Posted by Big Time Mark Silver at mailhost.lbpsb.qc.ca on February 07, 2000 at 13:25:59:
Well, this is a lot like writing a letter to God and saying what the hell were you thinking? But, it's not. I feel strongly about two things in this particular scenario, and it's because I, like you, am a writer-filmmaker. In fact, much of my style is patterned after yours. I apologize in advance for the shameless rip-off. Anyhow, My thoughts on these subjects are as follows. A Mallrats sequel would certainly be a money-making movie. The word of mouth on anything of yours is strong everywhere I go. I think that there are enough unresolved issues after the last one to go forth with the sequel. (The marriage, the monkey, and Trish the Dish's book tour, to name a few) Or you could go another way and use the mall as your central character, with Jay and Silent Bob once more inhabiting and coloring the landscape. Either way, the sequel would make far more money than the original. The other thought I have is on your possible abandonment of the Viewaskewniverse to make movies that are independent of the universe that you have created for yourself and for your fans. I caution you to follow your heart, because in the end, the only one who really has to be happy with your decision is you. Looking in other media, the example of Stephen King is a good one. King has constructed himself a whole little town (Castle Rock, Maine) and a whole town of supporting characters (Including the bad guy Ace something or other. King has inspired loyalty in his fans, as you have, and anything that he has written has sold well. I think you can put yourself in the same position. It is imperative that you branch out (There are only so many interesting stories in the Garden State.) , but once in a while a return to the roots of your work and give your fans a taste of the good stuff.
L8R
Marc Lalonde
a.k.a. Big Time Mark Silver, WIWF Heavyweight Champion of Montreal
(I'm quite proud)