Kevin Smith has at all times been nostalgic, however these sentimental emotions solely deepened after he suffered an almost deadly widowmaker in early 2018. Since then, he’s made a concerted effort to revisit the 5 pillars of his early filmography on the massive display: Clerks (1994), Mallrats (1995) Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Again (2001). Dubbed the “View Askewniverse,” his characters have appeared in varied different mediums through the years, however 2006’s Clerks II was the one live-action sequel for properly over a decade.
That modified in 2019 when the Jersey native launched Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, the long-awaited sequel to Strike Again. The movie not solely included Ben Affleck’s reprisal of his Chasing Amy character, Holden McNeil, however it additionally rekindled his friendship with Smith after a decade of distance. Clerks III, which took inspiration from mentioned coronary heart assault, then adopted just a few years later in 2022. Nonetheless, all through the final decade-plus, Smith’s makes an attempt to revive Mallrats and Dogma have repeatedly been rebuffed. He nonetheless had Jason Lee’s beloved Mallrats character, Brodie Bruce, return in Reboot, in addition to Matt Damon’s Loki from Dogma, however correct follow-ups have hit an assortment of snags.
Within the broadest of phrases, Dogma is a non secular satire a few group of characters who’re actually or figuratively caught in limbo. Affleck and Damon’s fallen angels of Bartleby and Loki can’t enter, not to mention get pleasure from, the afterlife, and it’s a destiny that Smith’s second-highest-grossing film has additionally needed to bear. Outdoors of some scattered house video releases within the 2000s, the controversial fantasy comedy has largely been unobtainable on bodily media. Furthermore, it’s been fully absent on streaming and digital platforms. Such disregard shouldn’t occur to a movie that boasts a star-studded ensemble of Affleck, Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Lee, Alanis Morissette and George Carlin.
The movie’s lack of post-theatrical life could be attributed to the tangled net of Harvey Weinstein. In 2008, after seven movies collectively, Smith’s relationship with the previous Miramax/Weinstein Firm principal turned frayed, they usually went their separate methods. He finally wrote letters to resuscitate Dogma, however they fell on deaf ears till October 2017. That’s when Smith says he obtained a name from Weinstein out of the blue. In the end, he was lastly expressing curiosity in Dogma, be it as a sequel or follow-up streaming collection, they usually deliberate to speak once more the next week. However then the landmark New York Occasions exposé about Weinstein rocked the world just a few days later. Jonathan Gordon, Smith’s pal and former Miramax exec, satisfied him that Weinstein’s Dogma telephone name was only a pretext to gauge whether or not Smith himself was a supply for the Occasions article that chronicled many years of sexual misconduct.
In 2019, as Weinstein’s authorized issues have been escalating, Smith determined to take a run at buying Dogma, however his separate gives of $250K and $500K have been each rejected. He recruited some outdoors assist to the tune of $1 million, however that overture was additionally declined. The Samuel Goldwyn Firm proceeded to take a crack at it for $5 million, however a future revenue sharing clause with Weinstein turned a dealbreaker for Smith. Then, in a divinely surprising approach, Smith obtained correspondence from an impartial producer named Alessandra Williams. She represented a Dubai firm that bought a group of movies from Weinstein’s fire-sale, together with Dogma.
Williams, who grew up in the identical neck of the woods as Smith, quickly turned the “guardian angel” of the image, having fallen in love with it as a child. With Smith now within the fold, she led the cost in an effort to belatedly have a good time Dogma’s twenty fifth anniversary. She helped dealer a cope with AMC Theatres for April and Could’s Dogma: The Resurrection Tour — a 20-city occasion that includes Smith’s signature post-screening Q&A. If that wasn’t sufficient, she additionally organized a large theatrical rerelease in North America a month later. Moreover, Dogma‘s bodily media drawback has now been solved with its first 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate. However maybe the crown jewel of Smith’s Dogma anniversary expertise got here courtesy of Williams’ determination to resubmit the movie to the Cannes Movie Pageant the place it first premiered in Could of 1999. Williams’ added persistence paid off because the movie returned to France as a part of the Cannes Classics program, receiving a 7-minute standing ovation.
“I obtained up on stage and informed all people, ‘I actually thought I used to be executed with the movie pageant side of my profession. So I’m right here to say that I’m going to write down a sequel to Dogma, and I’m going to come back again to point out it right here,’” Smith tells The Hollywood Reporter in help of Dogma’s new 4K. “The viewers all applauded, and proper subsequent to me, [fest director] Thierry Frémaux mentioned, ‘Whether it is good.’”
