8 years after Kevin Smith’s first horror movie, Tusk, the director now confirms its sequel, Tusk$, is in the works. In fact, Smith says he has more stories to tell about the horror piece that he is preparing the sequel in time for the first movie’s 10th anniversary. Movieweb.com posts that the director talked about the project in his FatMan Beyond podcast.
Ever since the heart attack I’ve been living on borrowed time. 2024 will mark the 10-year anniversary of Tusk…We could just leave it there and move on but you know, I’ve got more story left I’d like to tell, there’s a reason we left him in the zoo at the end. I always knew as we were making the movie I was just like, ‘I’ll totally do this again.’ I thought we’d have the late great Michael Parks with us longer, but, sadly he’s not, but I know we got Justin (Long).
Kevin Smith Confirms He’s Working On A Tusk Sequel
Image: A24
2014 Tusk is about self-made podcasters Wallace Bryton (Justin Long) and Teddy Craft (Haley Joel Osment) who goes to Canada to interview a viral internet celebrity. This initial mission fails and Wallace, in hopes of making the best out of the situation, accepts an invitation from Howard Howe (Michael Parks). Promising a good story, Howe speaks about how a walrus saved his life. All the while, ensnaring Wallace with the intention of transforming him into the walrus he obsesses about. After much of the gory and disturbing transformation, Wallace was still able to contact his girlfriend Ally Leon (Genesis Rodriguez) and partner Teddy. They get in touch with Guy LaPointe (Johnny Depp) who has been on the hunt for Howard for years. Before they were able to save Wallace, in what ever form he has turned into, Wallace was able to defeat Michael but at a steep cost. The movie ended with Wallace being left in a zoo with very little hints of his human self.
The movie did not perform well in the box office but has amassed a form of cult following over the years. It’s the disparity of impression from the audience that actually gave it its own place among horror movie buffs. Now, Smith has even disclosed where he will pick the story up for the sequel. He shares:
Early on I was always like, Well, eventually, they’ll take them out of that walrus skin and try to rehabilitate them. And just like Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight Returns, he’ll only ever see himself one way. Then he becomes the Howard Howe, Justin Long becomes the crazy guy who’s trying to turn people into something else, Chimera things, half-human and half-whatever. Last time it was walrus, this time…you’ll see.
Kevin Smith Confirms He’s Working On A Tusk Sequel
Image: A24
As for the title, Smith talks about what he has brewing in his mind:
I would be stupid not to make what I’m calling Tusk$. And yes, just like when Jim Cameron pitched Aliens, the ‘S’ in Tusks has a dollar sign through it, kids. It has everything to do with the plot of the story, but it’s also just me nakedly communicating my ambition that I’m going to correct the past. If you live long enough, sometimes you do sh-t just to be like…I don’t think we were wrong, I think we were early.
As it appears, Smith is actively getting his cast back. Justin Long shares:
You’ll be happy to hear, Kevin [Smith] just announ– I mean, I guess they’re talking about it. They’re doing ‘Tusk 2,’ I think…He texted us all the other day, Haley [Joel Osment] and Genesis [Rodriguez], and he told us that he wanted to do it, and I thought it was a joke. And then I realized he was being serious. And then one of the [other] interviewers said, ‘Yeah, he said the same to me.
Perhaps for any director, there will always be that one project of passion. And in terms of horror or any project of Smith, Tusks has tickled the minds of many. As disturbing as it may seem, the interpretation is open for anyone who sees the movie. A24 has always been behind though-provoking projects, we wonder what Tusk$ would finally be like. There is still two years to wait.
