Clerks III Trailer: Yes, We Assure You They Are Open
It's been 28 years since Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) first complained their way into our hearts in Kevin Smith's breakout debut cult comedy "Clerks." Now they're back at the Quick Stop where it all began, bringing the "Clerks" story full circle.
At the end of "Clerks II," which was released in 2006, Dante and Randal were able to buy the Quick Stop where they had spent their formative years, finally becoming their own bosses and maybe starting lives that they could be proud of. Dante had proposed to his former Mooby's manager Becky (Rosario Dawson), who was carrying his child, their former co-worker Elias (Trevor Fehrman) was along for the ride, and everything seemed perfect. With such a happy ending to "Clerks II," one might wonder what kind of story Smith could tell in the third installment, but fans can probably guess that it will be a simple and sweet buddy comedy about a different phase in life. "Clerks" was about two schmucks in their 20s, "Clerks II" was about two schmucks in their 30s, and now "Clerks III" will show them as they're entering their 50s, with one of them sharing a near-death experience with the franchise's filmmaker.
The guys may have gotten older, but there's still sure to be plenty of juvenile humor in "Clerks III," because who doesn't love sex and fart jokes?
Watch the Clerks III trailer
"Clerks III" will take fans back to Leonardo, New Jersey, and to the Quick Stop where Randal and Dante used to play hockey on the roof, argue with the "milkmaids," and wonder where their lives went wrong. Dante can never really complain that he's "not supposed to be here today" again, however, since he now owns the place and technically has to be there whenever he's needed. At least now he has Becky around to help, and Elias is there to take the brunt of Randal's abuse. Let's just hope he doesn't bring up the ending(s) of "Return of the King" again. Thankfully the guys will be too busy with a special project to bicker too much, because Smith is going meta with the story and having his clerks make their own "Clerks":
"The film is predicated on the idea that Randal survives a heart attack, a massive heart attack, quite like I did, and then winds up, you know, deciding that he's wasted his life. But before he dies he wants to memorialize himself. He wants to make a movie. So our boys essentially wind up making 'Clerks.'"
The story takes more than a little inspiration from Smith's own life, as the director had a heart attack while on stage in 2018, forcing him to take better care of himself and change his lifestyle significantly. Smith may have made his "Clerks" when he was in his 20s, but it's never too late to chase your dreams, and Randal's film is certain to be full of laughs and heart, just like the "Clerks" flicks themselves.
"Clerks III" will go on a rolling roadshow tour with Kevin Smith starting in New Jersey on September 4, 2022 and hitting a bunch of spots around the United States. But for those of you looking to catch the movie in theaters in the more conventional fashion, Fathom Events will release it on September 13 and September 15. Get tickets right here.