Clerks III

The 2022 American black comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Smith serves as the third installment in the cult franchise and the ninth film in the View Askewniverse. The story picks up fifteen years after Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) purchased the Quick Stop convenience store, continuing their routine lives with rooftop hockey games and interactions with Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), who now operate a legal marijuana dispensary in the former RST Video space. Dante is still mourning the loss of Becky (Rosario Dawson) and their unborn daughter Grace, who died in a drunk driving accident. One day, Randal suffers a massive heart attack, prompting him to reevaluate his life and inspiring him to create a movie about his and Dante's experiences at Quick Stop. They enlist the help of Elias Grover (Trevor Fehrman), his friend Blockchain (Austin Zajur), as well as Jay and Silent Bob. Throughout the filmmaking process, the friends confront memories, past grievances, and personal tragedies, leading to an emotional climax and a reassessment of their friendship and life choices. The film blends Smith's signature humor with profound reflections on life, death, and the importance of creativity, mirroring the director's personal experience of surviving a heart attack in 2018. Despite a budget of $7 million, the film grossed $4.7 million at the box office but was warmly received by fans for its sincerity and nostalgic tone.