Kevin Smith’s last four movies — Red State, Tusk, the anthology film Holidays, and Yoga Hosers — made less than $7 million during their theatrical runs, combined. The writer and director of Clerks knew a film about sausage Nazis was never going to be a blockbuster, or even make as much as the mainstream Cop Out, and he didn’t intend it to be; Tusk was a fans-only affair.
It’s been over 20 years since Chasing Amy, and even longer since Clerks and Mallrats, and Smith is trying to tap into that old-school magic with his next film. He wanted to make Clerks 3, which isn’t happening. He pitched Mallrats 2, which isn’t happening. He offered Mallrats: The Series, which isn’t happening. So, he’s settled on a sequel to Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
Smith made the announcement on Instagram, where he wrote, “This is not a drill! This is an actual image from my laptop! [Jay and Silent Bob] are coming back! Here’s the story: Sadly, Clerks III can’t happen (one of our four leads opted out of the flick). So I worked on a #Mallrats movie instead… which also didn’t happen because it turned into a #Mallrats series. I’ve pitched said sequel series to 6 different networks only to find no takers thus far.”
He continued:
Mind you, I’m not complaining: nobody gets to make EVERYTHING they wanna make in this business (do they?). And I’ve been lucky to make anything at all, there’s so much competition out there, so many much cooler ideas from fresh folks. And besides: I had #comicbookmen and then @tuskthemovie and @yogahosers (which all came together so crazy quickly), and the podcasts and #fatmanonbatman. With all of that, how could I bitch about no Clerks III or Mallrats 2? Then when I started directing @thecw shows, it was such a slice of Heaven on Earth, I happily put my Askewniverse sequels to the side. Since I sold #Clerks and #Mallrats years ago, they’re owned by others, which limits my moves with my own material. I don’t mind: back in the day, all I ever wanted to do was sell my stuff so I could be in the movie biz in the first place. So I don’t own Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy or #Dogma…
But I DO own #jayandsilentbob. So while I love playing with someone else’s new toys on @cwtheflash and @Supergirl, I’m getting eager to play with my old toys again in the inter-connected View Askewniverse I spent the first half of my career creating. And so all last month, I had the time of my life laughing while writing “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” – a fun flick in which the Jersey boys have to go back to Hollywood to stop a brand new reboot of the old “Bluntman & Chronic Movie” they hated so much. It’s a tongue-in-cheek, silly-ass satire that pokes fun at the movie business’s recent re-do obsession, featuring an all-star cast of cameos and familiar faces! And I already met with the good folks at Miramax and they’re into it, so I’m hoping we’ll be shooting in the summer!
Never give up, kids. You CAN do anything you want in life, so long as you’re patient and malleable. #KevinSmith (Via)
Meanwhile, Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season is stuck in production hell.
(Via Instagram)
