Kevin Smith Has Been Writing Dogma 2, But There Will Be Two Major Changes In The Sequel

For the longest time, word about what might be happening with the 1999 Kevin Smith opus "Dogma" was nil. Trapped in the clutches of the Weinstein Brothers, it seemed that the original movie was likely to never be re-released in theaters or on physical or streaming media, never mind the long-rumored sequel coming to pass. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of Iconic Events and others, Smith has regained control of the film and as such, has embarked on a massive multi-city tour, showing a spiffy new restoration of the movie as well as appearing in super-sized post-screening Q&A sessions. Both this writer and /Film's Ethan Anderton were lucky to attend a couple of these screenings (in Los Angeles and Chicago, respectively), and got to hear some fascinating tales about the making of "Dogma" and its resurrection.

Although Smith mentioned at both screenings that he is currently working on a proper "Dogma" sequel, it was at the Chicago Q&A where he dished on some more specific details about what that movie might look like and who will be involved. To be clear, no script or treatment for the film has actually been written yet; Smith was keen to explain his writing process, which only involves a small amount of actual writing. As he said in the Chicago Q&A: 

"Writing is like, sitting in your car, disassociating in traffic, going like, 'What would Jay and Silent Bob do?' and almost getting in an accident ...That's all writing, man. And then, by the time you get to a place to do this [mimics typing], for me, that's just kind of muscle memory. So, for the last six months, I've been whimsying what a 'Dogma II' could look like."

As it turns out, that "whimsying" as of now involves two major changes: a brand-new lead character, along with a shocking revelation about the fate of Jay & Silent Bob.

During his Q&A in Chicago on April 26th, Smith described the various musings he's had so far regarding what might happen in "Dogma 2." The first big change (again, based on what's in Smith's head for now) is that the film would not follow the further exploits of The Last Scion, aka Bethany Sloane (played in the first movie by Linda Fiorentino), but her adult daughter, a woman named Rufus. That name, of course, would act as a payoff to a gag from the first movie, in which Chris Rock's 13th Apostle, Rufus, asks if Bethany's child could be named after him.

According to Smith, the movie would parallel the basic structure of the first "Dogma," in which Rufus would be "sent on a mission" and would have "to re-collect the team." But, in the tradition of many a "getting the band back together" story structure, Rufus would discover that things in the lives of the other characters have changed drastically. Smith mentioned that he hoped to still use an idea for the re-introduction of Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith himself), one which he "had back in the day, when I was a kid." As he explained:

"When she went looking for Jay and Silent Bob, I always thought she would find Jay by himself. And Jay explains that he and Silent Bob have broken up. And she's like, 'Well, where is he?' And then, we cut to a field in a dust bowl state, and there's a giant tent in a field, and a bunch of cars pulled in, and people go in, and you hear organ music, and it's an old-timey Baptist tent revival. And you hear inside, somebody spitting fire and brimstone. And we cut inside, and it's Silent Bob, and he's like, 'I'm here to tell you that Jesus...'"

Obviously, this idea of a split-up for Jay & Silent Bob would be a bit of a bombshell for the long-running characters, especially given where they'd ended up after "Jay & Silent Bob Reboot" and "Clerks III." Does this mean "Dogma 2" might take place prior to those films, or at some other place in the View Askewniverse timeline? Or perhaps Silent Bob took the untimely demise of Dante in "Clerks III" as a sign he should find religion? Whatever the case, Smith merely mentioned that he might still include this plot point, saying he guessed "it could still work."

Once again underlining how these are all just musings of what "Dogma 2" might be, Smith went on to say that this initial brainstorming period of his process is "the best time," and that the final film (should it actually be made) "could be anything." While he refused to say whether or not these changes will unequivocally appear in "Dogma 2," one aspect he seemed steadfast on is the approach the sequel will have toward religion, which is something markedly different from the first movie. Apparently, the Kevin Smith who made "Dogma" in 1999 was a devout believer, while the Kevin Smith of 2025 is someone different. As the filmmaker elaborated:

"I know it'll look different, because this [movie] right here, oh f—k, this was made by a kid who believed then. Believed in all this stuff. He wasn't being ironic. That was his fate. So, if I'm doing a sequel to 'Dogma,' I can't do this. I don't feel this way anymore. I don't have those same feelings about my faith. So, right away, it's going to be a different journey to begin with."

If these comments give one pause about Smith approaching a "Dogma" sequel at all, not to worry; Smith himself is aware of this dissonance and hopes to make his new beliefs a help rather than a hindrance. As he explained:

"But what I lack in faith for 'Dogma 2,' I think I will make up for in sheer cleverness. I have to. There's no choice, right? Otherwise, don't even step near it. But I found a way in where I was like, 'Oh, that's cool,' and I've been happy."

This "way in" Smith refers to is something which he spoke about at both the LA and Chicago screenings, and whatever this story element is that cracked the sequel for him, he's not yet telling. However, it seems to have galvanized him, so much so that his claim that a "Dogma 2" could be shooting as early as next year might actually come to pass. After all, as the re-release of "Dogma" proves, miracles can happen. So, hopefully we can bear witness to a "Dogma 2" sometime in the near future.