Sarah Michelle Gellar

Returning from a successful weekend promoting the science-fiction thriller "Southland Tales" at the 2005 Comic-con Convention in San Diego, writer/director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) today announced that the film’s much anticipated prequel graphic novels will be released within the first quarter of 2006.

Kelly’s Darko Entertainment along with Graphitti Designs and Kevin Smith’s View Askew Productions will publish these six separate 100 page graphic novels, each written by Kelly, that will lead-up to the feature film’s release as the final chapter.

In addition, Kelly officially announced that Simon Theory is the character name of actor Kevin Smith, who will play a legless Iraqi war veteran in the film.

"I am thrilled to have Kevin Smith as both an actor in Southland Tales as well as having his involvement in the prequel graphic novels for Southland Tales. The novels will give the die-hard fans more of an understanding of the back-story leading up the film’s theatrical release," said Kelly.

"Southland Tales", starring Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock), Seann William Scott (American Pie, The Dukes of Hazzard) Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Grudge) and Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Clerks), is an ensemble piece set in the futuristic landscape of 2008 Los Angeles, as it stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. Boxer Santaros (Johnson) is an action star stricken with amnesia whose life intertwines with Krysta Now (Gellar), an adult film star developing her own reality television project, and David Clark (Scott), a Hermosa Beach police officer who holds the key to a vast conspiracy. The film is slated to begin principal photography on August 15, 2005.

Sean McKittrick will produce "Southland Tales" under the Darko Entertainment banner alongside Cherry Road principals Bo Hyde and Kendall Morgan. Executive producers are Matthew Rhodes and Judd Payne of Persistent Entertainment, Bill Johnson and Jim Seibel of Inferno Distribution, and Oliver Hengst of Academy Film Gmbh.