Kevin Smith Talks New Jay & Silent Bob Crossover, Dogma’s Legacy | Interview
ComingSoon Senior Editor Brandon Schreur spoke to Dogma writer and director Kevin Smith about the 25th anniversary rerelease of the film. Smith discussed what it’s like looking back at Dogma 25 years after it was first released, a new Archie crossover comic he wrote with Jay and Silent Bob, and more.
“Dogma follows two fallen angels, Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon), who discover a loophole in Catholic doctrine that could allow them to return to Heaven, threatening the very fabric of existence,” the synopsis for the movie reads. “To stop them, a group of unlikely heroes—including a faith-struggling woman (Linda Fiorentino), the erased 13th Apostle (Chris Rock), and Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith)—must prevent the apocalypse. With irreverent humor and sharp satire, Dogma explores faith, salvation, and the human experience.”
Dogma returns to United States theaters on June 5, 2025. Click here for more information.
Brandon Schreur: It’s been just a little over 25 years, now, since Dogma has existed in the world. I’m wondering what it’s like looking back at the movie, now, in 2025. Are you the kind of director who constantly finds yourself rewatching your previous movies and nitpicking at little details you would change? Or do you look back at it and go, ‘Oh, that was such a good time, I’m so glad we put this out there for everyone to see?’
Kevin Smith: I’m the kind of director who never lets his old work die. Christopher Nolan, rarely is he out there talking about Following. Rarely is he out there talking about f—ing Batman Begins. I mean, motherf—er isn’t even out there talking about Oppenheimer anymore. He lives in the future and stuff.
I’m the filmmaker who has been victory lapping his entire career, forever. My movies, in my world, never die. They’re not like, ‘Oh, I haven’t seen that in a while.’ Having my own movie theater, I own Smodcastle Cinemas, part of the way we keep the lights on is we f—ing show Kevin Smith movies and charge more money because I’m there, talking about it. I get to interact with my old movies all the time. They’re never old movies, in my world. You know what I’m saying? I revitalize them through comics — like, for example, the Quick Stops comics that I write for Secret Stash Press and Dark Horse Comics. There’s one coming up that’s coming up that’s all about Metatron.
I’ve been able to keep the movies alive long after their theatrical runs, long after their home video runs, because the movies are sometimes set in the same View Askewniverse universe and stuff. So I’m never too far from the flicks, to be honest with you.
However, Dogma, you know, we’ve shown it at Smodcastle a few times. Generally speaking, it’s not a movie that I’ve engaged with all that much since it came out. But for the last month, I’ve been on tour with it. Twenty cities, minimum two shows a night. And then we just got back from Cannes, where we played it in the Cannes Classics sections. So I’ve been living with my head up the ass of Dogma for the last month. And I’m so delighted that it holds up. Going into the tour, I was like, ‘Oh man, this might be a cringe-fest, this motherf—er was written in the 90s and directed in the 90s.’ But, shy of seeing no cell phones and some early CGI that’s a little wonky sometimes, it plays current. Like, it works. I’m not going to say, ‘It’s timeless!’ But, oddly enough, it still f—ing works. It’s been a joy to stand there, with the movie, for the last two months because it’s aged incredibly well.
I totally agree. You mentioned comics, and that’s something I wanted to ask you about, too, because, over at ComingSoon, we just recently did a preview for the one-shot where Jay and Silent Bob are teaming up with Archie. I’m so excited to read it. That sounds like it’s going to be so much fun. Can you tell me a little bit about that project and continuing the Jay and Silent Bob story through that medium?
This, honestly — no bulls—, no salesmanship — it’s one of my favorite things I’ve ever written in my entire life. I had no idea this was coming. A friend of mine, Jeremy, was like, ‘Hey man, I know this guy, Jesse, at Archie Comics, he wanted to talk to you about maybe doing a comic book.’ I was like, ‘Oh, f—ing Archie Comics!’ In Chasing Amy, we have a whole run about Archie, Jughead, Mr. Weatherbee, and stuff like that.
Archie Comics has been part of culture since before me. Dante [from Clerks] being caught between Caitlin and Veronica, you know, echoes Archie being caught between Betty and Veronica. It’s always been there. I spoke to this guy, Jesse, and he was like, ‘How would you like to do a crossover?’ Because I’ve got Secret Stash Press at Dark Horse. And I was like, ‘Oh my lord, absolutely.’
Honestly, we had a conversation, I got off the phone, and I started writing it right away. I wrote it in continuity with the movies, so it follows up on Clerks III. Spoilers: Dante is dead. Randal hires this kid to work at Quick Stops, and it turns out to be Archie Andrews from Riverdale, who takes like a two-hour drive to go to work, apparently. Since Dante is gone, Randal finds healing through Archie being there, because Archie is like a young version of Dante and stuff like that. So he helps him get over his grief.
Jay and Silent Bob are deeply involved. They still own the weed store next door. He has a daughter, Milly, and Milly is age-appropriate for the Archie gang — they’re all teenagers, while Randal, Jay, and Silent Bob are in their 50s. It allows us to go to Riverdale, to a Josie and the Pussycats concert. It’s honestly one of my favorite f—ing things I’ve ever written. So much so that I told Jesse, ‘We’ve got to do this once a year, man.’ Jay and Jughead is next. I can’t wait for people to read it.
I remember he asked me, ‘What style do you want them to draw it in?’ I was like, ‘F—ing house style. They got to look like Archie characters!’ It comes out in July and I absolutely f—ing adore it. I can’t wait for people to read it and see how crazily well the two properties fit together.
I will say this. Ever since I’ve announced this, it’s crazy, and it shows you the absolute comics ignorance and illiteracy, how many people are like, ‘Are Jay and Silent Bob going to f— Betty and Veronica?’ I’m like, ‘They’re teenagers.’ No. That has nothing to do with the plot. They curse around the characters, and there’s weed use and stuff, but there’s nothing cringey regarding sex about it whatsoever.
That makes sense. I wouldn’t have thought of asking that question.
Yeah. Nobody wants to see that. But, apparently, lots of people have thoughts about it.
Thanks to Kevin Smith for discussing the rerelease of Dogma.
Source: Comingsoon.net