A Kick-Ass comic adaptation coming to the big screen

Hollywood is so desperate to snap up each and every comic book and graphic novel property, that they're now targeting brand new series, as well as (bizarrely!) comics that haven't even been released yet - even Guy Richie's upcoming, action-orientated Sherlock Holmes film is based on an as-yet-unreleased comic.

But speaking of barely established comics making the transition to the big screen, from out of nowhere came the announcement a few weeks back that Kick-Ass, the latest from Mark (Wanted) Millar, is about to start filming. There's even already an official movie site.

Thing is, Kick-Ass the comic is only 4 issues old, having debuted in February this year. The film makers won't have much of a storyline to work with... unless they're in close discussions with Millar.


Anyway, I must admit that while I did not like the Wanted film adaptation at all (I hadn't read the comic), the plot of Kick-Ass sounds very interesting - more in line with what I personally would do if I was working on a superhero comic:

Dave Lizewski, a ordinary New York City high school student takes his interest in comic books as inspiration to become a real-life superhero, named Kick-Ass. He assembles a suit and mask, which he wears under his normal clothing, begins exercising, and practices things like walking on roofs. Despite having no athletic ability or coordination (and definitely no superpowers), Dave decides to start fighting crime. Unsurprisingly, he gets severely beaten by thugs. However, his exploits are captured and posted on YouTube, and he inadvertently inspires a new subculture of people dressed in makeshift superhero costumes.

Now given its real life setting and focus on vigilante violence, Kick-Ass is apparently very bloody. Because of this, the big film studios have been resistant to throwing money at the potentially controversial film - teens and tweenies chopping up people with ninja swords and going on murderous rampages tend to trigger an immediate reaction from various "Concerned Parents" groups out there.

All this said, director and producer Matthew (Layer Cake, Stardust) Vaughn has already raised $30 million on his own to make the film, which has just started shooting in London. Canada will double for New York in the movie.


Kick-Ass has already started pulling together a cast. Young British actor Aaron Johnson is playing Dave, Lyndsy Fonseca is Dave's love interest (who sees Dave's bruises and thinks he's working as a gay prostitute), and McLovin' himself, Christopher Mintz-Plass will be portraying The Red Mist, the teenage son of a gangster determined to discover the real identity of Kick-Ass.

If that wasn't enough, cute Chloe Moretz will play Hit Girl, a foul-mouthed 11 year old who wields a ninja sword, and has been trained by her former cop father (Nicholas Cage) to fight drug dealers.

Vaughn is apparently attempting to bring other big name actors on board to play the other parents and adults in the film.

Kick-Ass is set for release in 2009 sometime.

Comments

MJenks said…
I was on board with this up until the words Nicholas Cage appeared in the role call.
Pfangirl said…
Yeah, mjenks, when I saw those 2 words my heart dropped.

Cage can be reeled in at times (he was OK in World Trade Centre) but whenever he's been linked to blockbusters and comic book adaptations in recent years, the films have been horrible, horrible, horrible!

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