'Kick-Ass' takes a seat at Lionsgate

August 17, 2009 Lionsgate has picked up U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to "Kick-Ass," Matthew Vaughn's comic book adaptation that made a splash at Comic-Con. Vaughn's Marv Films and Plan B Entertainment privately financed the production when Hollywood studios found the material risky; one character is a profanity-laced tween who cuts down opponents with a samurai sword. Vaughn, who directed and co-wrote the script, brought footage to Comic-Con International in San Diego last month in an attempt to stoke the fires of acquisition, a gamble that paid off when the movie received enthusiastic support from fans, paving the way for buyer screenings around town.

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