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Exclusive: Kick-Ass Footage To Premiere at Comic-Con; New Photo Revealed
Posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
San Diego Comic-Con International will be announcing the full panel line up for this year’s convention next week, but we’re able to reveal that the first footage from Matthew Vaughn’s big screen adaptation of Kick-Ass will premiere at the convention. The panel will take place on Thursday, July 23 towards the end of the day. Vaughn will be in attendance, along with some of the film’s cast members (to be announced later). This is the biggest non-studio produced comic book movie of all time, and I can’t wait to see some of the footage.
As a bit of a tease, Vaughn has provided us with this exclusive never-before-seen photo from Kick-Ass, which features Chloe Moretz as Mindy Macready aka the ruthless 11-year-old vigilante named Hit Girl.
Mark Millar Pushing Through Kick-Ass 2 And More
Posted on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 by Brendon Connelly
Most of the key cast members in Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn’s too-young-to-drink superhero saga Kick-Ass are currently going through those formative years where a sudden Harry Potter-style growth spurt could end up maturing them dramatically almost over night. As such, any sequel to the movie would need to be put on the fast track and, according to Sci Fi Wire’s new interview with Millar, that’s indeed what is happening. As well as the sequel, Millar also mentioned the planned adaptations of War Heroes and American Jesus. Details after the break.
New Photo: Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl in Kick-Ass
Posted on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a photo (see the previous photo after the jump) of Chloe Moretz as Mindy aka Hit Girl in Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass, but it’s definitely a better look at the character in action. The new photo comes courtesy of the new issue of Empire Magazine , guest edited by Steven Spielberg.
As you can see by the comic book to film comparison above, it appears that the character’s outfit has changed in the translation (that is of course unless this photo is of the character out of costume, which is very possible). In the film Chloe plays a pre-teen assassin who’s been trained by her father Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), seen below.
Matthew Vaughn Reteams With Mark Millar for American Jesus
Posted on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 by Peter Sciretta
Earlier today, Mark Millar admitted that he would be moving on from trying to get his Superman pitch off the ground, and now we have some idea why. THR reports that Millar will reteam with his Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn on a live-action big screen adaptation of Millar’s American Jesus comic book. Vaughn is looking to produce the film independently, and they are eyeing a Summer 2009 start.
The comic started as a miniseries titled “Chosen”, and eventually evolved into a trilogy of miniseries retitled “American Jesus”. The second volume, subtitled “The Resurrection”, is due out this Fall. The story follows a twelve-year-old boy who suddenly discovers he’s returned as Jesus Christ. He can turn water into wine, make the crippled walk, and, perhaps, even raise the dead! How will he deal with the destiny to lead the world in a conflict thousands of years in the making? Basically, American Jesus is Millar’s re-telling of The Book of Revelation from the Bible, set in contemporary times.
You can read the first full issue for free on Newsarama. The first volume gets released in a 72-page tradepaperback on April 8th, and is available for preorder on Amazon for $9.99.
/Film reader Roque R sends over the first official photos from Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of Mark Millar’s Kick Ass. Newsarama scored the first photos that feature Aaron Johnson as high school student Dave Lizewski aka Kick-Ass.
Plot Synopsis (beware of possible comic book spoilers): Dave Lizewski is a kid growing up in a rundown suburb of America, he isn’t a gamer, he isn’t a jock, he isn’t a mathlete, he’s just a regular kid. When he is not hanging out at the local comic store with his friends Todd and Marty, he is fantasising about his school teacher and Katie Deauxma, the class hottie. The only thing that is unusual about Dave is that about a year ago his Mother died. But somehow through this blend of normality, teenage angst and irritation at being continually mugged, Dave makes the decision to become a superhero’ KICK ASS! Dave’s first foray into being a Superhero results in him being stabbed and run over. When Dave recovers he realises he can’t walk away from being a hero, and when he successfully steps in on a mugging he brings himself to the attention of the US media and Frank D’Amico could this be the guy who knicked his coke? As Dave gets sucked into the dark world of vigilante crime fighting he gains a sidekick named ‘Red Mist’.
