Kevin Smith’s next film, “The 4:30 Movie,” is set at the New Jersey movie theater where he would see films as a child.
“Clerks”-ish — but make it ’80s?
Except he didn’t finance the production by maxing out a series of credit cards like he did when he filmed that movie at the Quick Stop convenience store where he worked in the ‘90s.
This time, Smith owns the joint.
The director filmed the movie at the Jersey movie theater he co-owns with his friends — that same theater of his youth. He bought Atlantic Highlands’ Atlantic Moviehouse, formerly Atlantic Cinemas, with partners in 2022, rechristening it SModcastle Cinemas after his podcast theater.
Smith, who grew up in Highlands, announced Tuesday that “The 4:30 Movie” had been picked up by Saban Films, the distributor behind his 2019 film “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.”
More: Kevin Smith is battling to keep his N.J. childhood movie theater afloat
He’ll be following a similar rollout that brought him success with “Reboot.” The release of “The 4:30 Movie” will take the form of a national tour this summer, after which the film will come to theaters. Starting in Asbury Park, Smith toured with Jason Mewes for “Reboot.” He also toured with his most recent film, Lionsgate’s “Clerks III” (2022), which saw a theatrical release via Fathom Events.
Smith shared the news on Instagram Tuesday.
“I’m ecstatic to announce a new film - my 16th in 30 years!” he said, sharing photos of the cast.
Smith, 53, posted the development a day after sharing an April Fools’ prank about his 1999 movie “Dogma.”
“The 4:30 Movie,” set in 1986, follows teen friends and their shenanigans at their local movie theater (including sneaking in to see movies and young love).
Smith has been trying to keep SModcastle Cinemas open even though “theatrical exhibition is in the toilet,” as he told NJ Advance Media in January.
Smith, who live in Los Angeles but maintains a second home above the theater where he stays when he’s in Jersey, noted that the movie theater received “a small financial infusion” last summer when he used the business as a filming location for “The 4:30 Movie.”
“This summer, you can come see this sweet period piece at the same theater where we made it (or at a theater near you)!” Smith said on X/Twitter Monday.
‘Jesus Christ!’ Kevin Smith pulls April Fools’ stunt promising liberation of Weinstein-controlled film.
Austin Zajur, who was in Smith’s “Clerks III” (as Blockchain Coltrane) and is boyfriend to Smith’s daughter Harley Quinn Smith, stars in “The 4:30 Movie” alongside Reed Northrup (”Teenage Euthanasia”), Nicholas Cirillo (”Outer Banks”) and Siena Agudong (”Resident Evil”).
The cast includes Ken Jeong, Sam Richardson, Rachel Dratch and Adam Pally.
Harley Quinn Smith (”Clerks III,” ”Jay and Silent Bob Reboot,” “Yoga Hosers,” “Tusk”) also appears in the film, as do other alumni of Smith movies: Jason Lee (”Chasing Amy,” “Mallrats,” “Dogma,” “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot”), Justin Long (”Clerks III,” “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot,” “Tusk,” “Yoga Hosers”), Method Man (”Jay and Silent Bob Reboot”), Jersey City-born Kate Micucci (”Clerks III,” “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot”) and Genesis Rodriguez (”Tusk,” “Yoga Hosers”).
In other news, Smith has the opportunity to add to his already substantial Jersey cred with a spot in the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He’s currently nominated and up for a public vote alongside the likes of Bill Maher, Lola Falana, Lesley Gore and Sandra Dee.
Stories by Amy Kuperinsky
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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup.