Last week, Justin Long mentioned that Kevin Smith had recently gotten in contact with him, Haley Joel Osment, and Genesis Rodriguez – his co-stars in Smith’s 2014 horror film Tusk (watch it HERE) – to let them know that a sequel to Tusk is in their future. After Long’s quote made the news rounds, Smith took the opportunity to confirm his Tusk sequel plans on an episode of Fatman Beyond, the podcast he hosts with Marc Bernardin. Although Smith has previously said he intended to put Long and Rodriguez’s Tusk characters in his killer moose movie Moose Jaws, the sequel he’s planning is not Moose Jaws. It is indeed a Tusk 2… or, as Smith is calling it Tusks. But the S at the end is a dollar sign: Tusk$.
Described as “a chilling horror tale about the perils of storytelling”, the first Tusk also starred Michael Parks. The film follows
a brash American podcaster as he braves the Canadian wilds to interview an old man with an incredible past-only to discover the man’s dark secret involves a walrus.
The plan is for Smith to have Tusk$ shot and ready to take on tour in 2024, just in time for the tenth anniversary of Tusk. Here’s what Smith had to say, with thanks to Geek Tyrant for the transcription:
I’ve got more story I’d like to tell, there’s a reason we left him in the zoo at the end. I always knew as we were making the movie, I was just like, ‘I’ll totally do this again.’ I thought we’d have the late great Michael Parks with us longer, but sadly he’s not, but I know we got Justin (Long). Early on I was always like, well, eventually, they’ll take them out of that walrus skin and try to rehabilitate him. And just like Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight Returns, he’ll only ever see himself one way. Then he becomes the Howard Howe, Justin Long becomes the crazy guy who’s trying to turn people into something else, Chimera things, half-human and half-whatever. Last time it was walrus, this time you’ll see.”
Smith acknowledged that Tusk tanked at the box office back in 2014, because distribution deals required the film to be dropped into 600 theatres with no marketing budget. This time around, he plans to go on tour with Tusk$ just like he toured with Red State and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, and is now doing with Clerks III. Here’s his comment on the title:
I’m calling (the sequel) Tusk$, and yes, just like when Jim Cameron pitched Aliens, the S in Tusk$ has a dollar sign through it. Has everything to do with the plot of the story, but it’s also just me nakedly communicating my ambition that I am going to correct the past.”
Smith said that he intends for Tusk$ to be a very messed up midnight movie that will provide a “batshit wonderful” viewing experience for the fans who attend the tour screenings. You can hear the Tusk$ talk for yourself in the podcast episode embedded below; the conversation goes from around the 45 minute point to the 61 minute mark.
Are you glad to hear Kevin Smith is going to be making Tusk$? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.