Clerks III
Clerks III is an upcoming American comedy film written, produced, directed, and edited by Kevin Smith. It is intended to serve as the sequel to the 1994 and 2006 films, and the ninth overall feature film set in the View Askewniverse. Starring Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Rosario Dawson, Trevor Fehrman, Jason Mewes, and Smith; the film revolves around Randal Graves, who after surviving a heart attack, wants to make a movie with Dante Hicks about their lives at the Quick Stop. The film is set to be released in 2022, by Lionsgate. Production. Development. During press  for "Clerks II", Kevin Smith briefly discussed the possibility of a "Clerks III". Stating that "if there's ever gonna be a "Clerks III", it would be somewhere down the road in my 40s or 50s, when it might be interesting to check back in on Dante and Randal. But I don't know about Jay and Bob so much, 'cause at 45, leaning on a wall in front of a convenience store might be a little sad." Smith repeated this sentiment on one of the audio commentary tracks on the "Clerks II" DVD, to which Jeff Anderson jokingly  replied, "Oh, don't get me started", referring to Anderson's well known doubts about making "Clerks II" when first approached by Smith. On March 29, 2012, Smith expressed his interest in producing "Clerks III" as a Broadway play after seeing the Theresa Rebeck comedy "Seminar" starring Alan Rickman, with whom Smith had previously worked on "Dogma". On December 10, 2012, Smith released a special Hollywood Babble-On episode, "Hollywood Babble-On #000: GIANT SIZED ANNUAL # 1: CLERKS III, AUDIENCE 0", in which he revealed greater details on his plans for "Clerks III". Smith stated that an ongoing audit over  residuals from "Clerks II" with The Weinstein Company was causing a delay in several key "Clerks III" cast and crew members, including Anderson and Scott Mosier, from coming on board until the audit was resolved. Smith also revealed that he would like to crowdsource "Clerks III", either through Kickstarter or Indiegogo, with contributors receiving anything from DVDs, posters, and even roles as extras in the film. On June 5, 2013, he changed his mind on crowdsourcing, stating "I've got access to money. And worst-case scenario, I can put up my house." Smith worked on a script for "Clerks  III" from March to May 2013, stating when he completed it that it was ""The Empire Strikes Back"" of the series. In July 2013, Jason Mewes stated that they were now just waiting to hear back from The Weinstein Company about funding. On September 26, 2014, Smith stated on his "Hollywood Babble-On" podcast, that he was glad that he made "Tusk", stating, "Everything in my life would suck right now if I hadn't made that movie. I'm back in movies now. I've got three lined up, and this is the fucking grand news. "Tusk" was the  absolute bridge to "Clerks III". Because of "Tusk", I got my financing for "Clerks III"". Smith continued: "A year and change ago, I was trying to fucking desperately get "Clerks III" made for the 20th anniversary. And that desperation, I must have reeked of it, because I couldn't fucking find money and shit. But it was "Tusk", it was people going 'Holy fuck! What else do you have?' And I was like, "Clerks III", done. So everybody that's like, 'He failed, he failed,' thank you - I failed into "Clerks III". So, never trust anybody when they tell you  how your story goes, man. You know your story. You write your own story." There were plans to start shooting "Clerks III" in May 2015, but these were put on hold to film another sequel, "Mallrats 2". However, by June 2016 the plans for a "Mallrats" sequel had been turned into plans for a "Mallrats" TV series. In July 2019, Smith announced that he'll do a live reading of "Clerks III" at the First Avenue Playhouse in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. The reading was held on August 3, 2019. That same month, Smith has revealed at San Diego Comic  Con that he's writing a new script for "Clerks III" and promises to make the film. On October 1, 2019, Smith confirmed on Instagram that "Clerks III" was happening and that Jeff Anderson agreed to reprise his role as Randal. "It'll be a movie that concludes a saga. It'll be a movie about how you're never too old to completely change your life. It'll be a movie about how a decades-spanning friendship finally confronts the future. It'll be a movie that brings us back to the beginning—a return to the cradle of  civilization in the great state of #newjersey. It'll be a movie that stars Jeff and @briancohalloran, with me and Jay in supporting roles. And it'll be a movie called CLERKS III!" The new script will follow Randal, after surviving a heart attack, and Dante making a movie about their lives at the store, a plot initially conceived as a film adaptation of "" titled "Clerks: Sell Out". In January 2021, Smith announced the script was complete. In July 2021, Lionsgate obtained the rights to produce and distribute the film, while also confirming Rosario Dawson and Trevor Fehrman would reprise  their roles of Becky Scott and Elias Grover from "Clerks II" respectively. Filming. Principal photography began on August 2, 2021, in Red Bank, New Jersey. Filming wrapped on August 31, 2021. Post-production. Post-production was completed on February 13, 2022, with Smith announcing a trailer is slated to debut in May. Release. "Clerks III" is scheduled to be released in 2022, by Lionsgate.