Kevin Smith To Film 'Clerks III' In Middletown

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Iconic filmmaker Kevin Smith confirmed to NJ.com he will begin filming "Clerks III" this summer, and much of the filming will be done in Leonardo, home of the original Quick Stop convenience store.

According to Smith, "Clerks III" begins shooting in Leonardo this August.

He confirmed on his personal Instagram profile that Lionsgate production company gave him an advance to begin filming "Clerks III." There is no word yet on who will star in the movie.

Earlier this month, on July 9, Smith opened a podcast theater in the Leonardo section of Middletown. It's called SModcastle and it's located at 58 Leonard Ave., only a few feet away from the original Quick Stop Groceries.

Quick Stop is the small convenience store that so famously appeared in "Clerks," which was released in 1993. "Clerks" is the cult hit that made Smith famous, and he went on to write and direct "Dogma," "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," "Chasing Amy," plus other movies.

"My birthday is August 2. And @lionsgate just gave me the best gift I could ever ask for: the money to make another sequel to my debut film!" Smith wrote on Instagram on Monday of this week. "Dante! Randal! Jay! Silent Bob! Becky! Elias! Veronica! Emma! The characters from both Clerks and Clerks II return with me to the scene of the crime at the little store that started it all: Leonardo’s legendary @quickstopgroceries!"

"Passion is key to any creative endeavor, but patience and persistence are just as essential. And now, for the first time since the first time I ever made a movie in 1993, I’ll be shooting an entire feature film in the cradle of civilization - the great state of #newjersey! This is dream-come-true country, kids!" he posted.

Smith was born in Red Bank, attended Henry Hudson Regional High School in Highlands and went on to become a comedian, filmmaker and writer.

A lover of comic books since he was a boy, Smith wrote, directed, starred in and co-produced "Clerks." He sold his comic book collection to finance the movie and set the movie at the site of the Leonardo convenience store where he worked at the time, Quick Stop Groceries.

Winning multiple awards at the Cannes film festival, "Clerks" became such a hit that its distribution rights were purchased by Harvey Weinstein, then at Miramax.

Smith then went on to direct "Mallrats," starring Jason Lee, "Chasing Amy," with Lee again, Ben Affleck and Joey Lauren Adams, "Dogma" with Affleck, Salma Hayek and Chris Rock, plus George Carlin and Alan Rickman and then "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," followed by "Jersey Girl," "Clerks II" and "Zack and Miri Make a Porno."

Smith also owns and operates a comic book store in Red Bank, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, at 65 Broad Street.

Read more: Kevin Smith Opens Podcast Theater In Middletown (July 6)

Red Bank Cult Comic Book Shop Reopens On Broad Street (Feb. 2021)

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