Kick-Ass 2 (film)

Four years after the death of Damon Macready / Big Daddy and defeating Frank D'Amico, Dave Lizewski, bored after having retired from fighting crime as Kick-Ass, begins training with Hit-Girl (Mindy Macready) to become a real hero. Dave's girlfriend Katie Deauxma breaks off their relationship due to her mistakenly believing Dave to have been cheating on her with Mindy.

Following the death of his father, Chris D'Amico accidentally kills his own mother by kicking her tanning bed, causing it to short-circuit. Now in control of his father's criminal empire, Chris decides to become a supervillain named "The Motherfucker", adapting a BDSM suit for his costume, and assembles a gang of supervillains called the Toxic Mega Cunts with his aide Javier, swearing vengeance on Kick-Ass. The other leading members of the Toxic Mega Cunts include African-American UFC fighter Black Death, short-stature mob enforcer The Tumor, ex-Triad gang member Genghis Carnage, and the only woman on the team, former Russian bodyguard Mother Russia.

Mindy's guardian, Marcus, discovers she is still fighting crime and makes her promise to give it up. Dave resumes his life as Kick-Ass, joining the superhero team Justice Forever (which he had inspired), led by ex-Mafia member and born-again Christian, Colonel Stars and Stripes. Kick-Ass begins a sexual relationship with Night Bitch, a member of Justice Forever. Dave and Marty (who is also a member of Justice Forever as Battle Guy), alienate their friend Todd from participating in their heroics because his superhero persona "Ass-Kicker" is an obvious knockoff of Kick-Ass. Mindy, attempting to lead a normal life, tries out for the dance team at school, and promptly asks a boy to take her on a date after declining to join Justice Forever. The date ends up as a cruel prank planned by bullies in her school, but Mindy gets her revenge the next day, resulting in her suspension from school and her grounding by Marcus when he finds out.

Dave's father discovers his son is Kick-Ass after finding his superhero costume, and they have an argument which leads Dave to leave home. After his imprisoned uncle has Javier killed, a now-deranged Chris kills Colonel Stars and Stripes, and attempts to rape Night Bitch the following day, but fails due to impotence and has her beaten up instead. Mother Russia kills the arriving authorities, resulting in a police clampdown on both costumed villains and vigilantes. When the police track Dave through his IP address, Dave's father surrenders, claiming that he is Kick-Ass, in Dave's place. Chris, tipped off by Todd, who has joined the Toxic Mega Cunts unaware that they are psychopaths, has Mr. Lizewski murdered in police custody, revealing his true identity.

The Toxic Mega Cunts ambush Mr. Lizewski's funeral and kidnap Dave, but Mindy rescues him. Afterwards, Dave, Mindy and the remaining members of Justice Forever, joined by a resurgence of masked do-gooders, battle and defeat the outnumbered Toxic Mega Cunts. Mindy, as Hit-Girl, defeats and kills Mother Russia with the help of an adrenaline dose in battle, while Dave and Chris fight on a rooftop. Chris crashes through a skylight, landing in a water pool where he is mauled by a shark.

Justice Forever decides to take a break from its superhero duties, helping people in their ordinary lives instead. Mindy tells Dave that she is leaving New York due to being wanted for murder, but that the citizens need Kick-Ass, then kisses him goodbye. As police officers raid Marcus's home to investigate Mindy's whereabouts, Dave accepts the responsibility and begins training and upgrading his equipment, with a much more muscular physique.

In a post-credits scene, Chris, who has survived the shark attack, and whose limbs and genitals were bitten off by the shark, complains for attention over an out of reach cup of water.

