teal’C from SG-1), his vocal talent is remarkable.
I’m pretty bitter about a lot of stuff to do with this project anyway. I hate the choice of car, it’s totally daft having a car that looks like the Mustang as KITT. That’s just not the style of car they should be using. I’ll put it this way, it feels to me a bit like replacing the Enterprise with something that has 6 warp nacelles and a square forward hull.
The reason Star Trek fans don’t complain about the redesigns is that the original shape and concept is maintained. Thus, the KITT, in this reboot, should have a low profile design, with sloping bonnet (sorry, ‘hood’). Additionally the light should sweep from side to side, but I’ll let that go.
The internet mock-up of the Lamborghini was perfection in my opinion. But I’m guessing it was financially impractical to use those cars!
1. Very happy to not have the tastes of Jukebox73, my life would pretty much suck hating everything like that.
2. I agree that the K.I.T.T. should still be a Trans Am, however, its not going to be. I am happy with the choice they made, I think it will work out.
3. Val Kilmer as K.I.T.T.? I think it will work, I’m a fan of Kilmer as an actor and think it will turn out just fine. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go set my DVR.
Val Sucks hes a fat tit who didnt turn up 3 times to a autograph sesion and said that he would send a autograph to your house but didnt hes a fat tit and shouldnt be KITT’s voice how can you go from Mr Fenie to Val Kilmer in the boot
. Sucks Sukc kxs SIusksndsin jsn
Adam West also signed a LP wrong are all batmen tit’s lol
I watched and loved the original but it doesn’t bother me that the car is a Mustang. I loved the movie and look forward to the series. I’m glad the Hoff had a cameo (and might be back) and I like that it is not a modernization of the old but a continuation. It is a new KITT and Michael’s son driving him. That’s pretty cool if you ask me. The special effects were pretty good for a TV movie and the campiness of the original was still there. This is not a show that took itself too seriously and that is why I think it will be a hit.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was Val Kilmer as the voice of KITT. I understand that this was a last minute re-casting but I hope for the series, they find someone who is lesser known for KITT.
First of all how stupid it is that KITT is now a FORD MUSTANG! Yes I own one of these , but they should have used the new Camaro like they did in Transformers.
They need a much better voice for KITT
Watching this show does not appeal to me anymore
Interior of this mustang has poor ergonomics, steering wheel, and seats need to go in the trash