Kevin Smith looking to self-finance Clerks III

The crowdfunding website Kickstarter made headlines recently thanks to a record-breaking campaign to raise financing for a movie version of the television series Veronica Mars, which has seemingly alerted Hollywood producers to this new - and potentially lucrative - source of funding. One filmmaker who has flirted with the idea of crowdfunding is Kevin Smith, although Smith has now revealed that he's had a change of heart and instead is looking to self-finance his next (and supposedly final) film Clerks III.

"As for funding [Clerks III], we nearly Kickstarted the budget back in November," said Smith during a Reddit Q&A (via ComicBook). "But now I’m feeling like that’s not fair to real indie filmmakers who need the help. Unlike back when I made Clerks in ’91, I’ve GOT access to money now – so I should use that money and not suck any loot out of the crowd-funding marketplace that might otherwise go to some first-timer who can really use it. So if I can get away with it, I’m gonna try to pay for Clerks III myself. As much as I love the crowd-funding model (and almost did it myself in early 2009 with RedStateGreen.com), that’s an advancement in indie film that belongs to the next generation of artists. I started on my own dime, and if I’m allowed, I should finish on my own dime."

During the Q&A, Smith also revealed that he has around 25 pages of the Clerks III script left to complete, and also stated that the returning Dante (Brian O'Halloran), Randal (Jeff Anderson), Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) would be joined in the sequel by fellow View Askewniverse alumni Elias (Trevor Fehrman), Becky (Rosario Dawson) and Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti).