Fans of the 2000 cult hit “Boondock Saints” have been waiting almost a decade for a sequel to the gritty, Boston-based flick. And now, the wait is over.

“I like a good 10-year gap between movies,” laughed Troy Duffy, the director/screenwriter of “Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day,” the sequel to his film debut about a pair of Irish-born twins who go vigilante in Boston.

“Fans know every frame of the movie, there are drinking games, competitions, it’s amazing,” said the Exeter, N.H., homey.

First, the back story: “Boondock Saints,” written by Troy, an ex-bartender who penned the script during breaks at a La-La watering hole, was bought back in 1997 – with much hoo-ha – by thenMiramax honchoHarvey Weinstein for $1.5 million. And to sweeten the deal, Harv said he would buy the Tinseltown tavern for Troy. Headlines ensued.

Long story short: Miramax never made the movie, and Troy never got the bar. The violent flick, starring Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Connolly andWillem Dafoe, was filmed on a shoestring in Canada and was released in 2000 in five theaters. (They filmed for less than a week in Boston because of the meager budget.)

The premiere came a few months after the Columbine massacre, so distributors were a little skittish about peddling a flick starring two foul-mouthed guys in black trench coats wreaking havoc with AK-47s in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

So “Boondock” went straight to video where, thanks to a deal with Blockbuster, the film reportedly rang up $50 million in global sales and rentals strictly via word-of-mouth marketing.

The sequel, according to Connolly, was driven by the devoted fan base and the actors themselves.

“I heard from a limo driver that Troy wanted to know why he didn’t hear from me anymore,” said the Scottish comic. “I called him and said, ‘Let’s get it on!’ ”

In “All Saints Day,” Duffy added a woman FBI agent – Julie Benz of “Dexter” fame – to the mix along with Clifton Collins Jr . of “Capote” fame as a somewhat comical Latino sidekick for the vigilante Brothers MacManus .

Duffy, who has four other scripts in development, said a “Boondock” trilogy would be intriguing, but he’d like to “ride this wave to shore” before thinking about a third film.

“Let’s see, in another 10 years we can have Billy on a walker and the boys strapped to IVs,” cracked Duffy. “ ‘Boondock Saints: Geriatric Tales from Southie.’ ”

“: All Saints Day,” opens Oct. 30

Readers Comments (0)