LongDespite what he keeps saying, Kevin Smith is still making movies. Yes, he plans to end his directorial career with Clerks III but before that he is making Tusk, a truly bizarre-sounding comedy (?) that stars Red State star Michael Parks and, now, Justin Long.

What is Tusk? It’s based on the true story of a man (Parks) who becomes close to a walrus while living in Alaska. However, when he goes home he misses his cuddly, blubbery pal so he puts an ad in the paper offering free rent to anyone who agrees to dress like a walrus for two hours a day. Yeah, that sounds like a healthy decision.

We’ve known about the film for awhile but word of Long’s involvement is news – and welcome. Long, of course, will be playing the man who signs on to wear the walrus suit. Smith promises the film will get really weird (“It’s a f–ked up movie, dude,” he tells EW) so you can imagine that Parks’s character will take things a bit too far and Long’s character will have his flippers full.

The ever-fickle Smith says Tusk will be an “ivory bridge” for Clerks III,  giving him the warm-up and time he needs before making his final film. However, some folks out there (yours truly included) don’t think Clerks III will be his swan song. Like Jay-Z and Michael Jordan before him, Smith will vow to step down but will find reasons to return. Maybe it’ll be Clerks IV, maybe it’ll be Jay And Silent Bob Take On Al-Qaeda or some other pet project that tickles his fancy between podcasting sessions. I would be very, very surprised if Tusk and Clerks III are what Smith goes out on. Is that a good or bad thing? Eh, I’ll leave that judgement call up to you.