In the 1990s, Kevin Smith saw his first wave of success, having served as writer and director of classic films such as 1993’s Clerks as well as 1997’s Chasing Amy. Smith’s success carried over into the beginning of the 21st century, and in all included nine total films written and directed by Smith, all of which achieved a credible level of success to say the least. Now, Smith looks to inject a breath of fresh air into his resume: just last year Smith revived his infamous characters Jay and Silent Bob for Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, and just earlier this year Smith announced he had completed the script for Twilight of the Mallrats, working title of the upcoming sequel to the 1995 original Mallrats. Though little has been said since Smith confirmed the script’s completion in April, Smith confirmed via Instagram earlier this week that the original cast will be returning in virtually its entirety for the upcoming film alongside new cast and characters, revisiting the original storyline of Mallrats while exploring new storylines simultaneously.
The original featured a remarkable cast to say the least, with Jeremy London and Jason Lee starring alongside their love interests of Joey Lauren Adams and Shannon Doherty in a story following two young men in a day of their lives at the local mall. Set in a small town in New Jersey, much like the town of Red Bank, NJ where Smith hails from, the film follows these London and Lee as they navigate the lives of two young men living in small town America in the 1990’s, where the local mall is treated as a cultural epicenter, and all the peculiarities that come with it. Now, 25 years after the original films release, not only has Smith confirmed the completion of a script, but also the revival of the original film’s cast for the sequel. Though fans are sure to be excited about this, the film will not center solely around the former cast; Smith provided some insight into the upcoming film’s plot as well via his Instagram page: “It’s about Brodie [Lee’s character] and his daughter and the death of the mall.”
In taking the time to watch Kevin Smith’s revered catalogue, it becomes apparent that all of Smith’s movies exist within the same cinematic universe in a fashion comparable to that of Quentin Tarantino, albeit probably much easier to wrap one’s head around. This becomes increasingly apparent the more you watch, with a teaser for the upcoming sequel featured in last year’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot where Jason Lee makes a quick cameo around the beginning of the film. This seemingly serves as a great aid for Smith in rebooting these films, drawing on a sense of familiarity that can be achieved when turning on virtually any individual Kevin Smith movie. Much like any great director, when immersed in a Kevin Smith film it is as if you are immersed in his own universe, experiencing life through the lens of a man from a tiny town in one of the smallest states in the country; now, fans will be understandably excited to immerse themselves in this universe once again as filming on the sequel will begin in 2021.
