In an unexpected development sure to rock the sentient-sportscar-voiceover world, Variety reports NBC has announced that it's had to make an 11th hour substitution in its casting of KITT for the network's soon-to-debut Knight Rider movie, rushing last-minute savior Val Kilmer (Val Kilmer!) into the studio to redo all of the dialogue already recorded by outgoing Mustang-inhabitor Will Arnett.

Apparently, the people at General Motors who've long been signing Arnett's paychecks to be the voice of GMC Trucks have suddenly become aware that the revived Knight Rider is essentially a co-production between NBC and rival Ford (whose logo not only appears in all promotions for the program, but will be digitally superimposed upon new star Justin Bruening's forehead in every frame), and have politely asked their spokesman to step away from the project. Despite this bizarrely late-arriving contractual snafu, we must credit Peacock emperor Ben Silverman with making a spectacular save in landing Kilmer; the gifted actor will surely bring a new dimension to the part, alternately imbuing the supercar's lines with a fluid, Morrisonesque sexuality, an Iceman-quality arrogance, or thundering, Old Testament menace.

Val Kilmer voices 'Knight Rider' [Variety]

10:56 AM on Thu Feb 7 2008
By Mark
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29 comments

Comments

Benovite at 11:11 AM on 02/07/08
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It would be great when Michael Knight hits the horn Val would proclaim, "You're all a bunch of fuckin' slaves!"
metroville at 11:14 AM on 02/07/08
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Boy, is "Mike Traceur" going to have a hard time when KITT starts rambling about the Lizard King.
Whiteboyfunfark at 11:16 AM on 02/07/08
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Yeah, but Kilmer's been looking pretty tubby as of late. They may have to substitute an F150 for the Mustang. Or bring back the Ford Valdez, er, Excursion....
Sweet Panda Love at 11:18 AM on 02/07/08
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Oh COME ON!

They've made a huge mistake.
Randall Tex Cobb at 11:19 AM on 02/07/08
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K.I.T.T said some things Whitey wasn't ready to hear.
TheStarterWife at 11:30 AM on 02/07/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: That was apparent the day NBC picked up the show.
mr_wednesday at 11:30 AM on 02/07/08
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Does this mean none of the extras will be allowed to look at Kitt straight in the rear-view mirror?
CrankYank at 11:34 AM on 02/07/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: I love you.

Is this project getting better or was Val high when he took the call? Either way, someone please save that promo with the singular line of Arnett KITTness. It sent me into tremors.
heidiho at 11:36 AM on 02/07/08
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I guess I don't watch the tee vee enough to know Gob was the voice of anything.

However, as the crazy guy standing on 2nd street in Santa Monica screamed a couple years ago, "Val Kilmer will KILL US ALL!!!" He's starting with Arnett, apparently.
CapnCalamity at 11:52 AM on 02/07/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: Voice-overs are something whores do for money.
fohawk at 12:12 PM on 02/07/08
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Thank god we now have Ben Silverman's gut to make such innovative decisions as greenlighting the talking car that we all so sorely missed.

Personally, I won't watch anything that wasn't first on English or Canadian TV.
Brine at 12:18 PM on 02/07/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: Genius.
MAGNUM at 12:35 PM on 02/07/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: Exactly!

What are they going to do when Val pulls another Batman and declines to appear in the sequel?
Garrison Dean, King... at 12:39 PM on 02/07/08
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As much as I love Will Arnett this thing had enough going against it without me giggling every time KITT opened its mouth.
Benovite at 12:51 PM on 02/07/08
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@Randall Tex Cobb: OMG I just had a brain fart: Eddie Murphy as the voice of KITT in the Knight Rider movie.
Black_Watch_Plaid at 12:52 PM on 02/07/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: @Randall Tex Cobb: Well played.
Dave J. at 01:01 PM on 02/07/08
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I wondered why KITT kept telling Michael to watch out for the Hot Cops.
LBJeffries at 01:11 PM on 02/07/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: They've made the biggest little mistake of their lives, actually.
livingblinditem at 01:55 PM on 02/07/08
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@Randall Tex Cobb: KITT said some things blacky wasn't ready to hear either
Black_Watch_Plaid at 02:08 PM on 02/07/08
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@livingblinditem: Or even African-Americany, for that matter.
Wazimu at 02:49 PM on 02/07/08
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Word is KITT was refusing to engage the Turbo Boost.
"What, and damage these four-thousand dollar rims? Come on!"
Sweet Panda Love at 02:57 PM on 02/07/08
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@Wazimu: Look, you're gonna got hop ons.
lucyzero at 03:31 PM on 02/07/08
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They should have called Alec Baldwin and had a "talking like this" contest.
hack-a-rific at 05:36 PM on 02/07/08
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I really don't think Val can pull off that pervie-sounding KITT voice. On second thought...
Miss d at 09:23 PM on 02/07/08
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Why don't they just get the guy who does the VO for movie trailers...?
Omelas at 10:11 PM on 02/07/08
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@CapnCalamity: Or candy! Or cocaine!
Little Mintz Sunshine at 10:45 PM on 02/07/08
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All I know is that Jason Bruening will make The Hoff look like Daniel Day Lewis.
thrillwill at 07:28 AM on 02/08/08
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Damn and I was hoping KITT would have his own chicken dance.
MNightDayLewis at 07:55 AM on 02/08/08
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Did GMC have any issue with GOB's fondness for the Segway? Someone please save and leak Will as Kitt to the internets, that would have been brilliant.