Director Kevin Smith has revealed that he is working on the sequel to his film “Dogma” (1999), and that actors Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will return at least for cameos.
“Dogma 2” is on track. “Some people will say, 'Don't touch that, you'll ruin everything,'” Kevin Smith said this Sunday at the Vulture Festival, about his planned sequel to his 1999 film “Dogma,” on which he currently working. “And I’m here to tell you that I will. I'm really happy. I found a way to do it,” he said.
The director seemed very confident that the two actors from the original film, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, would reprise their roles as fallen angels Bartleby and Loki. “Expect a cameo from them – more than a cameo. The only way to make a 'Dogma' sequel is for them to be there. So count on them to be there.”
Released twenty-five years ago, “Dogma” is the fourth installment in Kevin Smith’s Askewniverse, which also includes “Clerks” (1994), “Mallrats” (1995), “Chasing Amy” (1997), “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back” (2001), “Clerks II” (2006), “Jay & Silent Bob Reboot” (2019) and “Clerks III” (2022).
The film followed two angel friends, played by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as they travel to New Jersey in search of an escape route that would allow them to return to heaven. The cast also included Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, Jason Lee and Alanis Morissette (to play God), as well as Jason Mewes and Smith in their roles as Jay and Silent Bob.
Rights issues
As Deadline reports, Kevin Smith, whose latest film, “The 4:30 Movie,” was released in September of this year, had long hoped to direct “Dogma 2,” but rights issues prevented him from doing so. prevented. After the rape accusations against Harvey Weinstein in 2017, he confided that he was “ashamed” of having worked with the producer at the start of his career. He explained that Harvey Weinstein (who controlled the rights through his company Miramax) had approached him to direct “Dogma 2,” and that he then declined the offer.
But the rights to “Dogma” were ultimately sold this year to a joint stock company, allowing Kevin Smith to work on the film again without sharing subsequent profits with Harvey Weinstein.
“Dogma”, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and was not previously available anywhere in streaming, will also soon benefit from a new theatrical release in the United States.
