Clerks and Clerks II still stand among Kevin Smith’s most recognisable and best-loved films. But despite that appeal, the journey to wrap up the story with Clerks III has been a long, hard road, littered with unrequited possibilities (a stage version! Smith’s swansong!). Now, however, it appears that Smith's latest film, Tusk, has opened a door to score the funds he needs to get Dante, Randal, Jay and Silent Bob back on our screens.
That’s despite the apparent failure of the new horror film at the box office. Tusk has been in US cinemas for 10 days now and has so far made roughly $1.4 million. Even Smith has said it’s effectively “gasping for air” urging his considerable Twitter following and fan base to check it out.
But that that not prevented someone noticing the movie and getting in touch with the writer/director, who recounted his new stroke of luck on the Hollywood Babble-On podcast on Friday.
“A year and change ago I was desperately trying to get Clerks III made for the 20th anniversary and that desperation — I must have reeked of it because I couldn't f–king find money and shit,” Smith says. “But it was Tusk, people going ‘Holy f–k, what else do you have?’ and I was like 'Clerks III' and they're like ‘Done'. So, everybody that's like, ‘He failed, he failed,’ I'm like ‘Thank you, I failed into doing Clerks III.”
The Weinstein Company has the rights to distribute the film, but didn’t want to cough up an estimated $6 million budget to make it. With that hurdle out of the way, Clerks III could conceivably kick off shooting next year, once Smith finishes work on **Yoga Hosers.