See The 'Clerks 3' Trailer; Much Of Movie Filmed In Middletown

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The trailer for "Clerks III" was just released Wednesday, and much of the movie was filmed in the Leonardo section of Middletown.

This is the third film in the series by cult-favorite New Jersey filmmaker Kevin Smith, who grew up in Highlands. He filmed "Clerks III" last July and August, and nearly all of the movie was filmed in Leonardo, home of the original Quick Stop convenience store at the center of the "Clerks" movies.

"Clerks III" stars Smith himself, Jeff Anderson, Brian O’Halloran and Jason Mewes, plus Rosario Dawson and Trevor Fehrman, and will have cameos from Ben Affleck and Justin Long, according to the Asbury Park Press. "Clerks III" will be released in theaters nationwide Sept. 13. The movie is produced by LionsGate.

But you can watch the trailer now. The trailer for "Clerks III" was released at noon Wednesday; you can watch it here:

Also last summer, when filming for the movie started, 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.

"Clerks" is the 1993 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.

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.

Original Patch report: Kevin Smith To Film 'Clerks III' In Middletown (July 2021)