Elsewhere within the View Askewniverse, Smith was on the verge of starting manufacturing on a 3rd Jay and Silent Bob movie earlier this yr, however the commerce conflict between the US authorities and Canada value the stoner comedy its financing. Jay and Silent Bob: Retailer Wars is now anticipated to shoot elsewhere in 2026.
“We had Canadian cash, and the Canadian cash went away. It was simply as individuals have been getting aggressive with our mates up north,” Smith shares. “I used to be extra down on myself for the film falling aside. I used to be like, ‘Nicely, that is your fault. You need to have been extra profitable. When you’d been higher at your job, then you possibly can fucking pay in your personal artwork, and also you wouldn’t should go hat in hand to any individual else.’ So I can’t bitch.”
Under, throughout a latest dialog with THR, Smith additionally discusses how the one-two punch of Chasing Amy and Good Will Looking obtained Dogma green-lit, earlier than elaborating on the circumstances working in opposition to Mallrats 2.
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Ben Affleck’s Bartleby and Matt Damon’s Loki in Kevin Smith’s Dogma.
Triple Media Movie
Dogma predates Clerks in some respects, however you saved it in your again pocket till after your third movie, Chasing Amy. What was your rationale behind the timing of all of it?
It wasn’t that I saved it in my again pocket as a lot as, “Who’s going to offer me cash to make it after Clerks?” Clerks value $27,575, and Dogma was going to be a rattling web site extra. So the following film I wound up making was Mallrats at Common, however that was constructed to be extra mainstream. So discovering any individual who was prepared to make Dogma within the first place was at all times going to be an uphill battle. And within the wake of Mallrats dying on the vine and solely making $2 million — 1,000,000 {dollars} lower than Clerks had made — immediately no one was questioning, “Hey, what’s subsequent?”
Mercifully, [then-producing partner] Scott Mosier and I had signed a cope with Miramax. Our pal [Miramax exec] Jon Gordon introduced us in and mentioned, “Why are you making motion pictures at Common? We did Clerks, and it is best to make your own home right here.” So we arrange our general deal at Miramax, our shingle, if you’ll, proper earlier than Mallrats got here out. And thank the Lord we had a house, as a result of Common had no real interest in doing something with us after Mallrats died.
I then wrote Chasing Amy because the Hail Mary. Clerks was praised, and everybody shit in Mallrats’ mouth, so Chasing Amy was an effort to remain related. Initially, Chasing Amy was conceived as what it turned. However whereas we have been making Mallrats, all of us went to see Clueless, and our producer Jim Jacks mentioned, “You need to do this lesbian film you’re speaking about, however it is best to do it in highschool like they did for Clueless.” So I began writing a model of Chasing Amy that was set in highschool, however after Mallrats died, I made a decision that I used to be simply going to do it the best way I first needed to do it. Chasing Amy ended up being insanely properly obtained, though, these days, it’s a bit tougher for some of us. However again then, it was hailed as very progressive, notably within the wake of Mallrats. It was like,”Now this is the man who made Clerks.”
So Chasing Amy opened up the door of debate for the following film, and I needed to make Dogma, which, in 1997-98, was the best Miramax film in some ways. It was going to generate publicity with out having to pay for it. Miramax favored to skate in the direction of the sting and do issues that weren’t very studio oriented, so Dogma match proper into that area of interest. It simply felt like a Miramax film, for heaven’s sake.
Apart from Chasing Amy’s reception, there was one other movie that helped your Dogma campaign.
Yeah, Scott Mosier and I introduced Good Will Looking to Miramax. Fortress Rock gave Ben and Matt a little bit window [during turnaround] to take it out into the world, they usually have been like, “Are you able to get it into Miramax?” And I used to be like, “We’ll strive, man. Let me learn it.” In order that they FedExed it to me, and I sat down on the bathroom and didn’t depart till I used to be executed studying it. I got here out of the toilet crying, and Scott Mosier was like, “That was a hell of a shit.” And I mentioned, “Ben and Matt fucking wrote a script that, no bullshit, may in all probability win an Academy Award.” And he mentioned, “No.” And I mentioned, “I swear. It’s fucking good. Learn it, man. It’s a grown-up film and shit.”
So we introduced it into Miramax, they usually wound up shopping for it. It was costly. Ben and Matt had offered it for $600K to Fortress Rock, and with turnaround prices, Miramax needed to pay 1,000,000, one thing they’d by no means paid for a script. However they cherished the script, they usually fucking picked it up. So between Chasing Amy’s launch in April of ‘97 and Good Will Looking’s launch in December of ‘97, that one-two punch made Dogma virtually a executed deal.
