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Kevin Smith lands financing for 'Clerks 3' thanks to poor-performing flop 'Tusk'

"Tusk was the absolute bridge to 'Clerks III.'"

By Matt Bradwell
Screenwriter and Director Kevin Smith. UPI/Jim Ruymen
1 of 7 | Screenwriter and Director Kevin Smith. UPI/Jim Ruymen | License Photo

RED BANK, N.J., Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Despite the lack of critical or financial success for his latest film Tusk, writer and director Kevin Smith said the horror flop was successful enough to earn him financing for the long-awaited Clerks III.

"Tusk opened about as poorly as a movie can open," Smith explained on his characteristically swear-ridden Hollywood Babble-On podcast. "Honestly, I read a lot of [expletive] pieces the day after were like utter disaster and [expletive] like that. I did."

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Despite mostly disdain from the domestic press and mixed reviews from the few people who paid to see the horror comedy, the New Jersey auteur behind Chasing Amy and Mallrats credits the film's production with keeping his career on track and enabling the production of Clerks III. Poor success stateside for Tusk was effectively negated when the film's international rights were sold, pushing the film's overall performance into the black.

"Everything in my life would suck right now if I hadn't made that movie. I'm back in movies now. I've got three lined up, and this is the [expletive] grand news. Tusk was the absolute bridge to Clerks III. Because of {q:Tusk

, I got my financing for Clerks III. And honestly, that would not have happened. A year and change ago I was trying to [expletive] desperately get Clerks III made for the 20th anniversary. And that desperation, I must have reeked of it, because I couldn't [expletive] find money and [expletive]. But it was Tusk, it was people going 'Holy [expletive]! What else do you have?' And I was like, 'Clerks III.' Done. So everybody that's like, 'He failed, he failed,' thank you I failed into Clerks III. So, never trust anybody when they tell you how your story goes, man. You know your story. You write your own story."}
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