Amph Kick-Ass & Kick-Ass 2 (Hit-Girl prequel & Kick-Ass 3 in the works?)

Though the movie rights announcement came out back after the first issue came out a few months ago, some details on the progress for the Kick-Ass movie, rumored to be directed by Matthew Vaughn, are starting to trickle out.

Writer Mark Millar (recently of Wanted fame) mentions on CBR:

"I'm working as a producer on ['Kick-Ass'] as well, so I've been involved for about eight months, believe it or not," the writer said. "The comic didn't come out until February, but we made the deal on the movie back in December. The script was finished six months ago, and it starts filming on location in New York in August. So it's moving really fast."

In terms of the talent involved, Millar played coy, but did note that all the pieces had fallen into place to make "Kick-Ass" er...kick-ass. "The casting's all been done, and everything's all in line now with that. There's two big names attached, which I can't mention so we can get on the cover of 'Variety.' And now we've got everyone. The kids who show up at the end of issue #3 - we just cast the girl, and that was a really tricky one because we needed to find someone who could do martial arts stuff. So the whole movie's ready to role."


For those who haven't checked the series out yet, here's a summary of the plot from the first 3 issues so far:

Dave Lizewski, an ordinary high school student with an interest in comic books, decides he wants to become a real-life superhero. He puts together a suit and mask, which he wears under his normal clothing, puts on muscle and practices things like walking on roofs, which sates that desire for a while. When that wears off, he graduates to fighting crime, the first attempt at which leads to him getting a severe beating, wandering into the street, and hit by a van, whose driver drives away. He's able to keep his secret identity, though, stripping off and hiding his costume before paramedics arrive.

Claiming he was mugged, he spends the next few months in St. Vincent's Hospital undergoing four operations, counseling, and physical rehabilitation. When released, he swears off hero work, because it's hurting his father and putting a strain on their finances, only to don the suit and go on patrol as soon as he is off the crutches. On a "patrol" he saves a man from a beating. An onlooker catches the scene on his cell phone's camera and uploads it to YouTube, turning Lizewski into an overnight sensation, even being christened with the name Kick-Ass.

In school, the mugging excuse used to cover up his bruises spawns rumors Lizewski is a gay prostitute. Believing them, his long time crush Katie Deauxma adopts him as a "gay best friend," which he doesn't deny in an effort to spend time with her. His father, worried about him, gives him a can of police-issue pepper-spray to protect him.

As Kick-Ass, Lizewski sets up a MySpace account, so people can contact him for help. The first such crime he goes to investigate, a man making prank phone calls to his ex-girlfriend, turns out to be an apartment full of people who do not hesitate to fight him when he shows up. As he's losing the fight, however, a costumed nine-year-old girl wielding a sword saves him, killing two of the attackers right away and challenging the others, saying: "Okay you *****, let's see what you can do."

It's quite funny and violent.

 

Yeah, it'd have to be some who could at the very least play much younger.

 

I don't think you can really advertise myspace and youtube (at least as far as you imply product-placement-wise)- they've become ingrained tools of our culture now. It's anchoring the film somewhat in reality- in real life, if you did try this, you would end up getting your ass kicked, and if any group stood around watching you fight, there'd be some dude with a cell phone camera who'd upload it to youtube within a couple hours. The myspace page is just a bit of meta-reality/viral marketing.

 

First official pics are online!

[image=http://i.livescience.com/images/KA-DS-D14-171-02.jpg]

 

Wanted the movie was damn fun, easily the 3rd best summer action flick behind TDK and Iron Man.

 

Footage to debut at Comic-Con

[image=http://comingsoon.net/nextraimages/kickasstease.jpg]

 

AICN ahs another pic:

[image=http://origin.aintitcool.com/images2009/kickassisborn.jpg]

 

Lionsgate, Paramount and Universal are in the running to distribute the movie.

 

Lionsgate has the distribution rights now and has slated it for April 16th, 2010, bumping The Expendables back to August.

 

Your hatred only shows how much you really care.

 

Kick-Ass sequel planned

"There's a basic plot. The series ends on a teaser for the next one, and the movie ends on that teaser, too" says Millar in an interview with MTV News.

One of the key reasons behind a potential sequel though is cost. Due to its independent financing, the first film "didn't cost that much money to make. There will definitely be another one.

 

[image=http://moviesmedia.ign.com/movies/image/article/104/1042741/kick-ass-20091105023449635.jpg]

via IGN (who have the single versions up too)