Kevin Smith is returning for another bit of the apple with a “Tusk” sequel he’s developing for 2024 to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the original…
Kevin Smith is ready to say Walrus yes one more time.
Just days away from the release of “Clerks III,” which takes Smith back to the roots of his very first film, the prolific writer and director has confirmed plans to develop a sequel to “Tusk” — the 2014 horror film based upon a conversation he had with co-host Scott Mosier on his podcast about an ad where a man was seeking a tenant who would be willing to dress up in a walrus costume in exchange for room and board.
The story was so ridiculous that Smith went as far as transforming the idea into a film after starting a viral campaign on social media asking his fans to vote whether or not he should actually make the movie. The overwhelming answer was “Walrus Yes!” and Smith ended up releasing “Tusk” in 2014.
The film itself centered around a podcaster played by Long, who traveled into Canada to speak to the man who put up the ad looking for a roommate willing to participate in this strange animal related fantasy only to discover something much more horrifying was awaiting him there.
Now as the film approaches its 10 year anniversary, Smith is returning for a “Tusk” sequel.
“Ever since the heart attack I’ve been living on borrowed time,” Smith said on his podcast ‘Fatman Beyond.’ “2024 will mark the 10-year anniversary of ‘Tusk.’ We could just leave it there and move on, but you know, I’ve got more story left I’d like to tell; there’s a reason we left [Justin Long’s character] in the zoo at the end. I always knew as we were making the movie I was just like, ‘I’ll totally do this again.’ I thought we’d have the late great Michael Parks with us longer, but sadly he’s not, but I know we got Justin.
“Early on I was always like, well, eventually, they’ll take him out of that walrus skin and try to rehabilitate him. And just like Harvey Dent in ‘The Dark Knight Returns,’ he’ll only ever see himself one way. Then he becomes the Howard Howe [character], Justin Long becomes the crazy guy who’s trying to turn people into something else; Chimera things, half-human and half-whatever. Last time it was walrus, this time…you’ll see.”
When “Tusk” first opened, the film was considered a commercial failure after earning just $1.9 million at the box office with 46-percent overall rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Over time, however, “Tusk” started to gain a cult classic status with audiences but Smith has his own selfish reasons for wanting to make a sequel.
Much like he’s doing with “Clerks III,” which includes a nationwide tour and a special two-night engagement for the film’s release in September, Smith wants to do the same thing with his “Tusk” sequel.
He knows from past experiences with some of his other films released in a similar format that fans will flock to his live shows where he shows the movie and then sticks around for a Q&A with the audience afterwards. Smith also has a title already picked out for the sequel with some inspiration from James Cameron.
“I would be stupid not to make what I’m calling ‘Tusks’ and yes just like when Jim Cameron pitched ‘Aliens,’ the ‘S’ in ‘Tusks’ has a $ through it, kids,” Smith said. “It has everything to do with the plot of the story but it’s also me just nakedly communicating my ambition that I am going to correct the past.
“If you live long enough, sometimes you do shit just to be like I don’t think we were wrong. I think we were early.”
Smith added that he had already talked to the primary cast from the original “Tusk” movie including Justin Long, Genesis Rodriguez and Haley Joel Osment and all three were enthusiastic about returning for the sequel.
For now, Smith is concentrating on his “Clerks III” tour with plans for another movie already in the works that he plans to shoot in New Jersey at a new movie theater he recently bought in his hometown of Red Bank. Following production on that film, Smith will then shift gears to return to “Tusk” for the sequel in 2024.