The price range additionally elevated after Chasing Amy and Good Will Looking. After we have been assembly about it on the 1997 Sundance Movie Pageant, the price range was going to be $3 million, however by the point we went in entrance of cameras, Ben and Matt had turn out to be [Oscar-nominated] Ben and Matt. They received the [original screenplay] Oscar whereas we have been taking pictures the film. So we have been in a position to get that price range as much as extra of a good $10 million. Looking back, Dogma in all probability ought to have had a $15 million to $20 million price range, however we labored all of it out.
So it wasn’t a matter of me protecting Dogma in my again pocket. No one was going to make that shit, and whereas I had sufficient juice at that time, I additionally had two 800-pound gorillas by the identify of Ben and Matt who needed to be within the film. Truthfully, they deserve extra credit score than the rest. On the finish of the day, if it was simply me going, “I need to make this film,” I may have been distracted, dissuaded or been given a flat-out no. However as a result of I had these two dudes who have been rising and have been [in contention to win] an Academy Award, we obtained the inexperienced gentle to go forward.
Ben Affleck’s Bartleby and Matt Damon’s Loki in Kevin Smith’s Dogma.
Miramax Movies/Photofest
I hate to carry up a sore topic, however after Matt and Ben received their Good Will Looking screenplay Oscar in March of 1998, they each regretted not thanking you of their speech as promised.
This interview is over! I’m going to go cry. I already went to the nuthouse three years in the past for trauma; I don’t want any extra of this shit.
(Laughs.) You simply mentioned Dogma was already off and working, however I did surprise at first whether or not their dedication was partially a solution to make amends for that Oscar speech omission.
Oh God, no. Joey [Lauren Adams] and I have been relationship, and I went to see her in Tampa as she was engaged on a present referred to as Second Noah. And whereas she was taking pictures at evening, I’d be writing within the resort room. I knew I used to be writing Chasing Amy for Ben, Jason [Lee] and Joey, however I by no means informed anybody however Joey. So I used to be like, “I ought to ask Ben, man, simply in case he doesn’t need to do it.”
I then referred to as him from Tampa and mentioned, “I’m in Tampa hanging out with Joey, man. She’s making this TV present, and I’m scripting this flick that she’s going to be in.” And he was like, “You higher write a flick for her, or she’s going to dump your ass.” I then mentioned, “Nicely, I’m additionally writing the flick for you.” And he mentioned, “What do you imply?” And I mentioned, “I would like you to play the lead on this film I’m writing. You’re charming, and you may completely pull off taking part in a number one man as an alternative of a dude who beats individuals up.” After which he obtained all quiet for a beat till he mentioned, “Lastly. Thanks for recognizing it. Yeah, I’d love to try this, man. When can I learn it?” And I mentioned, “Nicely, I’m heading house tomorrow. Why don’t you come to Jersey from Boston to choose up the pages.” In any other case, I used to be going to should fax him 60 pages, so he was like, “Alright.”
So after I obtained house from Tampa, he skilled up, and we frolicked for the day round Purple Financial institution. He obtained to see the Fast Cease [from Clerks] and the comedian bookstore [that I later bought]. When it was time for him to depart, I gave him the 60 pages of Chasing Amy, and he was like, “You going to drive me house?” And I used to be like, “No, I’m not going to drive you house. Get again on the prepare, man. It leaves proper out of Purple Financial institution.” And he mentioned, “Come on, man. It’s a five-hour prepare trip.” And I used to be like, “You’ve obtained that script to learn.” And he mentioned, “60 pages aren’t going to final lengthy. What else you bought?” And I mentioned, “Did you ever learn Dogma?” And he mentioned, “What’s that?” And I mentioned, “Dogma is a script that I wrote earlier than Clerks. It’s one which I need to do sometime.” And he mentioned, “Let me learn it.”
So he referred to as later that evening when he obtained house, and I used to be like, “What’d you consider Chasing Amy? And he mentioned, “Man falls in love with a lesbian. Actual cute. However that Dogma script, man, that’s dope. That’s pimp. Bartleby, dude. I need to play Bartleby.” He actually needed to play Bartleby in an enormous unhealthy approach. And I used to be like, “Look, that’d be good, however it’s going to require well-known individuals to get that film made. So that you’re going to should get actual well-known.”