{{castlist|

• Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass, a high schooler super hero and crimefighter
• Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Chris D'Amico / The Mother Fucker, son of deceased mobster Frank D'Amico and the new kingpin of NYC
• Chloë Grace Moretz as Mindy Macready / Hit-Girl, daughter of the late Big Daddy starting fresh in high school
• Clark Duke as Marty / Battle-Guy, Dave's friend
• Morris Chestnut as Detective Marcus Williams, Macready's former partner in the NYPD and Mindy's parental guardian. He was played by Omari Hardwick in the first film
• Jim Carrey as Sal Bertolinni / Colonel Stars and Stripes, a former hitman for the D'Amico's turned Born again-Christian and vigilante
• Donald Faison as Samuel Keers / Doctor Gravity, a vigilante equipped with a modified metal bat
• John Leguizamo as Javier, Chris D'Amico's consigliere
• Augustus Prew as Todd / Ass-Kicker, Dave's friend
• Garrett M. Brown as Mr. Lizewski, Dave's father
• Iain Glen as Ralph D'Amico, Frank's incarcerated brother who was originally running the D'Amico's
• Lindy Booth as Miranda Swedlow / Night-Bitch, a stripper turned vigilante hunting down her sister's killer
• Robert Emms as David Keers / Insect-Man
• Steven Mackintosh as Tommy's father, the male of a husband/wife duo searching for their missing son
• Monica Dolan as Tommy's mother, the female of a husband/wife duo searching for their missing son
• Andy Nyman as The Tumor / Tony, a short-tempered mobster and Lieutenant in the Toxic Mega Cunts
• Daniel Kaluuya as Black Death, an MMA fighter and Lieutenant in the Toxic Mega Cunts
• Tom Wu as Genghis Carnage, a triad hitman and Lieutenant in the Toxic Mega Cunts
• Olga Kurkulina as Katarina Dombrovski / Mother Russia, a Russian ex-bodyguard with brute strength and Lieutenant in the Toxic Mega Cunts
• Yancy Butler as Angie D'Amico, Frank's widow
• Claudia Lee as Brooke
• Ella Purnell as Dolce
• Benedict Wong as Mr. Kim
• Lyndsy Fonseca as Katie Deauxma, Dave's ex-girlfriend
• Sophie Wu as Erika Cho, Katie's friend
• Anthony J. Mifsud as Convict #1

}}

Additionally, comic book creators Mark Millar{{cite web |url = http://www.ifc.com/fix/2013/03/exclusive-john-romita-jr-reveals-his-kick-ass-2-costumed-appearance-with-mark-millar |title=Exclusive: John Romita Jr. reveals his "Kick-Ass 2" costumed appearance with Mark Millar |publisher=IFC |date=20 March 2013 |first=Terri |last=Schwartz |access-date=13 August 2013}} and John Romita, Jr., former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell,{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a440440/kick-ass-2-to-feature-chuck-liddell-cameo.html |title='Kick-Ass 2' to feature Chuck Liddell cameo |work=Digital Spy |date=23 November 2012 |access-date=13 August 2013 |first=Mark |last=Langshaw}} and Aaron Taylor-Johnson's stepdaughter Angelica Jopling make cameo appearances in the film.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

