2010’s Kick-Ass occupies a special place in the minds of many fans, coming at a time when we weren’t yet saturated with superhero content, and a brutally violent story could stand out at the box office. The Matthew Vaughn-directed movie is getting particular love at the moment on Hulu, where it’s been number two and three in the rankings since yesterday.
Based on a comic series by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., Kick-Ass sees Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Dave Lizewski don a home-made costume and, after a disastrous start, manages to become a half-decent crimefighter. His efforts then become more serious as Lizewski’s Kick-Ass crosses paths with Nicolas Cage’s Big Daddy and Chloë Grace Moretz’s Hit-Girl, and their vendetta against a crime boss.
Notable for its graphic violence and black humor, Kick-Ass spawned a sequel, and there have been various rumors over the last few years of a third entry in the franchise, most probably a reboot. Things have been fairly quiet on this front, though, despite talk that Netflix were keen on working with Vaughn and company on bringing out a new film derived from Millar and Romita Jr.’s world.
The latest possibility, at least according to insider Daniel Richtman, is that we’ll get a Hit-Girl vs. Kick-Ass picture with the original stars. Whether this idea will pan out is another question, however, considering that Vaughn is mostly now involved in the Kingsman property, and Moretz has particularly gone on record about not wanting to reprise the character for a future outing.
Still, Hulu will presumably view the popularity of Kick-Ass on their streaming service as an additional sign that audiences want to see R-rated comic adaptations. Indeed, the platform are reportedly looking on producing a whole range of adult-oriented MCU series, with a return for the Punisher apparently one of the top candidates. Though the future of Kick-Ass films or shows may be more likely to happen on Netflix, given the acquisition of Millarworld by the streamer.