Lionsgate acquires Kevin Smith's highly-anticipated Clerks III, which is set to begin production next month with the original cast returning. The acclaimed 1994 black-and-white comedy marked Smith's feature debut as a writer, director, editor, star, and producer. The original Clerks centered on convenience store clerk Dante Hicks and video store clerk Randal Graves as they deal with the mundanity of their jobs and customers they hate.
The success of Clerks sparked not only the launch of Smith's career but also his interconnected universe known as the View Askewniverse, primarily connected with the characters of Jay and Silent Bob, portrayed by Jay Mewes and Smith. One such installment was 2006's Clerks II, a larger financial success and well-received, though not nearly as acclaimed as its predecessor. Given his love for the films' characters, Smith has expressed an interest in a third Clerks movie for years and teased script development on multiple occasions, and the time seems to be here finally.
Four years after announcing the script had been complete for the project, Lionsgate has announced it has acquired the rights to Clerks III with Smith writing and directing. Set to begin shooting next month in New Jersey, the long-awaited threequel will also see the return of original stars Jeff Anderson as Randal, Brian O’Halloran as Dante, Jay Mewes as Jay, Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, and Rosario Dawson as Becky. Smith wrote in a statement:
“There’s a saying from the Tao that goes something like ‘To be great is to go on. To go on is to go far. To go far is to return.’ Thanks to Lionsgate, we get to return to where it all started with almost the whole cast that started it all! And for the first time since the first time we ever made a movie in 1993, we’re shooting the entire flick on location in New Jersey, as an ode to both the enduring allure of cinema and the resourcefulness and lunacy of its storytellers. Years ago, Dante and Randal made me a filmmaker – so now it’s time I return the favor.”
The news of the threequel finally getting underway is enough of an exciting revelation, but the plot itself is actually the most enticing. Following Randal as he enlists his fellow clerks to make a movie immortalizing his life at the iconic Quick Stop after a major heart attack, the film is already feeling like one of his most personal in years. While Jay and Silent Bob Reboot may have been a fun bit of nostalgic fan service for some, it didn't really feel like it had much to say in the way of evolving the story of its titular characters or the larger View Askewniverse.
Even more interesting and exciting for Smith fans is the confirmation that Dawson will be returning as Clerks II newcomer Becky. Having only reunited with the writer/director on Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, her first outing in the View Askewniverse was a far more charming turn from the actress and makes her return for Clerks III all the better. With so much of the story rooted in his own life events, here's hoping the third and possibly final outing in the Clerks franchise sees Smith return in stellar fashion.