On 8 May 2012, it was reported that a sequel to Kick-Ass (2010) would be distributed by Universal Pictures who distributed the first film in the United Kingdom and some other territories, and that Matthew Vaughn had chosen Jeff Wadlow, who also wrote the script, to direct the sequel.{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/universal-kick-ass-2-matthew-vaughn-mark-millar-321688 |title=Universal in Talks for 'Kick-Ass 2' |first=Borys |last=Kit |date=8 May 2012 |access-date=9 May 2012 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}} Later that month, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz entered negotiations to reprise their roles as Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl, respectively.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2012/05/universal-close-to-kick-ass-2-deals-with-aaron-johnson-chloe-moretz-more-280309/ |title=Universal Close To 'Kick-Ass 2' Deals With Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz, Others |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=31 May 2012 |first=Mike |last=Fleming |access-date=13 August 2013}} Chad Gomez Creasey and Dara Resnik Creasey performed uncredited work on Wadlow's script to make Hit-Girl more feminine and less crass in light of Moretz's older age.{{Cite web|last=Dibdin|first=Emma|date=2013-08-14|title=Chloe Moretz: Kick-Ass 2's female-driven|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a506643/chloe-grace-moretz-interview-kick-ass-2-is-more-female-driven/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=Digital Spy|language=en-GB}} In July 2012, Christopher Mintz-Plasse confirmed that he would return as Chris D'Amico who becomes the supervillain The Motherfucker.{{Cite web|last=Hasty|first=Katie|date=2012-07-13|title=Christopher Mintz-Plasse confirms 'Kick-Ass 2' start, talks 'Superbad 2'|url=https://uproxx.com/hitfix/christopher-mintz-plasse-confirms-kick-ass-2-start-talks-superbad-2/|access-date=2020-07-20|website=UPROXX|language=en-US}} Mintz-Plasse expressed relief that a rape and child murder scene from the comic book would not be included in the film and went on to compare the gang violence in the story to the film The Warriors (1979). That same month, it was announced that John Leguizamo would play a character named Javier, one of The Motherfucker's bodyguards.{{cite web |last=Vejvoda |first=Jim |date=30 July 2012 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/31/john-leguizamo-joins-kick-ass-2 |title=John Leguizamo Joins Kick-Ass 2 |work=IGN |access-date=13 August 2013}} In August 2012, it was reported that Donald Faison would play the superhero Doctor Gravity.{{cite web |url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/donald-faison-kick-ass-2-359955 |title= Donald Faison Joining 'Kick-Ass 2' |work= The Hollywood Reporter |first= Borys |last= Kit |date= 8 August 2012 |quote= Faison will play Dr. Gravity, a copy writer by day who dresses up as a superhero by night and wants to start a start a hero group called Justice Forver. |access-date= 14 August 2013}} Also that month, Yancy Butler was set to reprise her role as Angie D'Amico,{{cite web |url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/yancy-butler-kick-ass-2-360535|title = Yancy Butler Joins 'Kick-Ass 2' (Exclusive)|work= The Hollywood Reporter |first = Borys|last = Kit|date = 9 August 2012|access-date = 13 August 2013}} Lyndsy Fonseca stated that she would return as Katie Deauxma in a smaller role,{{cite web |url=http://ign.com/articles/2012/08/11/lyndsy-fonseca-talks-kick-ass-2 |title=Lyndsy Fonseca Talks Kick-Ass 2 |first=Eric |last=Goldman |date=10 August 2012 |publisher=IGN}}{{cite web |url=http://splashpage.mtv.com/2012/08/13/lyndsy-fonseca-on-kick-ass-2/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130813103215/http://splashpage.mtv.com/2012/08/13/lyndsy-fonseca-on-kick-ass-2/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 August 2013 |title=Lyndsy Fonseca On 'Kick-Ass 2': It Is 'Fantastic' |publisher=MTV |date=13 August 2012 |first=Terri |last=Schwartz |access-date=13 August 2013}} Robert Emms was cast as superhero Insect Man,{{cite web |url=http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/watch-out-ant-man-kick-ass-2-unleashes-insect-man/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818162222/http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/watch-out-ant-man-kick-ass-2-unleashes-insect-man/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 August 2012 |title=Watch Out Ant-Man; 'Kick-Ass 2' Unleashes Insect Man |website=Deadline Hollywood |first=Mike |last=Fleming |date=15 August 2012 |access-date=13 August 2013}} Morris Chestnut was confirmed to replace Omari Hardwick as Hit-Girl's guardian Marcus Williams,{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2012/08/morris-chestnut-books-the-hive-and-kick-ass-2-319263/ |title=Morris Chestnut Books 'The Hive' And 'Kick-Ass 2' |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |date=15 August 2012 |first=Mike |last=Fleming |access-date=13 August 2013}} Lindy Booth was confirmed to play Night Bitch, a superhero seeking to avenge the murder of her sister,{{cite web |url=http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=93860 |title= Lindy Booth Up for Kick-Ass 2 Role |publisher=ComingSoon.net |date=21 August 2012 |access-date=13 August 2013 |archive-date= 14 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014183810/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=93860 |url-status=dead}} Andy Nyman was announced to play one of the villains named The Tumor,{{cite web |date=26 August 2012 |first=Brendon |last=Connelly |url=http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/08/26/kick-ass-2-grows-a-tumor/ |title=Kick-Ass 2 grows a Tumor |publisher=Bleeding Cool |access-date=13 August 2013}} and Claudia Lee joined the cast as Brooke, the leader of a gang of school bullies.{{cite journal |url=http://okmagazine.com/get-scoop/ok-next-big-deal-meet-claudia-lee-kick-ass-2-and-hart-dixie/ |title=OK! Next Big Deal: Meet Claudia Lee Of 'Kick-Ass 2' And 'Hart Of Dixie' |journal=OK! |date=22 May 2013 |first=Kaitlin |last=Menza |access-date=13 August 2013}}