Finally, on the primary day that we have been taking pictures Dogma with Ben and Matt, Matt talks to Betty Aberlin’s nun within the airport, after which we have been on Ben’s single shot earlier than Matt jumps over the seat to affix him in a two shot. Ben then waved me over to him, and I mentioned, “What?” And he mentioned, “Film star.” And I used to be like, “Sure, sure, you are actually.”
Matt Damon’s Loki and Ben Affleck’s Bartleby in Kevin Smith’s Dogma.
Courtesy of Triple Media Movie
In keeping with the web, Gwyneth Paltrow is someplace within the background of that airport scene, however I couldn’t discover her with a fine-tooth comb. What’s the reality?
(Smith ponders for a second.) The mathematics works as a result of [she and Ben] have been a factor then, however I’ve a tough time getting my head round the truth that Gwyneth went to Pittsburgh. I went out to lunch with them on the Time Cafe in Manhattan, and that appeared to make sense. However I simply can’t think about she would’ve dipped into Pittsburgh, circa 1998. There was nothing there for her — and I like Pittsburgh. I’ve shot two motion pictures there, however Woman Goop doesn’t look like a Pittsburgh form of individual to me. She did a voice within the Clerks cartoon, and we labored on that in 1999, 2000. I simply can’t say for positive if she was on the Dogma set, however she was positively not within the background of a shot.
How did Matt enter the fray?
As soon as Ben needed to play Bartleby, I used to be like, “Alright, Jason Lee will play Loki.” However Jason Lee obtained provided a film referred to as American Delicacies over in France. He was going to get to study French and play a chef. Nevertheless it was proper across the time we have been going to shoot Dogma, and Lee was like, “I need to go do the French film. Are you able to wait?” And I used to be like, “No, we are able to’t wait, man. You’ve obtained to choose me or the French film.” He picked the French film.
When he obtained executed, we hadn’t began taking pictures but as a result of our begin obtained delayed. So he was like, “Can I nonetheless be in Dogma?” And I mentioned, “Nicely, we already forged your half. Ben gave it to his buddy, Matt, and Matt desires to do it.” And Lee mentioned, “Nicely, is there something left?” And I mentioned, “There’s the unhealthy man, Azrael, and whereas we’re out to Alec Baldwin, I don’t suppose he’s going to say sure.” So Lee was like, “I’ll do it.”
It will’ve been one factor if we had Ben Affleck, post-Good Will Looking and Chasing Amy, however we additionally had Ben and fucking Matt. We had Good Will himself of their subsequent function, they usually each obtained scale. No one obtained paid on Dogma. That is THR, however for many who don’t know, scale is the minimal wage of the film enterprise.
Ben Affleck on the set of Kevin Smith’s Dogma.
Courtesy of Triple Media Movie
Given the momentum Ben and Matt had, their agent should’ve been beside himself.
[Their agent] Patrick Whitesell, for a very long time, hated my fucking guts. Ben informed me that at one level. He mentioned, “Dude, Patrick hates you.” And I mentioned, “Why? I’m at all times placing you in motion pictures.” And Ben mentioned, “You’re at all times placing me in motion pictures the place I don’t make a dime. So in fact my agent doesn’t such as you.” Alan Rickman gave a Snape-worthy efficiency that Warner Bros. would later pay some huge cash for, however he additionally gave us that efficiency for minimal wage.
Just one individual obtained paid over-scale. Within the wake of Pulp Fiction, we needed Sam Jackson for Rufus, and so we went out to him. It’s so bizarre speaking about them now as a result of I went to Guillermo del Toro’s screening of Frankenstein the opposite evening, and I noticed Sam Jackson and Don Cheadle there. Across the time of Dogma’s casting, I went out to lunch with Don Cheadle at Jerry’s Well-known Deli. He was coming off of Satan in a Blue Gown and Boogie Nights, and he cherished the Dogma script. So I used to be like, “I’m down with you, however we’re out to Sam Jackson proper now,” solely Sam wasn’t responding. It was taking a minute.
In that interim, we additionally heard that Chris Rock needed to fulfill with me and Scott. This was after Roll with the New when Chris Rock was rising as the following George Carlin. I’ve been following his profession since I’m Gonna Git You Sucker and SNL, so he’d taken this massive leap and turn out to be the considering man’s comic. So he, too, was like, “I like this film, man. I need to be in it.” And we have been like, “That might be wonderful, alright.” So we informed Miramax, “Chris Rock desires to be in it,” they usually’re like, “Chris Rock? Alright, let’s do it.” In order that they made him a proposal.
