‘Clerks 3’ Update: Kevin Smith Begins Work On Screenplay

Clerks 3 is officially coming to the big screen. A few months ago we reported that writer/director Kevin Smith was playing around with the idea, and really hoped to eventually get it off the ground when he wasn’t busy with his Internet podcast. Smith has reportedly found the time and has started penning the script for Clerks 3.

It was suggested that Clerks 3 may just be his last film, which isn’t anything new for Kevin Smith fans as the director has been trying to give up writing and directing since his 2010 flick Cop Out.

Initially Clerks 3 had a few different incarnations that Smith wanted to take it in. First it was going to be a Broadway play, then he spoke about making a straight film, and then the collaborative book idea came in. The possibility of Clerks 3 being a book seemed promising.

Back in February Smith mentioned during a panel that Smith would probably release a Clerks book which would be chapter by chapter, while taking a more collaborative approach by taking insight from fans. Of the decision to turn Clerks 3 into a fan-controlled book, Smith said:

“I know people would go, ‘Why would you want to? You’re an artist. Well, now I’m a new-media artist and the new-media artist involves the audience and that’s something I’ve been doing for nearly 20 years at this point anyway.”

Now it looks like Smith has abandoned all of those meta-media ideas for Clerks 3, to return to his roots. He’s just going to make the damn thing. Smith took to his Facebook page to give the of the Clerks 3 movie to his fans, writing:

“THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 20 years ago today, we started shooting CLERKS. 20 years later, with no plan or provocation, I jumped out of bed at 4:20 this morning and started writing CLERKS III. It’s been like hanging out with old friends. And after 2 hours of tapping the keys and giggling, I have come to a conclusion… CLERKS III will be the best film I’ll ever make.”
To get things jumped off for Clerks 3, Smith even posted a screen cap of the title page of his first draft for the flick. While this is just a first step in several, it looks like Smith is finally taking Clerks 3 in the right direction.

Are you excited for Clerks 3?