View Askew Productions
View Askew Productions is an American independent film and television production company co-founded by filmmaker Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier.[1] Established in 1994 to produce Smith's debut feature Clerks, the company has become synonymous with low-budget, character-driven comedies set primarily in New Jersey, often featuring recurring characters such as the slacker duo Jay and Silent Bob.[1] These films form the interconnected "View Askewniverse," a shared fictional universe that emphasizes themes of friendship, pop culture references, and irreverent humor.[1] The company's breakthrough came with Clerks (1994), shot in black-and-white for just $27,000 and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Filmmakers Trophy and launched Smith's career.[1] Subsequent releases under the View Askew banner include Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Jersey Girl (2004), Clerks II (2006), and Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), many distributed by Miramax in a long-standing first-look deal.[1]) Later projects expanded into horror with Red State (2011) and Tusk (2014), while recent output features meta-sequels like Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), Clerks III (2022), and the announced Jay and Silent Bob: Store Wars (in development for 2025 release), reflecting Smith's evolution toward self-referential storytelling for his dedicated fanbase.[2][3][4][5] In television, View Askew produced the AMC reality series Comic Book Men (2012–2018), centered on Smith's New Jersey comic shop Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash.[6] Beyond cinema and TV, View Askew has influenced indie filmmaking through its DIY ethos and direct engagement with fans via the official website viewaskew.com, which has served as a hub for trailers, merchandise, and community interaction since the mid-1990s.[7] Smith's hands-on approach, often involving him as writer, director, editor, and actor, has cultivated a cult following, with the company's output celebrated for its witty dialogue and exploration of everyday absurdities.[8]History
Founding and Early Years
View Askew Productions was founded in 1994 by filmmaker Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier as an independent production company dedicated to creating low-budget, character-driven comedies.[9] The company emerged from Smith's desire for creative control following his early experiences in film school and odd jobs, including a stint as a convenience store clerk in Leonardo, New Jersey, which inspired his debut project.[10] Smith and Mosier, who met while attending Vancouver Film School in 1992, collaborated closely from the outset, with Mosier serving as co-producer and co-editor on initial efforts.[10] The company's inaugural production was Clerks (1994), a black-and-white indie film shot over 21 days in 1993 at the Quick Stop Groceries where Smith once worked, on a modest budget of approximately $27,575 raised through personal savings, credit cards, and a small FEMA loan.[10] Premiering at the Independent Feature Film Market in late 1993 before gaining acclaim at Sundance in 1994, Clerks captured the mundane frustrations of retail life through dialogue-heavy scenes featuring characters like Dante and Randal, establishing the blueprint for the interconnected "View Askewniverse."[10] Its success, including a distribution deal with Miramax and over $3 million in box office earnings, provided the financial foundation for View Askew's expansion.[10] In its early years, View Askew diversified with Mallrats (1995), Smith's follow-up feature backed by a $6.7 million budget from Universal Pictures, which shifted focus to a mall setting while retaining recurring elements like Jay and Silent Bob.[11] This was followed by Chasing Amy (1997), a Miramax-funded exploration of romance and sexuality that deepened the Askewniverse's character arcs and earned critical praise for its introspective narrative.[12] These projects solidified View Askew's reputation for fostering a tight-knit New Jersey-based creative ensemble, emphasizing humor rooted in pop culture and everyday absurdities.[9]Expansion Through the View Askewniverse
