“There are a lot of young American actors right now who haven’t got any technique. And, to be blunt, a lot of these kids assume that just by having a good set of teeth and tits, smiling for the camera’s gonna be enough. I needed someone who could act.”
Charley Gallay/Getty ImagesMatthew Vaughn hasn’t yet picked a project to direct after the critical and financial success of X-Men: First Class, but a picture is forming as to what his options could be, and they all involve comic book writer Mark Millar.
Vaughn, Millar and artist Dave Gibbons (best known for as the co-creator of The Watchmen) unveiled this week a new comic titled The Secret Service. While plot details are under wraps, Vaughn not only co-created the concept but holds the movie rights.
PHOTOS: ‘X-Men: First Class’ Style
(As in the past, England-based Millar is auctioning off the name of some of the book’s characters, in this case the super-villain. So one lucky fan could end up seeing his name in lights, just as Dave Lizewski did when he won the auction to be the identity behind Kick-Ass. The auction runs until tomorrow and benefits St Bartholomew’s Primary School in the UK.)
Vaughn also has the movie rights to Superior, a comic Millar is writing with Leinil Francis Yu doing the art. The plot revolves around a superhero and comic book-idolizing boy afflicted with multiple sclerosis who is given the chance to become a superhero named Superior. The chance, of course, comes with a heavy cost.
PHOTOS: Top 10 Summer Superheroes of All Time: Battle of Box Office Brawn
Both projects are in the early stages, with no screenwriters attached. Vaughn is likely to tackle the script for Secret Service himself, possibly with frequent collaborator Jane Goldman, just as he did with Kick-Ass and X-Men: First Class. For Superior, he will supervise the writing, according to sources.
Vaughn is said to be contemplating a return to his roots for whatever his next venture turns out to be. While First Class was a hit, grossing $352 million worldwide, the making of the movie was a grueling, down-to-the-wire experience for the filmmaker, who was tackling his first studio picture and is accustomed to having full control.
Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com
Twitter: @Borys_Kit