In September 2012, Jim Carrey was cast in the role of Colonel Stars and Stripes, the leader of superhero group Justice Forever.{{cite web|url= http://www.jimcarreyonline.com/recent/news.php?id=1748 |title = Jim Carrey confirmed for "Kick-Ass 2"|publisher = JimCarreyOnline.com|date = 2 September 2012|first = Tommy|last = Pihl|access-date = 13 August 2013}} Also in September, Enzo Cilenti was confirmed to appear in the film.{{cite web |url = http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a407229/kick-ass-2-casts-rum-diary-star-enzo-cilenti.html |title = 'Kick-Ass 2' casts 'Rum Diary' star Enzo Cilenti |work = Digital Spy |date = 20 September 2012 |first = Mark |last = Langshaw |access-date = 13 August 2013}} It was confirmed that bodybuilder Olga Kurkulina would portray the villainess Mother Russia.{{cite web|url = http://collider.com/olga-kurkulina-kick-ass-2-images/194411/|title = Olga Kurkulina to Play Mother Russia in KICK-ASS 2; First Images from the Set|publisher = Collider.com|first = Adam|last = Chitwood|access-date = 13 August 2013}} It was revealed that Clark Duke would reprise his role as Marty Eisenberg, who becomes the superhero Battle Guy,{{cite web |url= http://collider.com/kick-ass-2-sequel-set-photos/196480/ |title = KICK-ASS 2 Reveals First Look at Donald Faison as Dr. Gravity, Plus More of Aaron Johnson as Kick-Ass and Members of Justice Forever|publisher = Collider.com|first = Dave|last = Trumbore|access-date = 13 August 2013}} and that Augustus Prew would take over the role of Todd Haynes, who becomes the superhero Ass-Kicker, from Evan Peters.{{cite web|url = http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Kick-Ass-2-Plot-Synopsis-Revealed-Other-Updates-33614.html|title = Kick-Ass 2 Plot Synopsis Revealed And Other Updates|publisher = Cinema Blend|first = Kelly|last = West|date = 17 October 2012|access-date = 13 August 2013}} Principal photography began on 7 September 2012 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Once filming in Mississauga wrapped in late September, the cast and crew continued shooting in London, England, at Ashmole Academy.{{cite web|url = http://collider.com/mark-millar-kick-ass-2-set-report/205395/|title = Mark Millar Shares Report from the KICK-ASS 2 Set; Teases Three More Film Adaptations of His Comics|publisher = Collider.com|first = Adam|last = Chitwood|access-date = 13 August 2013|archive-date = 25 November 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121125043743/http://collider.com/mark-millar-kick-ass-2-set-report/205395|url-status = dead}} Filming concluded on 23 November 2012.{{cite web |url= https://twitter.com/JeffWadlow/statuses/272106860516085760 |title = JeffWadlow: That's a wrap – JUSTICE |publisher = Twitter |access-date = 16 August 2013}}

{{main|Kick-Ass 2 (soundtrack)}}

Kick-Ass 2 was released theatrically on 14 August 2013 in the United Kingdom, 16 August in the United States, and 24 February 2014 in Japan by Universal Pictures for the former two, and Toho-Towa for the latter. It later released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in the United States on 17 December that same year.{{cite web |title=Kick-Ass 2 (2013) |url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/5838/Kick-Ass-2-2013.html |website=DVDs Release Dates |access-date=5 March 2023}}

In the film's opening weekend, Kick-Ass 2 opened in fifth place, with $13.3 million, behind The Butler (in its first weekend), We're the Millers, Elysium, and Planes (all in their second weekends).{{cite web | url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2013&wknd=33&p=.htm | title = Weekend Box Office Results for August 16–18, 2013 – Box Office Mojo |work = Box Office Mojo | access-date = 18 August 2013}} This placed it below industry experts' expectation of around $15 million and studio higher hopes of as much as $19.8 million, in line with the first film. The film would gross $28.8 million in the United States and $32 million in other countries for a total gross of $60.8 million, much less than the first film's total of $96.1 million.{{cite web | date = 15 August 2013 |last=Subers |first=Ray | url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3714&p=.htm | title = Forecast: 'Kick-Ass,' 'Butler' Battle for First This Weekend |work = Box Office Mojo | access-date = 18 August 2013}}

