Despite the fact he may not be the most notorious filmmaker in Hollywood, few directors have a resume as impressive as Kevin Smith’s. Being responsible for films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy, Smith has been the brains behind more classic Hollywood films than most probably realize. However, one film that preceded both of the aforementioned projects and set the stage for Smith’s long and successful career: the 1994 cult classic Clerks. The black-and-white film tells the story of a day in the life of two men working at a New Jersey convenience store, truly capturing the essence of The Garden State and what makes it so unique. Lucky fans were treated to a sequel in 2006 with the release of Clerks II, and now it has been confirmed that Clerks III is currently in the works and will begin filming in New Jersey next month.
Smith has been alluding to Clerks III since the sequel was released 15 years ago now, however the director has seemingly struggled to gain any momentum despite how well-received Clerks II was. Now hee will finally get his opportunity to complete the Clerks trilogy with Lionsgate picking up the global distribution rights for Clerks III, giving Smith the push he so desperately needed. The project will feature the original cast from Clerks II which includes Jeff Anderson, Brian O’Halloran, Jason Mewes, Rosario Dawson and Smith himself, and will seemingly bring an end to the iconic franchise. In the upcoming project, Anderson’s character Randal suffers a heart attack and enlists the help of his friends to make a movie about his life at the convenience store that the original Clerks film was set in, truly bringing everything full circle. Clerks III has been a long time coming for dedicated fans, and now it looks like that time has finally come to fruition.
Though Clerks III won’t be the box office success that many of Smith’s other films have been, the project serves a clear and direct purpose. Though Clerks II ended on a high-note, it left many fans speculating what was left in store for the gang of misfit adults they had waited over a decade to return to the silver screen. Although the wait was even longer this time, this project is equally if not even more special than the one before it as it brings a conclusion to a franchise that has been in the making for almost 30 years. Fans can await the return of Jay & Silent Bob and the rest of the crew from Clerks when Clerks III debuts in the coming future.
