Kevin Smith To Direct ‘Red State’ Sequel At Lionsgate’s Request

During the stretch that Kevin Smith was pulling away from the View Askew universe, he ventured out into other genre forms, particularly horror. The most successful of these projects was 2011’s Red State, about a group of horny boys who are lured into a trap by an ultra-conservative, fanatical cult. After a brief self-financed release, the film was ultimately distributed by Lionsgate, and after so many years they’re eager to work with Smith again on a sequel.

According to Slashfilm who were in attendance at an Austin, TX screening of Clerks III, Smith revealed that Lionsgate has asked him to do Red State 2

“(Lionsgate was) like, if we do this, would you do it again? And I was like, yeah, in a heartbeat. […] I mean, obviously, Michael Parks is gone. But it’s just a story of crazy people with guns and shit like that. As long as I could use John Goodman again, I could make a hundred f*cking Red States. And I’m like, let’s do it. So we’re gonna make one.“

Smith’s relationship with Lionsgate has been a long and fruitful one. The two collaborated on the distribution of Clerks III, as well.

This does come as a surprise, though. Red State was generally well-received, but it didn’t leave much of a cultural imprint. Even among Smith fans, of which I am definitely one, it’s seen as something of an odd detour. Not quite on the level of Tusk (which Smith is also planning a sequel to) or Yoga Hosers (which Smith is thankfully not doing a sequel to), but still out of his comfort zone and field of expertise.

That said, the rise of right-wing extremism in this country does make the idea of a new Red State a tantalizing one. And if anybody can find something funny to say about such a dangerous movement, it’s Smith.

Travis Hopson
Travis Hopson has been reviewing movies before he even knew there was such a thing. Having grown up on a combination of bad '80s movies, pro wrestling, comic books, and hip-hop, Travis is uniquely positioned to geek out on just about everything under the sun. A vampire who walks during the day and refuses to sleep, Travis is the co-creator and lead writer for Punch Drunk Critics. He is also a contributor to Good Morning Washington, WBAL Morning News, and WETA Around Town. In the five minutes a day he's not working, Travis is also a voice actor, podcaster, and Twitch gamer. Travis is a voting member of the Critics Choice Association (CCA), Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), and Late Night programmer for the Lakefront Film Festival.