Kevin Smith reveals how Clerks III is similar to the original film. Clerks III is a film years in making, with Smith first teasing the idea in 2012, and has been in development on and off at various points over the past decade. The film will now arrive in theaters in September 2022, sixteen years after the release of Clerks II and 28 years after the release of the original Clerks, which launched Smith into one of the star directors of the 1990s.
Clerks III will reunite the original film’s cast and bring in returning actors from Clerks II like Rosario Dawson and Trevor Fehrman. Smith’s longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck will appear in Clerks III as a new character, unconnected to his roles in both Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. The film will revolve around Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and Randall (Jeff Anderson), making a movie at the Quick Stop paying homage to Smith’s own real-life story of making Clerks as well as being influenced by his experience suffering a near-fatal heart attack.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Smith revealed how Clerks III is like making Clerks back in 1994. Clerks III was shot in New Jersey, just like the first film, and the first time Smith has filmed the entirety of a movie in his home state since the original movie as opposed to Clerks II, which was shot in Los Angeles. The film also fittingly brings everything full circle and back to the Quick Stop location, which only appeared at the beginning and end of Clerks II as the majority of that film took place at the Mooby’s restaurant that is seen across the View Askewnieverse films. Smith said:
“I love Clerks II; it’s one of my favorite films I’ve ever made. But we spend all of the movie away from Quick Stop – and Quick Stop is the nucleus, man. It’s the rock from which all the waters flow; it’s where all the ley lines cross. We shot Clerks II mostly in Buena Park, California, so there was that aspect. Is it really a Clerks movie if you’re not in New Jersey? This time around, because of the heart attack and because the timing worked out, we got to shoot the entire movie in New Jersey. Which is the first time I’ve done that since the first movie I ever made.”
While the Quick Stop location was recently seen in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, the production recreated that location in New Orleans for budgetary reasons. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot proved to be a big hit on DVD and Blu-Ray that Lionsgate approached Smith about making Clerks III, and the budget reportedly allowed the production to return to New Jersey. Smith was born and raised in Jersey, and for a good majority of his career, all of his films were set, and the first film the director made not set in his home state was 2008’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
While Clerks III might be bringing the Clerks franchise full circle and giving it an ending, the View Askewnieverse has found new life. First starting with 2019’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and now Clerks III, the franchise will continue with Twilight of the Mallrats. Smith’s career has grown in several ways since the release of Clerks in 1994, but it is incredibly fitting that he is ending the story that he started all those years ago back in its original location.
