It was twenty-five years ago this week that writer/director/occasional actor Kevin Smith’s first film Clerks premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and introduced the world to the stoner duo of Jay and Silent Bob. Since then the pair have shown up in a number of Smith’’s films, the common thread to his loosely shared ViewAskewniverse comedies. (Yes, Smith was doing the cinematic universe long before Marvel Studios was.)
It perhaps seems appropriate then that on this anniversary we get the news that Jay and Silent Bob will be returning yet again as Jay And Silent Bob Reboot is being announced as entering into production. Deadline is reporting that of course Smith will be writing and directing as well as co-starring alongside the returning Jay Mewes. Additionally, “a number of other stars from the original Miramax release” will be popping up as well. The film will center on the titular stoner duo discovering that a new version of the Bluntman And Chronic comic book film that they tried to stop getting made years ago is getting a remake so they had back out to Hollywood to try and stop it again.
In a statement, Smith said –
Last February, I almost died. So on the one year anniversary of my widow maker heart attack, as a celebration of life and a big ol’ F you to Death, my best friend and I will be rolling cameras on a sequel/remake/reboot of a movie we first made nearly twenty years ago! In Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back our herbal heroes found out Hollywood was making a movie based on them, so they journeyed out to Hollywood to stop it. But I’ve learned so much as a storyteller and have grown immensely as a filmmaker since then, so audiences can expect something completely different: In Jay & Silent Bob Reboot our herbal heroes find out Hollywood is making a reboot of the old movie that was based on them, so they journey out to Hollywood to stop it again. I offer my (literal) undying thanks to our amazing partners at Saban and Universal for making this dream come true and backing this cinematic silliness!
Smith first revealed his plans to make Jay And Silent Bob Reboot almost two years ago, in the fallout of both his Clerks III and Mallrats 2 projects not going forward into production. Since then, he has worked at getting the financing for this project in order while booking some side hustle directing the occasional episode of some of the CW’s superhero shows.
Years ago, the prospect of a new Kevin Smith movie with Jay and Silent Bob up to their usual antics would have made me happy and full of anticipation for the final product. But that was before the rather abysmal streak that Smith has been on that started with 2008’s Zack And Miri Make A Porno. With the exception of 2011’s Red State, every film that Smith has made from then until now has been various levels of disappointing. I would sincerely hope that maybe this will be the project that turns things around for him.