I then discovered you may’t make a proposal to an actor after which supply the identical half to a different actor with out first telling the primary actor that the half is not open to them. So, as a result of we didn’t do this, Miramax needed to pay Sam Jackson for that violation. They have been in tight with Sam from Pulp Fiction and whatnot, so Sam Jackson obtained paid extra to not be in Dogma than anyone who obtained paid to be in Dogma.
When Matt cracks up through the “Run’s Home” second outdoors the bus, did he break character? Or was {that a} selection?
I feel that’s a purposeful selection. It’s not like he can’t ever break character and snigger, however Matt is like Alan Rickman in relation to appearing. He treats that shit loopy severely. It’s his fucking craft. He has at all times handled it essentially the most severely of anyone I’ve ever labored with apart from Alan. The “Run’s Home” line was within the script, however my favourite side of that’s as they’re strolling down the road. I don’t suppose we ever paid for this as a result of it’s so faint, however Matt breaks into the refrain of the Martin theme track. That was Matt simply being Matt, and it’s lovely. Ben is totally fucking hysterical, however Matt is a legit humorous man.
There’s a scene on the prepare the place we’re over Matt’s shoulder, and he’s speaking to Jay and Bob till he appears over his shoulder to see the Apostle. We did eight takes of that over Matt’s shoulder, and it nonetheless charms me to today. We’d name motion, and he would simply ad-lib a line in as if we have been having a dialog earlier than he turned to face the digital camera. And it was at all times a line about Star Wars. In his estimation, we’d be sitting there speaking about Star Wars as a result of it was a Kevin Smith film. And one among my favourite ad-libbed traces is just not within the film, however I hope I can get him to say it in one other flick someday. He’s going through Jay and Bob, and Matt, as Loki, goes, “Right here [referring to a lightsaber], it’s formed like a dick, and your father left it for you within the desert years in the past. Take it from me, a stranger.” It was simply so fucking humorous, man. His breakdown of Star Wars take after take rivaled my very own on the time.
Is it true that Jason Mewes turned so anxious about upsetting Alan Rickman that he memorized your entire Dogma script?
Sure, he was so scared. The a part of Jay relies on issues that Jay has mentioned and executed in actual life, however I nonetheless must spend a month instructing Jay easy methods to be Jay on digital camera. There was lots of handholding on Clerks. I needed to work him like a puppet; I virtually had my hand up his ass. On Mallrats, he was scared of appearing in entrance of extra individuals, and I used to be like, “They’re the crew. We’re in a mall. You’ll stroll by way of the mall along with your pants down again in Jersey. Now you’re getting paid for it. Come on.”
However going into Dogma, I used to be like, “Hey, man, you’ve obtained to be glorious this time round as a result of we’ve obtained actual actors within the film.” And he was like, “Who? Affleck?” And I used to be like, “We’ve obtained Alan Rickman.” And he mentioned, “Who’s that?”And I used to be like, “He’s the dude from Die Laborious.” And he went, “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!” And I used to be like, “No, that’s Bruce Willis. I’m speaking concerning the unhealthy man.” And he went, “So what?” And I used to be like, “Nicely, Alan Rickman is British, and the Brits invented appearing, so he ain’t going to face for any of your snoochie-boochies nonsense, man. He’s going to tear you aside with a glance, so that you’ve obtained to come back ready. You’ve obtained to know all of your traces.” And he was like, “Shut up.”
On the primary day we sat right down to rehearse, I used to be like, “The place’s your script?” And Jay mentioned, “I don’t want it.” And I mentioned, “Bullshit.” And he went, “Strive me.” So I learn the primary scene with Bethany, as Bethany, and he knew all his traces with out a script in entrance of him. I then went to a different scene and one other scene on the finish, and he nonetheless knew all his traces. And I used to be like, “Wow, take a look at you. You memorized all of your fucking traces. I’m impressed.” And he was like, “No, I memorized the entire script. Everyone’s traces.” And I used to be like, “Bullshit.” And he once more mentioned, “Strive me.” I then did traces from Ben and Chris, and he responded with the following traces. And I used to be like, “Who’re you, Rain Man? Why would you memorize your entire fucking script?” And he was identical to, “I don’t need to piss off that Rickman dude.”
So he met Alan on the first rehearsal, and afterwards, I went again to the suite we shared. 30 seconds later, Jay opens the door in a huff and slams it. And he mentioned, “That man is a fucking pussy, man. Why did you scare me?” And I used to be like, “I didn’t say he was going to beat you up. He’s simply a very good actor.” However they turned tremendous tight, and Rickman completely cherished Jason.
Alan Rickman’s Metatron in Dogma.
