Last year, Clerks mastermind Kevin Smith revealed that he would base the forthcoming third instalment of the film series around the lyrics of My Chemical Romance's "Welcome to the Black Parade," and now we know how.
Earlier today, Smith shared an update on Clerks III, announcing that Dante, Randal, Elias, Becky, Jay and Silent Bob will all return, and that "the premise of the flick allows anyone who was in Clerks or Clerks II to return in some capacity." In addition to that, Smith also shared some excerpts from the script.
The first page reveals Smith's plans to open the film with "Welcome to the Black Parade" as Dante heads to work at the convenience store. It reads:
To the opening piano notes of MCR's Welcome the Black Parade, we reveal the old landmark: QUICK STOP GROCERIES. There she stands, moments before the day breaks, her sign still illuminated in the diminishing darkness of Leonardo. ("When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city, to see a marching band...").
Then a car pulls up, headlights reflecting off the closed steel shutters. Close on the car door opening. A pair of boots hit the ground.
Reveal DANTE as he heads to the front door of Quick Stop. ("He said son when you grow up would you be the saviour of the broken, the beaten and the damned?")
Smith had previously hinted that he would be "building" Clerks III around the track, in an episode of his own podcast, Fat Man Beyond.
"'Welcome to the Black Parade' by My Chemical Romance, MCR," Smith said back in March. "Such an epic song. I'm building Clerks III around that song so this is actually a great question for me right now. Basically, I'm using that as my model."
In 2019, it was revealed that MCR frontman Gerard Way was working with Smith on the soundtrack for the film — Way's first time scoring an entire movie, but not his first foray into soundtrack work. Smith and Way previously worked together on 2014's Tusk, when Way provided a solo track for the soundtrack.
See his full update below.
I started writing CLERKS III on December 28th and just finished the 101 page first draft last night! But the writing doesn't begin when you start tapping the keys: I've been stirring this stew in my brain pan for awhile now. So when I sat down to put years of daydreaming into actual words, the typing part of the writing process was pretty brisk. Fake New Jersey (or what I've long called the View Askewniverse) has been so much more preferable to visit than the real world lately - but I've told the tale I wanted to tell, so it's time to step back, hand the script off to a trusted few, and then tinker further based on the feedback. For those keeping score anymore, this is actually Clerks III v.2. I had written a different version of Clerks III about 6 years back - one which I'm now very happy we never made (although I used the opening scene for @jayandsilentbob Reboot). This is a much more personal story than the previous incarnation, drawing directly on the heart attack that nearly killed me (3 years ago next month). It was oddly triggering writing those scenes, as it was the first time in awhile I contemplated how close I came to shuffling lose this mortal coil. But far more than make me mindful of my own mortality, this script to Clerks III makes me laugh out loud. Dante, Randal, Elias, Becky, Jay and Silent Bob are all back, and the premise of the flick allows anyone who was in Clerks or Clerks II to return in some capacity. After a bummer of a 2020, this is how I want to spend some of 2021: at @quickstopgroceries in New Jersey where it all began, with friends and family. And when we finally roll cameras on Clerks III, I will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I *am* supposed to be there that day!
Earlier today, Smith shared an update on Clerks III, announcing that Dante, Randal, Elias, Becky, Jay and Silent Bob will all return, and that "the premise of the flick allows anyone who was in Clerks or Clerks II to return in some capacity." In addition to that, Smith also shared some excerpts from the script.
The first page reveals Smith's plans to open the film with "Welcome to the Black Parade" as Dante heads to work at the convenience store. It reads:
To the opening piano notes of MCR's Welcome the Black Parade, we reveal the old landmark: QUICK STOP GROCERIES. There she stands, moments before the day breaks, her sign still illuminated in the diminishing darkness of Leonardo. ("When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city, to see a marching band...").
Then a car pulls up, headlights reflecting off the closed steel shutters. Close on the car door opening. A pair of boots hit the ground.
Reveal DANTE as he heads to the front door of Quick Stop. ("He said son when you grow up would you be the saviour of the broken, the beaten and the damned?")
Smith had previously hinted that he would be "building" Clerks III around the track, in an episode of his own podcast, Fat Man Beyond.
"'Welcome to the Black Parade' by My Chemical Romance, MCR," Smith said back in March. "Such an epic song. I'm building Clerks III around that song so this is actually a great question for me right now. Basically, I'm using that as my model."
In 2019, it was revealed that MCR frontman Gerard Way was working with Smith on the soundtrack for the film — Way's first time scoring an entire movie, but not his first foray into soundtrack work. Smith and Way previously worked together on 2014's Tusk, when Way provided a solo track for the soundtrack.
See his full update below.
I started writing CLERKS III on December 28th and just finished the 101 page first draft last night! But the writing doesn't begin when you start tapping the keys: I've been stirring this stew in my brain pan for awhile now. So when I sat down to put years of daydreaming into actual words, the typing part of the writing process was pretty brisk. Fake New Jersey (or what I've long called the View Askewniverse) has been so much more preferable to visit than the real world lately - but I've told the tale I wanted to tell, so it's time to step back, hand the script off to a trusted few, and then tinker further based on the feedback. For those keeping score anymore, this is actually Clerks III v.2. I had written a different version of Clerks III about 6 years back - one which I'm now very happy we never made (although I used the opening scene for @jayandsilentbob Reboot). This is a much more personal story than the previous incarnation, drawing directly on the heart attack that nearly killed me (3 years ago next month). It was oddly triggering writing those scenes, as it was the first time in awhile I contemplated how close I came to shuffling lose this mortal coil. But far more than make me mindful of my own mortality, this script to Clerks III makes me laugh out loud. Dante, Randal, Elias, Becky, Jay and Silent Bob are all back, and the premise of the flick allows anyone who was in Clerks or Clerks II to return in some capacity. After a bummer of a 2020, this is how I want to spend some of 2021: at @quickstopgroceries in New Jersey where it all began, with friends and family. And when we finally roll cameras on Clerks III, I will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I *am* supposed to be there that day!
