“The sequel was written for the stars of the original film, Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson. Smith also will make an appearance with longtime sidekick Jason Mewes. The story follows the Quik Stop convenience store employees of the original “Clerks” 10 years later. Principal photography is set to begin in January.”

CNN.COM – Ten years after original, Kevin Smith plans ‘Clerks’ sequel

(Text Same As AP Story Below)

JOBLO.COM – Clerks 2 Is On!

“Both Brian O’Halloran (Dante) and Jeff Anderson (Randal) have already signed on for the sequel, with Smith’s alter-ego of Silent Bob and his stoner buddy Jay, returning as well. It will be interesting to see how Smith plays Jason Mewes’ real-life drug problems into the story-line. For anyone who thinks this is Smith’s way of making even more moolah, he insists that not to be true, estimating the new film’s budget to be somewhere between $250,000 and $5M (the original reportedly only cost him $27,000, part of which he raised by selling his comic book collection) This film would now be at the top of his “to do” list, as he continues to write the screenplay for THE GREEN HORNET, a film which he will likely not direct anymore.”

FilmFodder.Com – Kevin Smith Preps Clerks Sequel

“Smith says his recent work on the “Clerks” 10th-anniversary DVD (coming out Sept. 7 under the title “Clerks X”), spurred his interest in reviving the characters. “The whole process reminded me why I got into the film business in the first place: to make talky, low-budget comedies,” Smith tells the Reporter. “So I wrote this script about the older and not-so wiser Dante and Randal, as they try to deal with a decade of further disillusionment, even less sex and eroding pop culture.”

ETOnline.Com – The Clerks Are Back

“America’s favorite Quik Stop convenience store ‘Clerks’ are making their way back to the big screen. Filmmaker KEVIN SMITH will direct ‘The Passion of the Clerks,’ the sequel to his 1994 hit. Smith wrote the new script for the stars of the original and says it’s “about the older and not-so-wiser Dante and Randal, as they try to deal with a decade of further disillusionment, even less sex and eroding pop culture.” Meanwhile, ‘Clerks X,’ a three-disc 10th anniversary DVD set, is due out on September 7th.”

Cinema Confidential – Kevin Smith planning “Clerks 2: The Passion of the Clerks”

“Remember how Kevin Smith said that “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” would be his last Jay and Silent Bob movie, but Ben Affleck said that he would never believe that in a million years? Affleck was right.

Smith said that Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson, the two stars from the original movie, have given their thumbs up on the script. Smith will also make an appearance with longtime sidekick Jason Mewes. The story, reportedly, follows the Quik Stop convenience store employees of the original “Clerks” 10 years later. Principal photography is set to begin in January. Miramax Films will eventually distribute the picture. “

Screen International – Indie icon Smith readies The Passion Of The Clerks

Ten years after he burst onto the US indie scene with Clerks, filmmaker Kevin Smith has decided to make a sequel to the now almost legendary no-budget comedy. Smith will direct The Passion Of The Clerks from his own screenplay, with principal photography set to begin next January and Miramax set to distribute.

Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson, stars of the original film, will reprise their roles in a story that catches up with the employees of the Quik Stop convenience store 10 years down the line. Smith and Jason Mewes will make an appearance as Jay and Silent Bob.

Also reconvening from the first film will be producer Scott Mosier and cinematographer David Klein.

Originally made for $27,575 (though said to have cost $230,000 after post-production work), Clerks was a landmark in 1990s independent US cinema. It won the Filmmaker’s Trophy at Sundance in 1994 and the Prix de la Jeunesse and International Critics Week Award at Cannes.

The film went on to gross around $3.1m in US theatres. In 2000, Smith executive produced a short-lived animated TV series based on the film.

The filmmaker said the idea for the sequel came to him after working on the tenth anniversary DVD of Clerks. Miramax releases the three-disc set, Clerks X, on Sept 7. Smith’s latest film, Jersey Girl, is released on DVD on the same day.

He is currently writing a film version of comic book The Green Hornet for Miramax.