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Mark Millar Says 'Kick-Ass 2' & 'American Jesus' Shoot This Summer?

by Ethan Anderton
February 21, 2012
Source: Scottish Daily Record

By now we're pretty well aware the Mark Millar usually runs off at the mouth with more hope than certainty, especially when it comes to adaptations of his comic books. When it comes to the gestating and anticipated Kick-Ass sequel, Millar has been optimistic, but usually with no foundation for claims that a project is progressing. Well, Millar is at it again as he spoke to the Scottish Daily Record (via Collider) about the status of Kick-Ass 2 and the adaptation of American Jesus and said, “We shoot Kick-Ass 2 and American Jesus this summer. Then Matthew and I have Secret Service, which is a neddy James Bond.”

One of those films shooting this summer seems more likely than the other, but neither of them really seem like firm possibilities. The cast of Kick-Ass is really quite busy over the next couple years, and considering there hasn't been any confirmed news about them returning or whether or not Matthew Vaughn will return to the director's chair, I'm betting this is a pipe dream for now. Meanwhile, American Jesus was also supposed to have Vaughn in the director's chair, but now that he's signed to direct the X-Men: First Class sequel, there's no telling if he'll be too busy to shoot either of these films this summer.

Now Vaughn would likely only produce Kick-Ass 2, but that still doesn't change the fact that neither of the films seem anywhere near being ready to shoot in just a few months unless a miracle happens. However, I firmly believe that Secret Service (which we heard about last year)will happen at some point. Millar's talk about that project was more interesting than his hopes of shooting the projects this summer. Millar says:

“We came up with this idea of a wee ned who becomes a gentleman spy, ditching his trainers for his Savile Row suits and being taught how to speak properly. The reason he gets chosen is that a guy like that is disposable. I am a massive Bond fan and 'Secret Service' is like 'My Fair Lady' meets James Bond. I am halfway through the comic and Matthew and I are halfway through the script. There is a good role for a 50-something actor to play an older gentleman spy training this young kid. There are not a lot of tough actors in that age group but you would never believe Colin Firth or Hugh Grant in a fight scene. We are bouncing names around.”

Millar also had some words about the adaptation of American Jesus which sounds a bit silly, but will be presented as straightforward as any serious drama:

“If you are doing a movie about the return of Jesus as the Bible prophesied in the Book of Revelation, you have got to do it straight and treat it with dignity. I’m not taking the piss. It will be treated like a proper film. A lot of people are surprised because much of my work is irreverent and expect the same with 'American Jesus.' But I want it to be a beautiful film. A film about the returned Jesus Christ has amazing artistic potential. Jesus shows up in the middle of the financial crisis, America is in turmoil and the Eurozone is collapsing. They are quite apocalyptic times that we are living in with the gap between rich and poor. It is the reverse of 'The Omen,' which is about a kid who finds out he is the anti-Christ. This is a kid who finds out he is Jesus Christ.”

At this point, it's hard to say just how solid any of this information is, other than what Millar expects from the forthcoming adaptations of his comic books. Since Millar does have a good relationship with Vaughn (he's also supposed to adapt Superior at some point), I'm willing to bet the projects will come together eventually, but it seems like a longshot to expect both American Jesus and Kick-Ass 2 to shoot this summer. Also, as far as Secret Service is concerned, it's probably still a couple years away with a incomplete script and Vaughn slated to shoot X-Men: First Class sooner than later. Stay tuned as we heard more about these developing comic book adaptations.

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