Courtesy of Triple Media Movie
I simply spoke to MCU Spider-Man director Jon Watts a few German 4K launch of his first film, Clown, which Dimension shelved domestically in 2014. Surprisingly, he mentioned that he by no means had a tug of conflict with the Weinsteins over the ultimate reduce. Did you expertise any post-production meddling on Dogma?
No, however we obtained Jedi mind-tricked into shortening the film. Harvey was often called Harvey Scissorhands again in these days, and he was legendary for taking motion pictures away from filmmakers. He would have his editor do a reduce of the film, after which he would current the filmmaker with a shortened model of their film that he favored higher. The primary reduce of Clerks that we took to market was ten minutes longer, and after Miramax purchased it, the be aware that Harvey gave us instantly was: “I’m an previous man, and this can be a younger man’s film. So I wouldn’t know what to chop, simply lose ten minutes.” So we have been principally left to our personal units. Chasing Amy was a tighter film anyway, however they have been like, “You would possibly need to lose this, this and this.”
With Dogma, I introduced in a three-hour reduce at first, and I used to be like, “That is the film, man.” And moderately than be like, “No, it’s not,” the method was: “The film is fantastic. It simply seems like there’s about ten minutes you possibly can take out to tighten it up.” And Mosier and I have been like, “Ten minutes? That’s straightforward.” Then we might carry within the subsequent reduce, they usually’d be like, “Wow, it’s unimaginable how good that is. Now that we discovered these ten minutes, possibly there’s ten extra minutes.” They did that for eight months, and we by no means actually considered it or observed till we obtained to the two-hour mark. That’s once they have been like, “That is the most effective the film has ever been, however it nonetheless seems like there’s one other ten minutes.” And I mentioned, “No, that is it. We’re not going any shorter than this.”
At that time, I noticed what had transpired, however I used to be by no means like, “Man, I want we’d saved that.” After we re-released the film this yr, there was an opportunity to re-incorporate something that was reduce out or omitted, however I had no real interest in doing that in any way. I don’t imply this for each filmmaker, however for this filmmaker, the film that goes out within the theaters is the film. That’s the director’s reduce.
Ben Affleck’s Bartleby in Kevin Smith’s Dogma.
Courtesy of Triple Media Movie
Have been you stunned that Cannes agreed to premiere what was thought of to be a controversial movie on the time?
No, as a result of I’d been spoiled by Clerks going to Cannes. I didn’t intend to be a movie pageant/awards man, however we received two awards at Cannes with Clerks. So I had this unfair notion of, “Nicely, if it occurred to our piece of shit, then it should occur to all people.” It wasn’t till years later did I begin to understand that I used to be in a really rarefied place. So we made Dogma to go to Cannes — and speak about fucking privilege.
The film we have been attempting to emulate was Pulp Fiction. We noticed it earlier than anybody ever did on the secret screening off the Croisette the evening earlier than it debuted on the pageant. So in my headcanon, I used to be like, “Nicely, I gotta return.” After I noticed Pulp Fiction, Dogma turned so much nearer to the film everyone knows. It turned extra violent and bloody, and I noticed the tonal shifts that have been doable in Pulp Fiction. So within the DNA of Dogma, and as soon as I used to be in a relationship with Miramax, we have been at all times going to be heading to Cannes. That sounds so fucked up at my age now.
Living proof, Dogma went again to Cannes this previous Could within the Cannes Traditional part. We obtained to stroll the fucking carpet and go up the steps. And on the prime of the steps, [festival director] Thierry Frémaux was like, “You’re again.” I hadn’t seen that dude in years. So I obtained up on stage and informed all people: “Hey, not for nothing, however I actually thought I used to be executed with the movie pageant side of my profession. However being again right here for the previous couple of days has rang a bell in my memory of a wonderful time in my life when this all began. So I’m right here to say that I’m going to write down a sequel to Dogma, and I’m going to come back again to point out it right here.” The viewers all applauded, and proper subsequent to me, Thierry mentioned, “Whether it is good.”
So there was part of me that used to simply imagine you’re robotically there, after which later in life, I used to be disabused of that notion. We submitted Clerks III and heard nothing. I then realized it’s not at all times made manifest. It’s the identical as Sundance. The primary time I submitted a film to Sundance that they didn’t take, I used to be like, “What!?” I used to be actually outraged and heartbroken as a result of I believed I used to be a part of the household. However Dogma was anticipated to go to Cannes. It will’ve been a shock if we didn’t get to go to the pageant at that time.
