Kevin Smith's 'Clerks 3' Acquired by Lionsgate

LOS ANGELES – Lionsgate has picked up the worldwide rights to Kevin Smith’s “Clerks 3,” the sequel to the 1994 cult classic.

Smith, who wrote the script, will direct the new film with all major cast members returning, including Jeff Anderson as Randal, Brian O’Halloran as Dante, Jay Mewes as Jay, along with Smith as Silent Bob and Rosario Dawson as Becky. “Clerks 3” is currently in preproduction in New Jersey with production set to start in August. Liz Destro and Jordan Monsanto will be producing.

The proposed new film follows the story of Randal enlists fellow clerks Dante, Elias, Jay and Silent Bob following a massive heart attack to make a movie immortalizing his life at the convenience store.

“Clerks,” which was Smith’s breakout film, was released in 1994 with the sequel, “Clerks 2,” arriving in 2006 and grossed $24 million in the U.S. But getting the financing for “Clerks 3” took years – including a failed attempt on Kickstarter.