Kevin Smith says he's crafted his "real big cinematic gravestone" 25 years after "Clerks."
The 49-year-old writer-director-actor says a major heart attack in February 2018 prompted him to rewrite his script for "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot" to make a more personal statement about fatherhood, aging and legacy.
He called on friends and called in favors and reconnected with actors from his past, including "Chasing Amy" star Ben Affleck.
This Sept. 25, 2019 photo shows Kevin Smith posing during an interview in Los Angeles to promote his film "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot." (Photo by Willy SanjuanInvisionAP)
The resulting movie is a silly but heartfelt examination of nostalgia and growing up. The movie in theaters this week is packed with meta references to other films and what Smith calls his own "myopic career."
Smith is planning sequels to "Clerks" and "Mallrats."
"Clerks" debuted to acclaim in 1994 at the Sundance Film Festival. It's a profane, slice-of-life film centered on a convenience store. Smith played stoner Silent Bob.
This Sept. 25, 2019 photo shows Kevin Smith, left, and Jason Mewes posing during an interview in Los Angeles to promote the film "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot." (Photo by Willy SanjuanInvisionAP)
This Sept. 25, 2019 photo shows Kevin Smith posing during an interview in Los Angeles to promote his film "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot." (Photo by Willy SanjuanInvisionAP)
This Sept. 25, 2019 photo shows Kevin Smith posing during an interview in Los Angeles to promote his film "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot." (Photo by Willy SanjuanInvisionAP)
