The View Askewniverse is a fictional universe created by writer/director Kevin Smith, featured in several films, comics and a television series; it is named for Smith's production company, View Askew Productions. The characters Jay and Silent Bob appear in almost all the View Askewniverse media, and characters from one story often reappear or are referred to in others. Smith often casts the same actors for multiple characters in the universe, sometimes even in the same film; Smith himself portrays the character of Silent Bob.
Setting Smith's recurring characters, settings, and motifs first appeared in his debut film, Clerks. Since then, the main canon has consisted of nine feature films, in addition to several short films, comic books, and a short-lived animated television series. The View Askewniverse is centered on the towns of Leonardo, Highlands, and Red Bank, all located in Monmouth County, central New Jersey. Chasing Amy also takes place partly in New York City, while Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot involve road trips.
Films Film U.S. release date Director Screenwriter Producer(s) Clerks Kevin Smith Kevin Smith Scott Mosier and Kevin Smith Mallrats James Jacks, Sean Daniel, and Scott Mosier Chasing Amy Scott Mosier Dogma Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Clerks II Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! Steve Stark Jason Mewes and Jordan Monsanto Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Kevin Smith Liz Destro and Jordan Monsanto Clerks III
Clerks (1994)
The first film in the series of the View Askewniverse, Clerks follows a day in the lives of two store clerks, Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson). Dante is called into work at the Quick Stop convenience store on his day off until the boss can relieve him at noon. As Dante serves a succession of customers, he repeatedly complains that he is "not even supposed to be here today". Randal works at RST Video next door, although he spends almost the entire day relaxing at the Quick Stop. Dante learns he will be working all day, and decides to close the store for brief periods to play hockey on the roof and to attend a memorial service for his ex-girlfriend. An old flame now engaged surprises him with a visit. The two had been talking on the phone for months and after seeing each other again they are keen to reunite and leave their current relationships.
Mallrats (1995)
Two young men, Brodie Bruce and T.S. Quint, hang out at a mall after being dumped by their girlfriends, while also trying to avoid the wrath of Shannon Hamilton. The film occurs one day before the events of Clerks.
Chasing Amy (1997)
A heterosexual man, Holden McNeil, falls in love with a lesbian woman, Alyssa Jones, causing conflict with his homophobic best friend, Banky Edwards, with whom he has created a comic book called Bluntman and Chronic based upon their friends Jay and Silent Bob.
Dogma (1999)
The world ends if two angels enter a church in New Jersey and Jesus' last scion, Jay and Silent Bob, and the thirteenth Apostle have to stop them.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
Jay and Silent Bob embark on a road-trip to Hollywood to try to stop production of a Bluntman and Chronic movie. Within the film, the Bluntman and Chronic movie was to be based on the comic made by the protagonists of Chasing Amy.
Clerks II (2006)
Roughly ten years after Clerks, an accident destroys the Quick Stop; as a result, Dante and Randal are now employed in the fast food industry.
Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! (2013)
The animated film depicts the events within the Bluntman and Chronic comic written by the protagonists of Chasing Amy, which was to be adapted into a movie in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Kevin Smith adapted the script from the Bluntman and Chronic comics story he had originally written as a companion piece to the film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)
After losing the legal rights to their names over a film reboot of Bluntman and Chronic, Jay and Silent Bob travel across the United States to try to prevent the reboot from being made.
Clerks III (2022)
Now co-owners of the Quick Stop, Dante and Randal are staring down middle age when Randal gets the idea to make a movie about their lives behind the counter. With Dante reluctantly on board, the two set out to capture the absurd conversations, eccentric customers, and hard truths that have shaped their years in the store. What begins as a goofy project turns into a chaotic but heartfelt look at friendship, regret, and the strange poetry of clerking.
Upcoming
Twilight of the Mallrats (TBA) On March 12, 2015, Smith confirmed that Mallrats 2 was being written and was slated to begin shooting in May 2016. In April 2015, Smith announced that Mallrats 2 would be his next film, instead of Clerks III as originally intended, and would begin production the following year. In January 2020, Smith announced that development on Mallrats 2 had started up again, under a new title, Twilight of the Mallrats. It was planned that Mallrats star Shannen Doherty would reprise her role in the sequel; however, she died in July 2024. A few months later, however, Smith suggested that the sequel could still be made, reframed as a tribute to Doherty.
Related films Film U.S. release date Director(s) Screenwriter(s) Producers Drawing Flies Matt Gissing & Malcolm Ingram Kevin Smith, Matt Gissing, Scott Mosier & Malcolm Ingram Scream 3 Wes Craven Ehren Kruger Cathy Konrad, Kevin Williamson & Marianne Maddalena Zack and Miri Make a Porno Kevin Smith Scott Mosier Madness in the Method Jason Mewes Dominic Burns & Chris Anastasi Rob Weston & Dominic Burns
Drawing Flies: Much of the cast of Mallrats featured in a simultaneous View Askew Productions film titled, Drawing Flies. A couple of actors portray the same characters, with Kevin Smith credited as Silent Bob. Smith also wore the same wardrobe within the two films. Scream 3: Jay and Silent Bob appear in Scream 3, during a scene which shows the pair in-studio. Jay comedically mistakes one of the main protagonists, named Gale Weathers-Riley, for television reporter Connie Chung and sarcastically asks her about Maury Povich. Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Though Smith previously stated that the film is not set within the Askewniverse, he later added the character of Brandon St. Randy as a part of Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. The character features as the lawyer of Jay, Silent Bob, and Saban Films. Madness in the Method: Directed by Jason Mewes, from a script co-written by Chris Anastasi and Dominic Burns, the film is produced by Rob Weston of Straightwire Entertainment Group and features the characters Jay and Silent Bob. The film was released on August 2, 2019.
Short films The Flying Car: A short film featuring Dante and Randal, that was produced for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2002. Clerks: The Lost Scene: An animated short, that was produced in 2004 for Clerks X (10th anniversary DVD). The release is based on a scene previously off-screen from Clerks, that had previously been depicted in the comics.
Television
Clerks: The Animated Series: A traditionally animated series, that consisted of six episodes featuring the main characters from the Clerks film. The series aired on ABC in 2000, only to be discontinued after two episodes were released on network television. The entire series was later released directly to DVD in 2001. Clerks: A live-action pilot episode, for a television series adaptation, based on Clerks. Kevin Smith had no involvement with the television series' adaptation. Jay and Silent Bob Shorts: A series of short skits, which aired on MTV. Jay and Silent Bob Rename Your Favorite TV Show: Released throughout 2005, as a portion of I Love the '90s. The routine was released on VH1. I Love the '90s: Part Deux: The second release from VH1, as a part of the I Love the '90s series. The show released in 2005. Degrassi: The Next Generation: The series adapted a fictional filming of Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh?, over the span of three of its episodes. My Name Is Earl: The series, which stars Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee who have co-starred in numerous films directed by Kevin Smith, made references to the films. The Flash (2014 TV series): Jay and Silent Bob cameo as security guards in the episode "Null and Annoyed".
Digital Jay and Silent Bob VR In 2018, STX Entertainment announced that their Surreal division was working with Kevin Smith on a VR series that would star Jay and Silent Bob.
Recurring cast and characters Smith often casts the same actors for multiple characters in the universe, sometimes even in the same film. This is most notable in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, in which several actors play multiple characters from earlier View Askewniverse films.
Smith and Jason Mewes are the only actors to appear in every film as the same characters. Two other actors have appeared in every film, as different characters: Walt Flanagan and Brian O'Halloran, with O'Halloran always appearing as a member of the Hicks family (most notably Dante).
The more notable recurring actors include: