Director Kevin Smith's Tusk hasn't exactly been setting the box office on fire, pulling in just over $1 million from its first two weekends in limited release. Despite this lackluster performance, Smith has revealed that Tusk actually helped him land financing for Clerks III.

Last year, during one of his many Hollywood Babble-On podcasts, Kevin Smith explained how he was desperately trying to raise money for Clerks III so that he could release the sequel in 2014 to coincide with the original Clerks' 20th Anniversary. That obviously didn't happen, with the director moving onto the horrors of Tusk, about a man who is slowly and painfully transformed into a walrus.

In a more recent interview, the director explains how Tusk actually lead to Clerks III finally getting funded:

"Tusk was the absolute bridge to Clerks III. Because of Tusk I got my financing for Clerks III. A year and change ago I was desperately trying to get Clerks III made for the 20th anniversary and that desperation - I must have reeked of it because I couldn't f-king find money and shit. But it was Tusk, people going 'Holy f-k, what else do you have?' and I was like Clerks III and they're like 'Done.' So, everybody that's like, 'He failed, he failed,' I'm like 'Thank you, I failed into Clerks III.'"

Back in July, Kevin Smith announced plans to shoot Yoga Hosers and Anti-Claus, the second and third parts of his True North trilogy that started with this month's Tusk, before moving onto his highly-anticipated comedy sequel Clerks III. Yoga Hosers is currently in production now, but it isn't known when shooting will begin on Anti-Claus or Clerks III at this time.

Are you excited that Clerks III is moving forward? Chime in with your thoughts below.