Following the success of its debut film Clerks in 1994, which was produced on a modest budget of $27,575 and grossed $3.1 million domestically after acquisition by Miramax at the Sundance Film Festival, View Askew Productions began expanding its output by developing an interconnected fictional universe known as the View Askewniverse.[13][14] This shared universe, centered around recurring characters and thematic elements from New Jersey locales, allowed the company to build narrative continuity across projects, fostering audience engagement and brand loyalty without relying on large studio oversight initially.[15] The expansion was spearheaded by Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier, who leveraged the low-cost, dialogue-driven style of Clerks to introduce broader storytelling in subsequent films.[16] The View Askewniverse took shape prominently with Mallrats (1995), a studio-backed project distributed by Gramercy Pictures that featured key recurring characters like Jay and Silent Bob, expanding the universe to a mall setting while building on elements from Clerks.[15] Despite Mallrats' underwhelming box office performance, it established crossover elements that would define the franchise, such as meta-references to comic book culture and Hollywood tropes, setting the stage for further interconnections.[16] This was followed by Chasing Amy (1997), which deepened character arcs within the shared world, exploring themes of relationships and identity while maintaining ties to earlier entries through cameos and lore, all produced under View Askew with Miramax financing on a budget under $250,000.[13] The deliberate weaving of these threads transformed isolated indie films into a cohesive mythology, enabling View Askew to secure escalating budgets and distribution deals while retaining creative control.[15] By the late 1990s, the universe's growth accelerated with Dogma (1999), a higher-stakes theological comedy budgeted at $10 million and grossing $30.6 million worldwide after Lionsgate distribution amid controversy with original backer Miramax.[13][17] Here, Jay and Silent Bob evolved from supporting roles to central protagonists, bridging disparate storylines and amplifying the ensemble cast's presence, which included actors like Ben Affleck and Matt Damon from earlier films.[16] This expansion not only diversified View Askew's portfolio into more ambitious genres but also navigated business challenges, such as shifting distributors due to content sensitivities, solidifying the company's reputation for irreverent, interconnected cinema.[15] The resulting fanbase, evident at events like San Diego Comic-Con, propelled further entries like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), which directly capitalized on the universe's meta-narrative by featuring characters commenting on their own fictional existence.[16] This interconnected approach proved instrumental in View Askew's sustainability, allowing Smith and Mosier to revisit and evolve core elements in later works such as Clerks II (2006), which reflected real-life developments like cast sobriety while grossing $34.1 million on a $5 million budget.[13] The View Askewniverse's expansion thus shifted the company from scrappy indie origins to a recognizable multimedia brand, influencing merchandising, comics, and eventual television ventures by emphasizing character longevity over standalone projects.[16]Mid-Career Developments and Diversification
In the late 1990s, View Askew Productions began diversifying beyond feature films by venturing into comic book publishing. The company collaborated with Oni Press to release the Clerks comic series, which extended the adventures of characters from Kevin Smith's 1994 debut film, starting with issues written by Smith himself in 1998. This marked an early expansion into print media, capitalizing on the cult following of the View Askewniverse to explore serialized storytelling in a format that allowed for more experimental narratives. Titles like Clerks: The Holiday Special further built on this, blending humor with holiday themes illustrated by artists such as Jim Mahfood.[18] By 2000, the push into comics intensified with the announcement of a shift to Image Comics for future publications, prompted by changes at Oni Press including the departure of founder Bob Schreck. This move facilitated new projects under the View Askew banner, including the three-issue Bluntman and Chronic mini-series launching in June 2001, featuring biweekly releases and collaborations with artists like Michael Avon Oeming and Mike Allred. Additional planned titles, such as a Bartleby and Loki one-shot and Mallrats 2: Die Hard in a Mall, underscored the company's intent to leverage its interconnected universe across media, fostering cross-promotion between films and comics.[18] Parallel to these print efforts, View Askew entered television production in 1999 through a deal with Miramax and Touchstone Television to develop Clerks: The Animated Series. Executive produced by Smith alongside David Mandel, the six-episode series—slated for ABC in midseason or fall 2000—adapted the slacker comedy of the original film into surreal animated scenarios, produced with a $9 million budget under Miramax's expanding TV division. This project represented a significant diversification, allowing View Askew to explore animation's creative flexibility while building on the Clerks brand's popularity, though the series faced scheduling challenges, airing two episodes on ABC in 2000 with the remaining episodes on Comedy Central in 2002.