Jim Carrey Distances Himself From ‘Kick-Ass 2’, Director Mark Millar Defends Film’s Violence

Jim Carrey has distanced himself from the upcoming “Kick-Ass 2,” in which he stars as character Colonel Stars and Stripes. Carrey said he “cannot support the level of violence” in the film, while Mark Millar has come to the defense of the movie.

On Sunday, Carrey took to Twitter to announce he will not support “Kick-Ass 2” publicly due to the level of violence in the film. “I did Kickass a month b4 Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence,” states Carrey, who has been very open about his stance on gun control.

Earlier this year, Carrey made a Funny or Die video mocking the National Rifle Association while later defending himself and his views in an editorial featured on the Huffington Post. In that piece, Carrey said, “I would trade my money, my fame, my reputation and legacy if there were the slightest chance of preventing the anguish of another Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora or Sandy Hook Elementary School.”

On Twitter, Carrey clarified his position, saying it was the violence, not the film’s quality, that led him to be unable to support the film. Carrey said, “I meant to say my apologies to others involved with the film. I am not ashamed of it, but recent events have caused a change in my heart.”

Mark Millar, “Kick-Ass” series creator and “Kick-Ass 2” director, went on his website to defend the movie while also discussing Carrey’s stance on the violence found in the film. Millar talked about how he and Matthew Vaughn, director of “Kick-Ass” and also the sequel’s producer, wanted Carrey for the sequel. According to Millar, Carrey “had lunch with Matthew around the time of the first movie and dug it so much he appeared that night on 'Conan' ... dressed as Kick-Ass, singing a duet with Conan dressed as Superman. Vaughn and I made a mental note to work with this guy as soon as possible as we're both huge admirers.”

Millar also expressed his love of the movie, saying it has expanded the universe of the first while featuring many great performances with perhaps Carrey’s being the best among them. The director stated that the film is the same as it was first presented to Carrey 18 months ago, although Carrey did state his gun control stance was strengthened after Sandy Hook, which occurred in December 2012.

“This is fiction, and, like Tarantino and Peckinpah, Scorcese and Eastwood, John Boorman, Oliver Stone and Chan-Wook Park, 'Kick-Ass' avoids the usual bloodless body count of most big summer pictures and focuses instead on the consequences of violence, whether it's the ramifications for friends and family or, as we saw in the first movie, Kick-Ass spending six months in hospital after his first street altercation,” Millar said, defending the film’s tone and noting the difference of his film to something like “Man of Steel,” which features a high hypothetical body count that’s never discussed on screen.

Carrey, according to Millar, was drawn to the nuance found in the character. “Ironically, Jim's character in 'Kick-Ass 2' is a born-again Christian, and the big deal we made of the fact that he refuses to fire a gun is something he told us attracted him to the role in the first place,” Millar said in the post.

Carrey has not said anything more about “Kick-Ass 2” after his initial Twitter posts. The publicity for “Kick-Ass 2” will begin shortly as the film will be released on Aug. 16, meaning this will not be the end of discussion surrounding Carrey or the violence in “Kick-Ass 2.”