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My favorite Kevin Smith movie is Dogma. I remember watching it for the first time, as a fairly sheltered Catholic teenager, and just loving it. It even had my favorite artist, Alanis Morissette, playing God herself. For years, it’s been impossible to find Dogma streaming anywhere, and that’s because Harvey Weinstein owned the rights to the movie and was holding it “hostage.” Last month, a new company finally bought the rights from Weinstein, which freed Kevin up to be able to screen it and more. In fact, it’s getting a re-release in theaters next year.
Kevin streamed Dogma at the Vulture Festival on Sunday, where he also did a Q&A. During the event, he dropped the news that not only has he figured out a way to do a Dogma sequel, but he’s also pretty sure that he’ll be able to convince Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to make an appearance. After all, as he points out, their participation is likely a key factor in getting a sequel off the ground.
During his Dogma Confessional on Sunday at Vulture Festival, the View Askewniverse creator revealed that he’s working on a sequel to the 1999 film, and he expects Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to return for cameos at least.
“Some people will be like, ‘Don’t f—ing touch it. You’ll ruin it,’” said Smith. “And I’m here to tell you: I will. I’m f—ing tickled. I found a way in.”
He sounded confident that Affleck and Damon would reprise their roles as fallen angels Bartleby and Loki. After Smith helped save the pair’s 1997 film Good Will Hunting, without so much as a thank you in their Golden Globes and Oscars speeches, they owe him.
“I have been able to hold that over both their heads for 25 f—ing years, which is why they keep showing up in all the movies,” said Smith. “Expect a cameo from them — more than a f—ing cameo. The only way we get a Dogma sequel made is if they’re there. So count on those guys being there.”
Sunday’s panel marks the 25th anniversary of Dogma, which saw Affleck and Damon’s buddy angels traveling to New Jersey in search of a loophole that will get them back to heaven. The film also features Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, Jason Lee and Alanis Morissette, as well as Jason Mewes and Smith reprising their roles as Jay and Silent Bob.
Dogma served as the fourth installment in Smith’s View Askewniverse, which also includes Clerks (1994), Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Clerks II (2006), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019) and Clerks III (2022).
Last month, Smith announced that the religious satire is returning to theaters and getting a new home release after another company purchased the distribution rights from Miramax, making it potentially available to stream for the first time ever. Smith noted that the new Dogma deal could potentially lead to “sequels, TV versions, in terms of extending the story. Something we could never do before. So, exciting man. And all those people who worked in it are still viable.”
After Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual assault by multiple women in 2017, Smith expressed that he was “ashamed” to have worked with the producer early in his career. He also pledged to donate all future residuals from his Miramax and Weinstein Co. work to Women in Film. Smith said at the time that Weinstein had recently approached him to make Dogma 2, an offer the director declined.
My very first thought upon hearing this news was to just let Dogma be. After all, why do we need a sequel? (Insert whatever “There’s no new ideas in Hollywood” grumbling of your choice.) What if a sequel ruins our enjoyment of the original? Last month, Kevin said that he was working with the company that bought the rights from Weinstein to do a tour with screenings in honor of its 25th anniversary. Why not just stick with that?
Then, I thought about it a little bit more. I think Kevin has calmed down and matured a lot since his health scare in 2018, and it seems like he’s in a healthy yet YOLO place in life. So, now I’m cautiously optimistic that he’ll ignore some of more over-the-top tendencies and give us one of his trademark zany yet cleverly written films. If he says he’s got a workaround, then sure, why not? I have no idea what a Dogma sequel would entail. Also, I have doubts that Ben and Matt would sign on for more than just a cameo, but we’ll see. I also must mention that a sequel simply won’t be the same without Alan Rickman (RIP), but if Ben and Matt really do come back, then sign me up. Sign me up twice if Alanis’ God returns to play some more skeeball.