However, the movie was banned in Malaysia due to its vulgar title.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews and an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The site's critical consensus reads: "Kick-Ass 2 falls short in its attempt to emulate the original's unique blend of ultra-violence and ironic humor."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kick_ass_2_2013|title=Kick-Ass 2 (2013)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}}}{{RT data|edit}} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 41 out of 100 based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/kick-ass-2 |title=Kick-Ass 2 Reviews |publisher=CBS Interactive |work=Metacritic |access-date=14 August 2013}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |title=CinemaScore |publisher=CinemaScore |access-date=16 April 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/ |archive-date=13 April 2022 |url-status=live}}

Mark Olsen of the Los Angeles Times said "Kick-Ass 2 is a lesser version of what it appears to be, an uncertain jumble rather than a true exploration of outrage, violence and identity." Olsen found Hit-Girl dealing with ordinary life more interesting than Kick-Ass trying to be a superhero, but feels the story is marred by bad jokes about bodily functions. He criticised Taylor-Johnson's performance as "a charisma-free zone".{{cite web |last = Olsen |first = Mark |date = 14 August 2013 |url = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-kick-ass-2-20130815,0,7182428.story |title = Movie review: 'Kick-Ass 2' aims high but falls short |work = Los Angeles Times |access-date = 16 August 2013}} Manohla Dargis of The New York Times said "There isn't anything good to say about Kick-Ass 2, the even more witless, mirthless follow-up to Kick-Ass." Dargis further criticised the misogyny and the poorly delivered jokes, as well as the director's failure to grasp the terrible beauty of violent imagery.{{cite web |last = Dargis |first = Manohla |date = 15 August 2013 |url = http://movies.nytimes.com/2013/08/16/movies/kick-ass-2-stars-chloe-grace-moretz.html |title = Teenagers With Guns, Supposedly Good Guys |work = The New York Times |access-date = 16 August 2013}} PopMatters said "Like the age old admonition that too many cooks spoil the broth, Kick-Ass 2 suffers from having too many characters and not enough time to deal with them all." Gibron wishes there had been more time to explore the supporting characters, like Mother Russia. He notes the echoes of Carrie White in the Hit-Girl high school sequences. He suggests a Hit-Girl film would be preferable to "limp, unlikable results offered [by this film]".{{cite web | date = 16 August 2013 | first = Bill | last = Gibron | work = PopMatters | title = 'Kick-Ass 2' : More is Definitely Less|url = http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/174535-kick-ass-2-more-is-definitely-less/ }}

Justin Chang of Variety said "Kick-Ass 2 improves on its 2010 predecessor in at least one respect: It doesn't make the mistake of trying to pass off its bone-crunching brutality as something shocking or subversive."{{cite web |last = Chang |first = Justin |date = 14 August 2013 |url = https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/kick-ass-2-review-chloe-grace-moretz-aaron-taylor-johnson-1200576879/ |title = Film Review: 'Kick-Ass 2' |work = Variety |access-date = 16 August 2013}} John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter said the "Sequel offers exactly the blend of R-rated nastiness and candy-colored action fans expect."{{cite web |last = DeFore |first = John |date = 16 August 2013 |url = http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie/kick-ass-2/review/606455 |title = Kick-Ass 2: Film Review |work = The Hollywood Reporter |access-date = 16 August 2013}}

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian said "The sequel to 2010's punk-superhero rampage has lost quite a bit of shock value – but Chloë Grace Moretz's Hit-Girl is still the coolest thing in a cape."{{cite web|last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |date=15 August 2013 |title=Kick-Ass 2 – review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/15/kick-ass-2-review |work=The Guardian |access-date=16 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130816162659/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/15/kick-ass-2-review |archive-date=16 August 2013 |url-status=dead }} Owen Williams, writing for Empire magazine, notes that despite the larger cast of characters this feels like a smaller film, and calls it a "faithful adaptation of its namesake source comic" and in the absence of Mark Strong he praises Mintz-Plasse for holding his own as the villain. He calls it a "more modest success than the first Kick-Ass" and gives it 3 out of 5 stars.{{cite web |first = Owen |last = Williams| url = http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=138021 | title = Kick-Ass 2. Okay you c@&!s... let's see what you can do now! |work = Empire |access-date = 17 August 2013}}

Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino named the film as one of the ten best he had seen in 2013.{{cite web |url= http://www.tarantino.info/2013/10/05/quentin-tarantinos-top-10-films-2013-far/ |title= Quentin Tarantino's Top 10 Films of 2013 – SO FAR |publisher=The Quentin Tarantino Archives |date= 5 October 2013 |access-date= 7 October 2013}}

Kick-Ass 2 was released on digital download on 3 December 2013, and on Blu-ray and DVD on 17 December 2013 by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.{{cite web | url=http://www.superherohype.com/news/179783-kick-ass-2-set-for-dvd-and-blu-ray-release-december-17 | title=Kick-Ass 2 Set for DVD and Blu-Ray Release December 17 | date=15 October 2013 | publisher=SuperHeroHype | access-date=25 August 2016}}

Several months before Kick-Ass 2 was released, Jim Carrey withdrew support for the film on account of the amount of violence in it in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Carrey wrote: "I did Kick-Ass a month before Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence. My apologies to others involved with the film. I am not ashamed of it but recent events have caused a change in my heart."{{cite web |url= https://twitter.com/JimCarrey/status/348886602384281600 |title = JimCarrey: I did Kickass a month b4 Sandy |publisher = Twitter |access-date = 16 August 2013}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jun/24/jim-carrey-violence-kick-ass-2-sandy-hook |title= Jim Carrey condemns violence in his own movie Kick-Ass 2 |date=24 June 2013 |work=The Guardian |access-date=28 June 2013|first=Ben|last=Child}}

Mark Millar replied in his official forum, saying, "Yes, the body-count is very high, but a movie called Kick-Ass 2 really has to do with what it says on the tin," and compared it to films by Quentin Tarantino, Sam Peckinpah, Chan-wook Park, and Martin Scorsese. Millar insisted the film concentrated on the consequences of violence rather than the violence itself.{{cite web|title=JIM CARREY CONDEMNS KICK-ASS 2 VIOLENCE! |url=http://forums.millarworld.tv/index.php?/topic/103196-jim-carrey-condemns-kick-ass-2-violence/ |first=Mark |last=Millar |author-link=Mark Millar |publisher=MillarWorld |date=23 June 2013 |access-date=12 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819224421/http://forums.millarworld.tv/index.php?%2Ftopic%2F103196-jim-carrey-condemns-kick-ass-2-violence%2F |archive-date=19 August 2013 }}

Moretz also commented, "It's a movie. If you are going to believe and be affected by an action film, you shouldn't go to see Pocahontas because you are going to think you are a Disney Princess. If you are that easily swayed, you might see The Silence of the Lambs and think you are a serial killer. It's a movie and it's fake, and I've known that since I was a kid... I don't want to run around trying to kill people and cuss. If anything, these movies teach you what not to do."{{cite news |url= https://www.thewrap.com/chloe-moretz-slams-jim-carreys-stance-kick-ass-2-violence-109601/ |title=It's a movie … I don't run around trying to kill people" she says in defending the movie |website=TheWrap |first= Todd |last=Cunningham |date=8 August 2013 |access-date=15 May 2019}}{{cite web |date=8 August 2013 |first=Dominique |last=Mosbergen |title=Chloe Grace Moretz Defends 'Kick-Ass 2', Disagrees With Jim Carrey's Stance On Film's Violence |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/08/chloe-grace-moretz-kick-ass-2_n_3728163.html |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=12 August 2013}}

{{main|Stuntnuts Does School Fight}}

In April 2012, while Kick-Ass 2 was still in pre-production, Mark Millar stated that a third film was also planned.{{cite web |first=Helen |last=Cox |url=http://newempressmagazine.com/2012/04/in-interview-5-minutes-with-mark-millar/ |title=In Interview: 5 Minutes With Mark Millar |publisher=Newempressmagazine.com |date=2012-04-26 |access-date=2015-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501201423/http://newempressmagazine.com/2012/04/in-interview-5-minutes-with-mark-millar/ |archive-date=1 May 2015 |url-status=dead}} stating by the following year that it was intended to be the final installment,{{cite web |url=http://screenrant.com/kick-ass-3-death-spoilers/ |title='Kick-Ass 3' to Conclude the Series with a Major Death? |publisher=Screenrant.com |date=28 June 2013 |access-date=18 August 2013}} with Chloë Grace Moretz expressing interest in returning so-long as Matthew Vaughn would also return as director.{{cite news |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/moretz-bugatti-for-kickass-3-29503871.html |title=Moretz: Bugatti for Kick-Ass 3? |work=The Belfast Telegraph |access-date=18 August 2013}}

