Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn is a busy bee. He’s currently setting up a new production studio and is working on two exciting projects: A Kingsman cinematic universe, and a reboot of Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass… possibly starring the newest face behind the green-and-yellow mask in the comic series.
Patience Lee gets ready for bloody vengeance in the cover art for Kick-Ass. Image: Image Comics
In an interview with Empire, Vaughn revealed work on several projects through his new production company Marv Studios. “We’re going to reboot Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl,” Vaughn said. “Look what Mark Millar is doing with the comic for clues.”
Though he’s revealing some pretty big news, it’s a little vague at this point as to which direction he might take for both projects. He mentioned a solo Hit-Girl spinoff, which could either be a prequel or be based on her comic spinoff about her fighting crime internationally.
Vaughn also didn’t confirm who would star in the Kick-Ass reboot, but the mention of “what Mark Millar is doing with the comic” is a major clue.
Vaughn is referencing Image Comics’ rebooted Kick-Ass graphic novel series, which debuted in February. Instead of the previous lead character, Dave, being the one behind the mask, the first arc of the series stars Patience Lee, an Afghanistan war veteran and single mother who robs high-profile criminals in order to pay off her family’s debts.
In a February interview with Entertainment Weekly, Miller said having the series star a strong, capable woman in her 30s – as opposed to some nerdy teenager – was a natural progression for the series, but also comics in general:
The ’70s lead was a man in touch with his feelings, the ’80s leads were hard-bodied and one-dimensional, the ’90s leads were animated funnymen, and the [2000s] leads were nerds… Patience is the very capable grownup we admire and want to be in this decade. I hadn’t even realised it until I’d written it, as these things are very subconscious, but the nerdy Dave just feels wrong for now, and the very effective, meticulous Patience just feels right. It would be boring seeing a teenage superhero just screwing up again. Seeing someone who’s really good at this and wearing that costume is actually really exciting and gives the comic a really different flavour.
The Empire interview also had mentions of more films in the Kingsman franchise. In addition to a third film, which Vaughn said would conclude “the Harry Hart-Eggsy relationship”, there’s also a planned spinoff film starring the American agents (such as Channing Tatum and Halle Berry), as well as a TV show.
However, the next project looks to be a prequel called Kingsman: The Great Game, which will focus on the famous spy organisation at the turn of the century.
Also important to note is that while Millar landed a huge Netflix deal recently, both Kick-Ass and Kingsman were excluded it from it because of previous arrangements with Vaughn.
[Empire]