Earlier this week, Kevin Smith revealed that Hit Somebody, the hockey film he’d planned to be his final movie, was going to be turned into a TV mini-series. That left a distinct void in Smith’s feature film resume. He was now without a big passion project to close out his feature directorial career. Then, on Twitter, he built up to this:

So with the HIT SOMEBODY shift, the minute Jeff Anderson signs on, my last cinematic effort as a writer/director will be CLERKS III. #TaDa — KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) December 7, 2012

That’s right, Kevin Smith is going to make Clerks III. Once Randall (Jeff Anderson) signs on the dotted line, that is. Read more after the jump.

Smith has talked about Clerks III a lot in the past. Here’s one quote from 2010:

Red State is done. Next step is the hockey movie, Hit Somebody. Then I’m done. There’s possibly a Clerks III. If I have something to say in my late 40s about being in my late 40s, I’ll think of [Clerks’] Dante and Randal. Shy of that, I don’t have any more movies I want to make.”

Clerks was about men in their twenties and was released in 1994. Clerks II was released in 2006 and was about men in their 30s. Clerks III would conclude that arc, showing where Dante and Randall are in their forties. Considering how Smith’s life has changed since that film, he obviously found something to say.

Smith had thought about turning that story – something he’s likely been thinking about for a while – into a Broadway play earlier this year. Here’s what he said then:

This made perfect sense with Smith’s flair for dialogue but, to be honest, I’m glad this will happen as a movie instead. It would be a shame if the final episode of this franchise was only for a select few. As a film, it’ll be available for everyone for all time. And Smith’s life has changed so radically in the past ten years, it should be very interesting to see what happens with Dante and Randall.

Of course, the one problem could be Jeff Anderson – who doesn’t really act all that much unless Smith calls him. He famously wasn’t sure about coming back for Clerks II so you’d imagine it might be even more of a struggle for Clerks III. Still, if Smith didn’t think it was possible, would he have sent out the above tweet?

Do you think Smith has this script done? Are you surprised at this announcement?

Header image: Tim Doyle