Three Studios Want To Distribute Kick-Ass

Lionsgate, Paramount and Universal are competing to buy Mark Millar’s creator-owned title “Kick-Ass” after Comic-Con presentation of comic-book adaptation has generated a ton of interest.

Director Matthew Vaughan (Stardust) financed independently after some studios found the project’s violence too graphic and some of its dialogue too profanity-laced.

Sony were initially onboard, but Vaughn split with the studio over creative differences; they wanted to turn the character of Hit Girl (who is 11-years-old in the comic) into a teenager, for example.

Kick-Ass is a Marvel Comic Book that follows a high school dweeb named Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson). Lizewski decides to become a superhero, even though he has no athletic ability or coordination. Things change when he eventually runs into real bad guys, with real weapons. Nicolas Cage plays a former cop who tries to bring down a drug lord and has trained his daughter (Chloe Moretz) to be a lethal weapon.  The flick is also supported by Nicolas Cage, Lyndsy Fonseca, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Clark Duke.

The film is targeting an early 2010 release date.  [source: Risky Biz Blog]

New footage from the film, including clips and a trailer, has emerged from Comic-Con. To watch trailer click here and for clips click here.

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