Although the ultraviolent nature of Kick-Ass may have caused Hollywood studios to pass, Matthew Vaughn is pushing forward with the $30 million adaptation using money he raised himself.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad) in negotiations to play Red Mist, the son of a mobster who tries to discover the main character’s identity. Chloe Moretz (Dirty Sexy Money) already has been cast.
Based on the Marvel/Icon series by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., Kick-Ass follows high-school nerd Dave Lizewski, who reinvents himself as a superhero. The role hasn’t been cast yet.
Vaughn, who produced and directed Layer Cake and Stardust, originally shopped the movie to Sony, who balked because of the violence. Other studios wanted the protagonists’ ages to be increased.
Vaughn wrote the screenplay with Jane Goldman (Stardust). Production is set to begin this fall.
August 15th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Now if only we could get the comic to come out on time …
August 15th, 2008 at 10:51 am
Yes, thanks to this article, we now know of the character Red Mist before he’s even shown up in the comics. At least I think so. Was issue three the last one to come out? I stopped paying attention.
August 15th, 2008 at 10:56 am
How could Hollywood have a problem with making this? They made Kill Bill, which is violent as hell!Maybe if they “shopped” it around as something like that then maybe they wouldnt have run in2 problems.Is the director was Quentin Tarantino, would they have still decided to pass?No love for the lil guy…:(
August 15th, 2008 at 11:01 am
“Based on the Marvel/Icon series by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., Kick-Ass follows high-school nerd Dave Lizewski, who reinvents himself as a superhero.”
In the movie adaption, Dave Lizewski reinvents himself as a Gospel singer. However “the movie will share many of the same themes as the comic that inspired it,” assured the Director.
August 15th, 2008 at 11:15 am
“How could Hollywood have a problem with making this? They made Kill Bill, which is violent as hell!”
Ah, but The Bride wasn’t 11 years old. From what I can tell the young lead characters are part of the problem.
August 15th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Haha, yes, a property that has a cast of underage children committing horrific acts of violence, including a 9-year old girl calling people “fucking cunts” and disembowling them is totally comparable to Kill Bill.
Battle Royale can’t even get an American distributor, and that’s a movie that’s almost 10 years old and has a built-in fanbase, yet still nobody in America is willing to pay the licensing fees. This is movie that has to be funded from the ground up which would cost at least 10 times as much as the BR licensing and distribution fees.
August 15th, 2008 at 11:50 am
So far, I’ve enjoyed the comic. I’ve ALWAYS been a fan of Romita Jr.’s Art (and Millar’s writing, of course), which makes following the series that much more of a pleasure. A couple of months ago, I put together a “FANimation” of some of the action in Kick-Ass #issue 1 and posted it on Mark’s web site, which he thought was pretty cool. I hope it’s OK for me to share the link and animation here, with whomever wants to view it. If there’s any issue or problem, I’ll glady remove the content. Just click my web address to view.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Kick-Ass is garbage. Millar is one of, if not THE, most overrated writers in all of comics. I really hope this movie doesn’t end up being made-the last thing we need is ANOTHER crappy comic book related movie.
August 15th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I’m going to have to agree with Rufus.
August 15th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
This could actually, end up being a decently unique take on the action movie genre (and of course super heroeseses)…Vaughn is a great director, and the Kick Ass had a great twist at the end of three…I know is this is creator run, but why so late; it’s JRJR, he can usually do about 18 or so issues a year? Maybe Millar in hollywood land is slowing down his writing time.
And even if you don’t like Millar, or the series, I really don’t see how its been garbage, a little indulgent maybe, but there’s nothing wrong with a writer “projecting” once in awhile (especially when its not being “pushed” on a pre-established corporate fav).
August 15th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
A little indulgent???
The man has MIScharacterized every minority gang he has written in the story to the point it might be taken offensively. The dialogue has been infantile, the plot meandering and to sum this entire book in on word…trite.
Another Mark Millar “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” pre-pubescent fanboy Production.
August 15th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Hmm.
Watch out when you’re MIScharacterizing those minority gangs. Wouldn’t want them to take time out of selling drugs and spray painting their turf to complain about a comic book.
jeeeeeeeeeezus.
Kick ass is a good time. It’s not amazing, but it’s far from the worst book out there.
August 15th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Because we all know a series about a 14 year old dressing up in a diving suit beating people with sticks based off of tips received through his MySpace page should be as thoroughly researched and true to life a depiction of crime culture as The Wire or Eastern Promises or The Sopranos.
Also I am offended by the gross historical liberties taken in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, the portrayal of the military in Transformers and the prison system in the upcoming Death Race. Furthermore,
August 15th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
if i know millar, he’ll stall on the last issue until the film comes out.
“It’s the greetest felm Ah’ve ever sin, en ma hol leef”
“bah mah comex”
August 16th, 2008 at 4:00 am
Enh. The director of a terrible movie teamed up with the terrible writer of a comic book. Just one more thing not to spend money on…
August 16th, 2008 at 7:04 am
So Kick-Ass was pretty much just a method of Millar getting a movie out?
August 16th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Heres to hoping it’s a good movie
W. Thornhill – The fanimations were cool. You don’t happen to be working on that new Black Panther cartoon, right
?
August 16th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Mr. Allision Blaire, Thanks for the compliment (that my animations were cool), but no…I had nothing to do with the animation for the Black Panther cartoon. I developed these animations in (pretty much) the same manner, as the Black Panther cartoon is rendered, but I’m quite sure BET and MARVEL had far, far more resources, equipment and talented individuals working on that project, whereas I only had myself. For the record, I like how that Black Panther cartoon was animated, but felt it would have been better received had it been intended as a webisode, as opposed to being presented as an actual cartoon for television. But, it’s excellent animation nonetheless. Thanks again.
August 16th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Maybe Millar is slowing it down to not release too much so the film can tie closely to the book..
August 16th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I looked at an issue in the shop, and I enjoyed it in the small dose of a single issue. Like a porno, though, I put it down as soon as I was done and felt like I didn’t want to see it ever again.
August 17th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
so, Is Marvel films going to be involved in this at all? I guess not.. though once the movie comes out and is a big hit, I bet their execs will wish they had a piece of it.. d’oh! Stupid ban on “R-rated” film policies…
August 17th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Spoke to Millar today in Charlotte — The Red Mist will debut in issue #5 of Kick-Ass.