Part of being a director? Changing your direction.

That’s what writer/director Kevin Smith has done. His much anticipated fifth film has changed. “Even though we teased it at the end of ‘Dogma’ last year, the next flick is NOT Clerks 2.”

Smith is permanantly scrapping “Clerks 2”, the sequel to his award winning debut “Clerks”. A new film with the working title “View Askew 5” will take its place.

“Initially I thought Clerks 2 would make sense as a bookend,” Smith relayed.” But the story is no longer about [clerks] Dante and Randal. We have one very important story to wrap up that began in ‘Clerks’ and carried through all four flicks. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out whose story I’m talking about.”

Smith remained tight-lipped on the title (”The minute we give it out, it’s blown as to what the movie’s about,”) but promised the “‘VA5 will touch on everything I’ve been involved with over the last six years: ‘Good Will Hunting’, the Clerks cartoon, comics, even the ‘Superman’ flick.”.

Smith also let fly with the casting details. Jason Lee will play 2 roles, and Ben Affleck will appear. Smith says that “Dogma” star Chris Rock is tentative. There will also “new faces that haven’t been cast yet.”

As with any Smith film, in-jokes about his previous films will abound-even references to Dogma, where the appearance of God on Earth wiped the characters’ memories clean. “Two cats in particular recall the events of Dogma,” Smith says,”But most character think they are high.”

Those cats, Jay and Silent Bob will make their final celluloid apperance.” Yes, this is the movie that closes the ViewAskewniverse,” Smith says. “It’s the last movie for any of these guys.”

But the characters won’t go away entirely. “Any dangling plot threads will eventually wind up as part of the Clerks comic book. We’re going do a Steve, Dave, and Walt tale and the then the Mallrats comic sequel, Mallrats :Die Hard in a Mall. Should be fun.”

But all that will be after “VA5”. Smith is currently working on his fifth draft of the script. Producer Scott Mosier is budgeting, with an eye to to begin filming in December 2000, on Smith’s usual stomping grounds of Red Bank, N.J. So drop by – many View Askew fans were extras in “Dogma.”

“Granted, these were large crowd scenes, not speaking parts. But it gave our fans – all eight of them, I think, a chance to be a part of the magic,” Smith said. “We’ll probably do the same for ‘VA5.’”

Smith said fans should check his Website (www.viewaskew.com) for updates. “But please,” he said. “Don’t send tape of your acting abilities. We only use them to record ‘Law and Order’ episodes over.”

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) – Jason Lee, currently drawing kudos for his portrayal of an egotistical rocker in “Almost Famous,” is poised to star opposite Tom Green (“Road Trip”) in “Stealing Stanford.”

The picture tells of a middle-class man who turns to a life of crime in order to finance his niece’s first year at Stanford University. Lee will portray the good-hearted “regular guy” uncle, with Green a bad-influence acquaintance.

Director Bruce McCulloch (“Dog Park”), who previously worked with Green on last year’s “Superstar” at Paramount, will start shooting in March. The project is being developed by Imagine Entertainment and Revolution Studios, and will be distributed domestically by Columbia.

Lee’s other film credits include last year’s “Mumford” and 1998’s “Enemy of the State.” He also has appeared in a series of Kevin Smith movies including “Dogma” (1999), “Chasing Amy” (1997) and “Mallrats” (1995).