Kick-Ass Casting Begins

Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin from Superbad) is in negotiations and Chloe Moretz (Dirty Sexy Money) has been cast in Mathew Vaughn's big screen adaptation of Mark Millar's comic book Kick-Ass.

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. The violent nature of the source material and obvious issues with the useage of the title in marketing has caused Hollywood studios to pass on the project. Some studios showed interest but wanted Vaughn to either tone down the violence or raise the age of the lead character. Vaughn believed in the project so much that he raised $30 million from private investors to produce the project independently.

Mintz-Plasse is not in line for the lead role, but instead that of the Red Mist, an angry teenage son of a mobster who is out to uncover Kick-Ass' true identity. Moretz's character is described by THR as "a ferocious, potty-mouthed 11-year-old who chops down crime thugs with a ninja sword." Vaughn is also talking to "several high-profile stars" to play the parents or mobsters. The main character, Dave Lizewski, has not yet been cast. Vaughn hopes to begin production in the fall.

Mark Millar is also the creator of Wanted, and writer on many successful Marvel comics titles such as Spiderman, Wolverine, X-Men, Civil War, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four.

The official plot synopsis of the film, that was being shopped around, follows:

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. As he recovers in hospital he decides to hang up his cape.

Meanwhile across town Frank D'Amico's henchmen are trying to find out who knocked off their coke. A gibbering courier claims it was a superhero.

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?

Dave soon finds himself coming to the aid of Katie Deauxma, but when he gets to her ex-boyfriends apartment he meets Hit Girl, a four foot killing machine, and her father Big Daddy.

As Dave gets sucked into the dark world of vigilante crime fighting he gains a duplicitous sidekick 'Red Mist'.

An increasingly unhinged Frank D'Amico closes in on Dave, and when he is double crossed by Red Mist, Big Daddy ends up dead and Dave has to make the decision, will he stand by Hit Girl in the final fight against Frank or will he return to his normal life?