Clerks III is headed into production in August. Writer and director Kevin Smith will celebrate his birthday by rolling cameras on the long-awaited sequel thanks to a recent acquisition by Lionsgate. Smith took to Twitter to publicly thank the studio for its involvement. He tweeted out, “‘To be great is to go on. To go on is to go far. To go far is to return.’ On August 2, for my 51st birthday, I return to Quick Stop – the little store that started it all – with my friends Dante, Randal, Jay, Silent Bob, Becky, & Elias! Thank you Lionsgate for making CLERKS III!”
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The film is already in pre-production. The film will feature original Clerks cast members Jeff Anderson as Randal, Brian O’Halloran as Dante, Smith as Silent Bob, and Jay Mewes as Jay. Rosario Dawson is also back Becky, first seen in the sequel Clerks II. Liz Destro and Jordan Monsanto are producing.
“To be great is to go on.
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) July 19, 2021
To go on is to go far.
To go far is to return.”
On August 2, for my 51st birthday, I return to Quick Stop – the little store that started it all – with my friends Dante, Randal, Jay, Silent Bob, Becky, & Elias! Thank you @Lionsgate for making CLERKS III! https://t.co/7IUNdleg8f
The story, inspired by Smith’s life, begins with Randal surviving a heart attack, as Smith did in 2018. Randal will then reach out to his friends for help making a movie about his life, which means going back to the convenience store where the original Clerks took place.
In the initial statement announcing the acquisition, Smith said, “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.”
Eda Kowan, Lionsgate’s EVP of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, added, “The Clerks movies are audience favorites and many of Kevin’s films like Dogma, Red State, and the Jay and Silent Bob Reboot are a beloved part of our library that continues to delight Kevin’s devoted fans. We’re thrilled to be presenting the next chapter in the Clerks saga to moviegoers worldwide.”
What do you think of Clerks III heading into production? Let us know what you think about it in the comments.
