Clerks 3 is all chopped up and ready to be screened. Throughout the sequel's production process, writer-director Kevin Smith has been pretty open with his fans about its progress by posting new updates along the way. The filmmaker, who began his career with the original Clerks in 1994, has now taken to Facebook to reveal that the movie has officially wrapped post-production, now placed into the hands of the studio.
Smith made the announcement by posting a throwback photo from the set of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. For Smith, it's been quite the journey he's been on with these characters, and it all goes back full-circle to having Clerks 3 as his newest movie, bringing Jay and Silent Bob back to the Quick Stop once again. You can see Smith's post below.
"Wanna feel old along with me?" Smith says. "As you can see by the date in the corner of the pic and on the clapper, 21 years ago from today, Jay Mewes and I were shooting this scene from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back! 21 years! This image is legal to drink now! 19 years after it was snapped, Jason Mewes and I would tour the sequel, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (indeed, 2 years ago from right now, we were arriving in Baltimore for the #rebootroadshowtour)."
He adds, "It occurs to me I’ve spent half my professional career saying nothing - and I don’t *just* mean intellectually and cinematically. It’s one of the reasons I talk so much when I’m just being me. So me is here to tell you that Clerks 3 is locked and delivered to Lionsgate! I imagine we’ll see the first trailer by mid-May - not during today’s ad blitz. Meantime, everybody smoke a super bowl for me today! I’m rooting for the New Jersey Devils to win the pennant!"
Clerks 3 Is Inspired By Kevin Smith's Real-Life Heart Attack
For many years, Kevin Smith had wanted to make Clerks 3, but Randal Graves actor Jeff Anderson was not interested in doing a third film. Without Randal on board, Smith never saw the point in doing another film. After Smith suffered a heart attack, he was inspired to change the creative vision he had for Clerks 3, imagining a new story with Randal going through something similar. The experience has Randal shooting a movie in the Quick Stop much like Smith also did in the early 1990s.
The official synopsis for Clerks 3 reads: "Following a massive heart attack, Randal enlists Dante, Elias, Jay and Silent Bob to make a movie immortalizing his life at the convenience store that started it all."
Clerks 3 doesn't have an official release date, but with the trailer probably coming in May, let's hope we get to clock back in at the Quick Stop before the end of 2022.