[19] The 2000s saw continued film output, including Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Jersey Girl (2004), and Clerks II (2006), but diversification accelerated with non-film ventures. Smith and co-founder Scott Mosier launched the SModcast podcast in 2007, initially as free fan-engagement content, which evolved into the SModcast Podcast Network by 2010, distributing episodes via internet platforms and YouTube to monetize through sponsorships and live events. This audio medium strengthened community ties and provided a low-cost extension of the View Askew brand.[20] By the early 2010s, View Askew further expanded into reality television with Comic Book Men, a series produced for AMC and set at Smith's Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash comic shop in Red Bank, New Jersey. Premiering in 2012 and running through 2018, the show highlighted comic culture and fan interactions, employing over 100 staff across merchandise operations and tying directly into the company's retail diversification, which included direct-to-consumer sales of View Askew-themed apparel, posters, and toys starting in the mid-2000s. These efforts, bolstered by brand partnerships like Funko, emphasized sustainable revenue streams beyond theatrical releases.[20] Additional mid-career initiatives included experiential expansions, such as the opening of the SModcastle theater in Los Angeles in 2010 (later relocated and reopened in New Jersey by 2022) for live screenings and events, and the 2024 partnership with Sixthman for the Cruise Askew fan cruise, planned to recur in 2026. These developments reflected View Askew's strategic pivot toward multimedia ecosystems, prioritizing fan loyalty and cross-platform synergy to navigate industry shifts.[20]Recent Projects and Future Directions
In the years following the release of Clerks III in 2022, View Askew Productions shifted toward more personal and diverse storytelling under Kevin Smith's direction. The company's 2024 output included The 4:30 Movie, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy set in 1986, which follows three teenagers sneaking into films at a local cineplex.[21] Written and directed by Smith, the film features a cast including Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, and cameos from Smith's frequent collaborators like Jason Mewes, marking a nostalgic departure from the View Askewniverse while emphasizing themes of youthful adventure and cinema's influence.[22] Expanding into executive production, View Askew contributed to Paradise Records in 2025, a comedy-drama starring rapper Logic in his feature acting debut as a record store owner navigating personal and professional challenges.[23] Smith served as executive producer through his affiliated SModCo banner, which often collaborates with View Askew on distribution and creative oversight, and also handled editing duties.[24] The project premiered at the Tribeca Festival, blending music industry satire with heartfelt ensemble dynamics, and includes appearances by Smith and Mewes, though it remains outside the core View Askewniverse.[25] Looking ahead, View Askew is developing Moose Jaws, the anticipated third installment in Smith's True North horror-comedy trilogy, following Tusk (2014) and Yoga Hosers (2016).[26] Described by Smith as "Jaws but with a moose," the film is set for production under a Lionsgate partnership, focusing on supernatural elements in a Canadian wilderness setting, with Smith directing and writing.[27] Additionally, a remastered 25th-anniversary edition of Dogma (1999) is slated for 2025 theatrical and home release, restoring original footage to enhance its cult status within the View Askewniverse.[28] Beyond film, View Askew has ventured into comics with the 2025 release of Quick Stops #3 from Dark Horse Comics, an anthology series revisiting short stories from the View Askewniverse, including new tales tied to Chasing Amy and Mallrats.[29] Future directions emphasize completing narrative arcs like the True North trilogy and potential sequels such as MallBrats (a Mallrats follow-up in pre-production), while balancing independent productions with broader collaborations to sustain the company's legacy of irreverent, character-driven content.[30]Productions
Films
View Askew Productions, founded by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier in 1994, has primarily focused on producing independent films characterized by witty dialogue, pop culture references, and interconnected storytelling within the View Askewniverse. The company's debut film, Clerks (1994), directed by Smith on a shoestring budget of $27,575, captured the mundane frustrations of retail workers and became a cornerstone of 1990s indie cinema after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. This black-and-white comedy introduced recurring characters like Jay and Silent Bob, establishing the blueprint for the company's output.