Kevin Smith Has A Plan For His Unmade ‘Clerks III’ Script

Fans who are still dying for a glimpse at what writer-director Kevin Smith cooked up for the now-shelved “Clerks III” are in luck. Taking to Twitter on Monday, Smith announced a live-reading of the unmade screenplay will take place on Aug. 3.

“This August - in the great state of New Jersey!” Smith tweeted. “Come hear what might have been, when we read the unmade CLERKS III script! There are only 80 seats at a pricey $100 apiece, but all the money goes to The First Avenue Playhouse (it’s a Benefit for them)!”

As of the publication of this piece, the event is sold out. The First Avenue Playhouse is located at 123 First Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. According to the Eventbrite page for the event, Smith held open auditions for the original “Clerks” at the theater back in the 90s. It is unclear at this point what other performers will be involved in the show.

Smith began writing “Clerks III” in 2013 with plans to release for the first film’s 20th anniversary in 2014, and for it to be his final film as a director. At the time, Smith called the planned sequel “the best film I’ll ever make” and compared it to Giuseppe Tornatore’s “Cinema Paradiso,” a beloved Italian film about an older filmmaker recalling his childhood with movies.

Plans for the film stalled due to funding issues and Smith eventually moved on to working on “Mallrats 2,” which also has not been made. Smith confirmed in 2017 that the project had been cancelled after one of the four leads dropped out. He is currently in post-production on “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot," a direct sequel to "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."

“Clerks” was released in 1994 and followed two slackers, Dante and Randall, as they discuss life, love, and movies while doing their best to avoid their responsibilities on the job at a rickety convenience store. The film became a cult sensation and launched the rest of Smith’s career. A sequel, “Clerks II,” was released in 2006.