Audiences were split on Tusk, Kevin Smith's weird walrus-suit horror with Justin Long and Michael Parks. The film didn't really perform that well at the box office, either, but this seems to be a path Smith is committed to as he's already hard at work on the second film in the trilogy, Yoga Hosers, which is expected to bring back Tusk guest star Johnny Depp. While the film may not have been what many (like myself) like to see from Smith, a return to his classic View Askewniverse is right around the corner, and we have Tusk to thank for it.
A few months ago Smith revealed that Harvey Weinstein, who had backed all of his prior features, had pulled out of funding on Clerks 3, leaving it in limbo. On the latest episode of his Babble-On podcast Smith says Clerks 3 is again in the works thanks to financiers who loved what he did with Tusk.
Smith: "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.’"
Clerks 3 will bring back Jeff Anderson and Brian O'Halloran as Randal and Dante, classic underachievers who used to work at the Quick Stop in New Jersey. In 2006's Clerks 2 they moved up to Mooby's fast food restaurant, only to end up right back at the Quick Stop, this time as owners. Where the third film will pick up is unclear, nor do we know if Rosario Dawson will be back as Dante's fiance.
