Currently, Kevin Smith has his hands full promoting Clerks III, which will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States in December. Since the third part of the cult series Slacker is also showing in a limited number of cinemas in the US, Smith always takes the time to address the audience afterwards. And the cult director has now made an interesting announcement…
Because there seems to be a sequel to the hard actioner”Red statein development. 2018’s FSK-18 hit was an artistic advancement for Kevin Smith, who had previously only dabbled in comedy. In contrast, “Red State”, inspired by the devastating Waco cult drama of 1993, saw itself as a gritty and merciless genre cinema that did not shy away from a certain laconicism. The official FILMSTARTS review gave it 4 out of 5 possible stars:
The official MOVIE STARTS review of “Red State”
After there were some problems with the rights situation surrounding the film and the producing studio, Paramount, has been trying for years to reach a deal with those responsible for “Red State”, things now seem to be really moving. During the Q&A, Smith stated:
“They said if we do that would you be back? And I was like, ‘Yeah, right now!’ […] I mean, of course Michael Parks passed away. But it’s just a story about crazy people with guns and stuff. If only I could get John Goodman back. I could do a hundred goddamn Red States. And I think let’s do it. So do we.”
While “Red State” is, as mentioned, inspired by real events, there’s no reason why a second installment should be based on its predecessor. As Smith himself explained, it’s only about crazy people with guns. The reflection on religious fundamentalism and the dark gun rights problem in the US contained therein can of course be expressed again. Especially today, when the connection between religion and American politics seems more questionable than ever.