Kick-Ass Set Videos Reveal Costumed Superheroes
Posted on Monday, October 6th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta
A bunch of new Kick-Ass set videos have popped up on YouTube, giving us our first real look at the characters dressed in superhero gear. The scene involved Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) and the Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) riding along in Mist’s custom red sports car through Downtown Toronto (near the Toronto Eaton Centre) at night. I’ve included the most interesting/revealing video of the bunch below. And by revealing, I mean only slightly.
You can watch the rest of the videos on YouTube. Thanks to /Film reader Joe H for the tip.
High Res: Kick-Ass Set Photos - Red Mist’s Car
Posted on Thursday, September 25th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta
Janetliz got a much better photo of the taxi cab that gets crushed in the opening sequence of Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass. As you can see, the license plate also acts as the film’s title card. Read our original report here.
Pigpen333 took a couple photos of the Red Mist’s car.
Built by Galpin Auto Sports in Los Angeles, the Red Mist has a supercharged Saleen motor that puts out 630 horse power, and includes “WAY too many other mods than can be discussed.”
/Film reader Dan B sent in a photo from the Toronto set of Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass.
“Coming back from a Jays game happen to catch what appeared to be 2nd Unit for Kick-Ass. Didn’t see Matthew Vaughn on site. They seemed to be shooting the opening shots of the movie. The camera starts off facing the wrecked taxi and ends up on a close up of the license plate that reads ‘Kick-Ass’ Here are the shots taken with my Iphone.”
And here are some screenshots of the panels of the scene from the comic book:
Clark Duke to Kick Ass in Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass!
Posted on Monday, September 15th, 2008 by Hunter Stephenson
With buzz climbing for his performance in the October comedy, Sex Drive, actor Clark Duke has landed a role in Matthew Vaughn’s violent comic book flick Kick-Ass. Ever since we laughed our asses off at Duke being repeatedly mistaken for a girl on the web series, Clark and Michael, we’ve hoped to see him stake a claim in cool features, so this is great news. And yeah, based on the trailers, Sex Drive looks friggin’ meh, but supposedly it delivers. Duke will play Marty, a good friend to the film’s titular character, a teenage would-be superhero, and Marty’s described on the movie’s official character list via Moviehole as…
About 17, a chubby Caucasian high school student who loves comic books. He is Dave’s funny best friend. Together with Dave and Todd, he loves to go to comic book stores, and checks out the latest issues, while talking about school, girls, the futility of teenaged life, and the exciting adventures of Myspace insta-celebrity Kickass. He never suspects that Kickass is in fact Dave Lizewski — and neither would you if you knew Dave.
Perfect. For our recent casting report on Vaughn’s $70 million indie film. click here. Duke had a bit part in Superbad, so this will be his second film co-starring Christopher Mintz-Plasse aka McLovin, who plays the teen antagonist Red Mist. The comics’ creator, Mark Millar, has gone on the record as saying something like “I bet you all my balls that Kick-Ass will be the best movie of 2009.” And even though Millar talks more shit than Reggie Miller and even though Nic Cage bums us out, this movie should definitely live up to its title. And yeah, expect more headlines like the one above. Clark Duke, invest.
Mark Millar Plans for New Superman Trilogy; $70 Million Budget for Kick-Ass
Posted on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 by Peter Sciretta
In an interview with G4, comic book writer Mark Millar (Wanted) revealed his plans for a new trilogy of Superman films, which he would like to be shot back-to-back.
“A director approached me about three months ago,” Millar said. “and he said ‘look, [Bryan Singer's] The Man Of Steel might not be happening. If that doesn’t happen, it has been spoken about the possibility of me coming in, would you like to write it?’ And I was like Yeah.”
