Kevin Smith has finally secured financing for Clerks 3, and he owes it all to Tusk, which has grossed just $1.4 million since its Sept. 19 premiere.

"Everybody that's like, 'He failed, he failed,'" the filmmaker said in the most recent episode of his Hollywood Babble-On podcast. "I'm like, 'Thank you — I failed into Clerks 3." Apparently, the performance of the offbeat horror film was enough to impress new investors.

Earlier this year, Smith said he took a $6 million version of Clerks 3 to The Weinstein Company, but was only offered distribution.

Smith explained on an episode of SModcast that, although Tusk didn't make much money, it was produced for just $3 million, which was recouped with domestic and international distribution deals.

He noted that Tusk also led to financing for Yoga Hosers, which he's now shooting, and Moose Jaws, the third film in his podcast-inspired Canada-based trilogy.

(via The Hollywood Reporter)