Kevin Smith has revealed that The Weinstein Company has passed on Clerks 3, citing budgetary issues as the studio’s objection to the project.

Miramax had given Smith his big break with the release of the original back in 1994, and the Weinsteins still own the rights to the series, but according to Smith, they aren’t willing to stump up the necessary cash.

“They passed,” reveals Smith. “I went in with a $6 million budget and they were like, ‘Oh no, Kevin. This is too high.’ Bob offered us distribution, but they weren’t going to finance it.”

Earlier this year, Smith had told fans that, “Clerks 3 is still coming… I love the script so much, I’ll make it happen, I promise,” although where the film goes from here remains to be seen.

Smith has self-released films in the past, so we’d be surprised to see the director give up easily on a project that clearly means this much to him. Surely the Kickstarter campaign begins now…