Yeah, we have already heard this before, but here is where the juicy details come in:
“I’ve had this plan for like 10 years for a big three-picture Superman thing, like a big Lord of the Rings epic, starting over from scratch again with a seven-hour Superman story. And hopefully release them one year after another,” continued Millar. “If it works out, we’ll have to start shooting next summer.”
Wow, big plans, but even Millar admits that nothing is firm yet, and while this is a “long shot”, the director in question is “a big deal” and he apparently said that he won’t do it unless Millar writes it. But would Warner Bros put up the cash to shoot three Superman films back-to-back, especially considering the box office disappointment of Superman Returns? Millar has previously revealed that his Superman would be “Superman for the 21st Century, keeping everything we adore, but starting from scratch and making the kids love it as much as the 30-somethings.”
Millar also claims that Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass budget is actually $70 million, and not the already impressive $30 million budget that has been previously reported.
“He has a bunch of rich pals who coughed up $10 million each or something and in two dinner parties, he raised $70 million,” Millar revealed to G4. “Now he’s going to make the movie the way people want to see it.”
$70 million is a lot of money for an independent movie. For a complete overview of Kick-Ass, please check out out First Look: The Cast of Kick-Ass feature. You can watch the full interview with Mark embedded below.
Since most of the major cast announcements have now been made, I thought we’d take a look at the cast of Matthew Vaughn’s big screen adaptation of Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass comic book.
18-year-old British actor Aaron Johnson has been cast as the title character, Dave Lizewski, a 15-year-old boy named Dave Lizewski who attempts to become a real-life superhero. The catch is that he has no powers or any of the stereotypical reasons for choosing to fight crime. Johnson most recently starred in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, but also had small roles in The Illusionist and Shanghai Knight. He sure looks like perfect casting.
21-year-old Lyndsy Fonseca will play high school hottie and Dave’s crush Katie Deauxma, who thinks he is gay. You might remember Fonseca as Dyan on Desperate Housewives or as Daughter on How I Met Your Mother.
Nicolas Cage has been cast as a former cop named Big Daddy who is also trying to bring down a druglord and has trained his daughter to be “a lethal weapon” .
Chloe Moretz is Hit Girl, the ferocious, potty-mouthed 11-year-old daughter of Big Daddy (Cage). She is described as a “four foot killing machine” with “a ninja sword”. Moretz looks like a good fit, but if this movie was in production five years ago, I would have cast Ellen Page in the role. How perfect would that have been?
Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin from Superbad) is in talks to play the Red Mist, an angry teenage son of a mobster who is out to uncover Kick-Ass’ true identity.
Recap:
- Based on the creator-owned comic from Marvel’s Icon imprint.
- The Story: You can read the full leaked plot synopsis in our previous story. Warning: possible spoilers for those reading the comic book series.
- Independently Produced: Hollywood studios passed on the project due to the mixture of bloody violence and the involvement of a underage teen, but Vaughn believed in the project so much that he raised $30 million from private investors to produce the project independently.
- Production is scheduled to begin this fall in Toronto and London.
A film adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr’s Kick-Ass has now officially entered pre-production according to Comic Book Resources. Based on the creator-owned comic from Marvel’s Icon imprint, the story follows a a 15-year-old boy named Dave Lizewski who attempts to become a real-life superhero. The catch is that he has no powers or any of the stereotypical reasons for choosing to fight crime.
The screenplay was written by the Stardust team of Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn. And the rumors were true, the movie will be directed by Vaughn, who was previously attached to the Thor film (his holding deal expired). The project has been fully financed from his MARV Films company. They are currently searching for distribution options. Not only has the project entered pre-production, but they have already begun casting the adaptation. CBR teases that “when news breaks on a certain actor they have lined up…” that a distribution deal will be right around the corner.
Prior to the series launch a viral campaign featuring a short video of the main character of the comic being “caught on tape” was uploaded to YouTube and spread around the internet. The video shows the hero saving someone who was mugged in a supermarket car parking lot. Check out that video below.
Thanks to the incomparable Mel Valentin for passing this along.