In February 2015, Vaughn revealed his intent to make a third film featuring Moretz and Aaron Taylor-Johnson reprising their roles, expressing interest in a Hit-Girl prequel film alongside Kick-Ass 3,{{cite web |url=http://www.geekoutpost.com/matthew-vaughn-talks-kick-ass-3-and-kingsman-2/ |title=Matthew Vaughn Talks 'Kick-Ass 3' and 'Kingsman 2' |work=geek outpost |date=25 February 2015 |access-date=25 February 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=54677 |title=MILLAR & ROMITA "KICK-ASS" UNTIL THE VERY END |work=CBR |access-date=8 August 2014}} confirming the film's development by that June.{{cite web|url=https://uk.yahoo.com/movies/matthew-vaughn-confirms-kick-ass-prequel-and-121756128476.html|title=Matthew Vaughn Confirms Kick-Ass Prequel And Sequel Plans (Exclusive)|publisher=Yahoo Movies|last=Bovingdon|first=Edward|date=17 June 2015}}

In June 2018, Vaughn announced his intention to set up Marv Studios, under which banner he would produce new Kick-Ass films when the rights returned to him.{{cite web |url=http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/matthew-vaughn-plotting-kick-ass-reboot-and-kingsman-universe-via-new-studio-292/ |title=MATTHEW VAUGHN PLOTTING KICK-ASS REBOOT AND KINGSMAN UNIVERSE VIA NEW STUDIO |work=Jo Blo.com |access-date=11 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180611075842/http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/matthew-vaughn-plotting-kick-ass-reboot-and-kingsman-universe-via-new-studio-292 |archive-date=11 June 2018 |url-status=dead}} In January 2019, Kevin Smith expressed interest in his limited series Hit-Girl In Hollywood serving as the basis of one of these films.{{cite web|last=Flint|first=Hanna|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/life-culture/article/43005/1/kevin-smith-hit-girl-hollywood-comic-director-clerks|title=Kevin Smith explains the heartfelt message behind his gory Hit-Girl comic|work=Dazed Digital|access-date=22 January 2019|date=22 January 2019}}

In December 2021, Vaughn revealed that the Kick-Ass rights would revert to him within two years,{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/kick-ass-movie-reboot-matthew-vaughn-comments/ |title='Kick-Ass' Movie Reboot Coming In Two Years, Reveals Matthew Vaughn: "It's So F*cking Nuts" |work=Collider |date=16 December 2021 |access-date=16 December 2021}} and by October 2023, the filmmaker confirmed a new film's development, which would focus on new characters and feature Moretz's and Taylor-Johnson's return in sequels.

In January 2024, Matthew Vaughn revealed that the third Kick-Ass film, titled Stuntnuts Does School Fight, directed by Damien Walters, had secretly been greenlit, cast, and had already completed filming, and would be followed by two further Kick-Ass films, forming a trilogy: one under the working-title of Vram, and another also tentatively entitled Kick-Ass.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/kick-ass-3-reboot|work=Collider|title='Kick-Ass' Reboot Will Be Part of a New Trilogy [Exclusive]|last=Massoto|first=Erick|date=24 January 2024|access-date=24 January 2024}} Vaughn has stated that while the trilogy would include new characters, he also intends to include stars of the first two movies in the new trilogy as well.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/matthew-vaughn-kick-ass-reboot-argylle-author-x-men-nycc-1235618721/|work=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Matthew Vaughn Talks 'Kick-Ass' Reboot, Why 'Argylle's Author Will Become the "J.K. Rowling of Spy Movies" at NYCC|author=White, Abbey|date=14 October 2023|access-date=9 December 2023}}

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