Each time I speak to you, I inquire about Twilight of the Mallrats as a result of I quoted Mallrats’ “framing enterprise” line in my senior yearbook.
I nonetheless love that.
You beforehand talked about to me the way you hoped to have Shannen Doherty’s greatest pal, Sarah Michelle Gellar, fill her function in Twilight of the Mallrats. Sarah truly commented on our story in help of such a tribute, saying, “Right here for this concept!”
You’re going to make me cry; I didn’t know that. She’s a great egg, man. I set to work along with her on the Masters of the Universe: Revelation cartoon, and we have been at a celebration at [EP] Ted Biaselli’s home when the present launched. It’s one of many solely good reminiscences I’ve from that present launching as a result of the web then got here after me. So Sarah was there, and I used to be like, “It’s wild that it’s taken us this lengthy to fulfill and work collectively.” And he or she mentioned, “We met years in the past. I auditioned for Mallrats.” And I used to be like, “What!?” And he or she was like, “Trish the Dish.” And I used to be like, “I had no fucking thought.” So listening to that she responded positively to the concept of her taking part in Shannen’s half, Rene, it’s going to make me cry.
You’ve tried and tried to pry that door open once more, however Common is detached to Mallrats 2. Have you ever requested Alessandra Williams if she might help release Mallrats in the identical approach she did for Dogma?
I don’t suppose anyone can. We’ve been attempting for ten years. Years in the past, after I was represented at William Morris, I mentioned to my previous agent, Phil Raskind, “I need to make a Mallrats sequel.” And he mentioned, “Nicely, there’s three paths by which we may do this. Common may simply make it.” And I used to be like, “I can’t think about that’s possible.” After which he mentioned, “We may herald cash, they usually may co-pro.” And I used to be like, “I can’t think about they’re going to try this both.” After which he mentioned, “The third choice is we simply take it out of Common, finance it ourselves and set it up.” And I used to be like, “That’s doable?” And he mentioned, “Yeah.”
Understanding there was a path, that’s after I went and wrote it. I then completed the script, and he was like, “We’ve obtained to show it into Common.” And I used to be like, “Why? They’re not going to make it.” And he mentioned, “Nicely, they’ve obtained to cross on it.” So we despatched it into Common, they usually handed on it: “We don’t need to make this.” So I used to be like, “Nice. Let’s inform them that we need to take it out. We’ll reduce them a share, however we’ll finance it.” Phrase then got here again that Common has by no means let a title go within the historical past of the studio. They think about themselves a catalog home. That’s how they made their fortune. That’s how the corporate was constructed. So there’s by no means been a precedent the place they have been like, “Simply take the film and do what you need with it. Or take the film and you may license it from us.” They’re simply not in that enterprise.
So there was not that third choice, and it’s a disgrace as a result of discovering the financing would’ve been really easy. That left the 2 paths of both co-producing or making it themselves, they usually haven’t traditionally been curious about both. So I don’t know anyone that’s going to maneuver that piece, man. The one one that strikes that piece is any individual in Common, and I maintain hoping that I reside lengthy sufficient till any individual who grew up as a Mallrats fan is ready of energy. Or possibly if it’s somebody’s final yr there, they’ll be like, “It doesn’t matter what occurs now,” after which they comply with make a Mallrats sequel, sequel collection or what have you ever.
I’m additionally concerned with Common on an unrelated factor that we’ve been engaged on for a pair years, and if that features traction and occurs, then it makes a Mallrats sequel dialog simpler to try once more. However I’ve been attempting for the higher a part of a decade, and what occurs is you begin hacking issues up for components. So lots of issues within the previous Mallrats sequel script wound up in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, like that massive Iron Bob costume. So while you begin hacking scripts up for components, that’s while you begin dropping hope. I hacked the unique Mallrats 2 up for thus many components that I needed to write one other script, and that one is Twilight of the Mallrats. I haven’t borrowed something from it, and it may nonetheless completely work, so fingers crossed.
In different information, did the commerce conflict with Canada actually derail the brand new Jay and Silent Bob film you have been going to shoot earlier this yr?
Yeah, we misplaced out. We had Canadian cash, and the Canadian cash went away. It was simply as individuals have been getting aggressive with our mates up north. However beggars can’t be choosers. I can by no means be mad. I can’t bitch, even existentially, and scream into the wind. Why? I’ve been so fucking blessed up till now, and I additionally don’t have the cash. If I’m taking any individual else’s cash they usually’re like, “Nicely, I don’t need to provide the cash anymore,” I’ve obtained no proper to bitch. The one individual I used to be mad at in that second was myself for not concentrating on being extra of a monetary success. Don’t get me mistaken, I’ve executed properly. I’m very completely happy. However there’s a model of me that might have had extra entry to cash.
