While talks of more films in the hit satirical superhero franchise Kick-Ass have been discussed for some time by director Matthew Vaughn, the series seemingly laid dormant since the maligned 2013 sequel Kick-Ass 2 failed to live up to the hit 2010 original film. For the sequel, Vaughn had chosen to relegate himself to a producer position while Jeff Wadlow took over writing and directing duties. However, part of the delay may be that, in 2021, Vaughn had confirmed that the rights to the Kick-Ass franchise would revert back to him within two years which might explain why, in 2023, a new trilogy was confirmed to be in development and now, with Vaughn serving as a producer with full creative control. In fact, as of today, it's been confirmed the first of those three films has already been shot and completed.
Titled The Stuntman (although Vaughn has also referred to it as Vram), the film is being directed Damien Walters , a former stuntman himself. Unlike the first two that made ironic humor out of kids pretending to be superheroes, is set to be a caper centering on two brothers who become stuntmen, thus explaining Walters serving as director. Walters' production company Zeppo Productions is handling the film alongside Vaughn’s Marv Studios banner and is aiming for a launch at Toronto later this year or Sundance in 2025. Little else is known about the project except it was shot in Hampshire last October and a local newspaper had reported a “1970s-style fun fair” being installed in the village park.
The interesting part is that The Stuntman is technically regarded as the second film in the new trilogy as the first film titled School Fight, also produced by Vaughn and directed by Walters, wrapped filming a couple years ago with footage teased by Vaughn at the 2022 London Action Film Festival. However, nothing ever came from this announcement with the only information being it was about a teenager who gets into a fight with a love rival at school. So it's interesting The Stuntman is the one getting the release date when the first film in this proposed series hasn't even been seen.
Either way, the idea is for the third film to serve as an official reboot of the original 2010 Kick-Ass film. In addition, Vaughn has remarked that despite the new films focusing on new characters, he hopes to get some members of the original cast from the first two films to make appearances. Hit-Girl actress Chloe Grace Moretz had commented on being interesting in returning and, back in February 2015, Vaughn had revealed his original intent to make a third film featuring Moretz and co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson, expressing interest in a Hit-Girl prequel film alongside Kick-Ass 3. Most likely due to that being nearly 10 years ago, these plans got jettisoned for the current plans we've been given today.
What comes from this confusing announcement is anyone's guess though given Vaughn has become known for his gonzo-style action scenes, it would seem appropriate his confirmation of productions would be equally strange. We'll find out eventually though. Stay tuned!
tuned stayed we will
It sounds like these new films have nothing to do with Kick-Ass. He's just trying to sell his film.