[31][32] In its early years, View Askew diversified by supporting non-Smith projects, including Drawing Flies (1996), a mockumentary-style comedy directed by Malcolm Ingram and Matt Gissing that followed aimless friends on a road trip to Seattle, featuring actors from Clerks and Mallrats. Other 1990s productions encompassed A Better Place (1997), a psychological thriller directed by Vincent J. Pereira about a troubled young man's descent into obsession, and Big Helium Dog (1999), a coming-of-age comedy directed by Brian Lynch centering on high school misfits in suburban Illinois. These films highlighted the company's role in nurturing emerging filmmakers while leveraging the post-Clerks buzz. Meanwhile, Smith's directorial efforts expanded the View Askewniverse with Mallrats (1995), a colorful satire of comic book fandom and mall culture, and Chasing Amy (1997), which delved into bisexuality and comic book industry dynamics, earning praise for its emotional depth despite controversy over its portrayal of queer relationships.[31] The late 1990s and early 2000s saw View Askew tackle bolder themes, as in Dogma (1999), Smith's theological comedy featuring angels and religious satire that faced protests from Catholic groups but grossed over $30 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. This period culminated in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), a self-referential road trip film that lampooned Hollywood adaptations of Smith's work and reunited the titular duo for what was then intended as their final appearance. Diversifying further, Jersey Girl (2004) marked a tonal shift with its family drama starring Ben Affleck as a widowed father, while Clerks II (2006) revived the original characters a decade later in a fast-food setting, blending nostalgia with crude humor. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), another Smith comedy, followed roommates turning to adult filmmaking for financial salvation, starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks.[31][31][32] Entering the 2010s, View Askew ventured into genre territory with Cop Out (2010), a buddy-cop action film directed by Smith but starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, which underperformed critically despite a $30 million budget. The company then self-financed Red State (2011), Smith's horror-thriller about teens ensnared by a cult, auctioned at Sundance for distribution rights and praised for its intensity. Subsequent releases included the body-horror oddity Tusk (2014), inspired by a podcast hoax and transforming actor Justin Long into a walrus-like figure, and the teen comedy-horror Yoga Hosers (2016), featuring Johnny Depp in multiple roles alongside Smith's daughters as yoga-practicing clerks battling sausage monsters. The View Askewniverse continued with Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), a meta-sequel addressing aging and legacy through a Hollywood protest road trip, funded partly via crowdfunding. Clerks III (2022) brought the franchise full circle, depicting Dante and Randal staging a film about their lives amid personal crises, released theatrically by Lionsgate. Most recently, Killroy Was Here (2022), a horror anthology directed by Kevin Smith, explored urban legends through interconnected tales, marking an innovative NFT distribution experiment. These later films underscore View Askew's adaptability, blending cult appeal with experimental distribution amid shifting indie landscapes.[33][34][35][36][37]| Year | Title | Director | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Clerks | Kevin Smith | Debut film; launched View Askewniverse; Sundance premiere. |
| 1995 | Mallrats | Kevin Smith | Satire of youth and comics; grossed $2.1 million. |
| 1996 | Drawing Flies | Malcolm Ingram, Matt Gissing | Mockumentary comedy; early non-Smith project. |
| 1997 | Chasing Amy | Kevin Smith | Explores relationships; Miramax distribution. |
| 1997 | A Better Place | Vincent J. Pereira | Psychological thriller; indie drama focus. |
| 1999 | Dogma | Kevin Smith | Religious satire; $30+ million box office. |
| 1999 | Big Helium Dog | Brian Lynch | Suburban comedy; long-lost until 2025 re-release. |
| 2001 | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Kevin Smith | Meta-franchise send-off; $33 million gross. |
| 2004 | Jersey Girl | Kevin Smith | Family drama; Affleck stars. |
| 2006 | Clerks II | Kevin Smith | Sequel; fast-food setting. |
| 2008 | Zack and Miri Make a Porno | Kevin Smith | Adult comedy; Rogen and Banks lead. |
| 2010 | Cop Out | Kevin Smith | Action-comedy; Warner Bros. release. |
| 2011 | Red State | Kevin Smith | Horror-thriller; self-distributed. |
| 2014 | Tusk | Kevin Smith | Body horror; podcast-inspired. |
| 2016 | Yoga Hosers | Kevin Smith | Comedy-horror; Depp in multiple roles. |
| 2019 | Jay and Silent Bob Reboot | Kevin Smith | Franchise revival; crowdfunding element. |
| 2022 | Clerks III | Kevin Smith | Third installment; Lionsgate theatrical. |
| 2022 | Killroy Was Here | Kevin Smith | Horror anthology; NFT distribution. |