I went and noticed Ben just lately at Artists Fairness, and he’s such a grown-up. He’s a person. He’s at all times been constructed like an motion determine, however he’s now captain of trade. He’s in the suitable place. It’s not vainness the place an actor desires to run a studio. He’s the fucking smartest man within the room. However he seems to me as such a grown-up, and I simply by no means really feel like that. I don’t deal with myself very severely, and I don’t deal with the films very severely. I like them, don’t get me mistaken. It’s a severe enterprise that I’ve dedicated a fucking lifetime to, however I’ve a tough time justifying a Kevin Smith film to individuals. So I attempt to maintain the time that you must have interaction with one as restricted as doable for that motive. I’ve at all times been painfully self-aware like that. The viewers additionally has been dwindling from day one. They’re not going to remain endlessly, and a few individuals have moved on or died as a result of I’ve been round lengthy sufficient at this level.
So I used to be extra down on myself for the film falling aside. I used to be like, “Nicely, that is your fault. You need to have been extra profitable. When you’d been higher at your job, then you possibly can fucking pay in your personal artwork, and also you wouldn’t should go hat in hand to any individual else.” So I can’t bitch. Now, that being mentioned, it appears like Jay and I’ll get to slap on the pretend hair once more in early 2026 and do it yet another time. (Smith knocks on wooden.) I’m positive we’ve handed the purpose the place individuals are like, “You guys are a little bit lengthy within the tooth,” however I’ve such a great time making these flicks.
I additionally get to work together with folks that get pleasure from them, and whereas I do know they’re not for everyone, I can nonetheless get a film made. It’s rather more tough now than it was three years in the past. So I’m fortunately going to do it, man. I’ve obtained a bunch of stoner motion pictures, however I didn’t intend to make them as stoner motion pictures. They simply wound up being that. However I meant to make a stoner film with this one, Jay and Silent Bob: Retailer Wars. It’s humorous.
So we did discover cash that’s not from Canada, and that’s not a slam on Canada. I’m not mad. In a world the place tariffs now occur, some individuals are like, “I ain’t obtained cash like that anymore.” It’s taking place on our facet too. There are folks that used to spend money on movie that aren’t investing in movie now as a result of cash is tight throughout the board. At some point, if individuals are like, “We’ve obtained no cash for you in any way,” I may at all times put up my home and make a flick if I really feel absolutely the want.
There’s a script I’m engaged on proper now, which is fucking magical to me, and I actually get pleasure from it. It’s costlier than shit I usually do as a result of it’s extra of a interval piece. However I’ve been having a blast getting up each morning and writing it for the final two weeks. So I nonetheless have the bug and the fervour for it. I’ve by no means taken it as a right. I nonetheless rely my blessings that I ever obtained to do it, and it’s not based in funding. It’s not like I’ve obtained to make a film in an effort to pay my payments. There’s simply stuff that I nonetheless need to say, and I’m so relieved that I nonetheless have one thing I need to categorical after three many years. And mercifully, there are nonetheless some individuals on the market who need to see what I’ve to say.
Jason Mewes’ Jay and Kevin Smith’s Silent Bob in Dogma.
Courtesy of Triple Media Movie
You talked about that Jay and Silent Bob: Retailer Wars is a stoner comedy, and also you stop smoking hashish after your 2023 stint on the aforementioned psychological well being remedy heart in Arizona. Have been you ever anxious about whether or not you possibly can nonetheless seize your normal alchemy on the web page? Or did you remind your self that you simply have been a profitable author lengthy earlier than smoking?
I used to be by no means scared to the place I mentioned, “Who will I be now?” I put out a video the place I used to be like, “I smoked for 15 years, and now I’m not going to smoke for the following 15 years.” However I didn’t get very far on that one. I made it a few yr and a half. I mentioned to my spouse at one level that I used to be desirous about smoking, and he or she mentioned, “I don’t know why you don’t.” And I used to be like, “As a result of I gave it up.” After which she was like, “However that’s not why you went to that place. That was only a byproduct of you being in there. You have been simply attempting to see how lengthy you possibly can go.” And I used to be like, “I assume you’re proper.” So I began smoking once more, and I’ve no regrets in any way. If I hadn’t began smoking after I did, I in all probability would’ve began smoking inside the course of the final yr based mostly on how on fireplace the world appears to be day-after-day.
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Dogma is now obtainable on 4K.