You directed an animation sequence for the Kick-Ass movie. What's it about?
It's an origin sequence halfway through the film. Nicolas Cage's character, Big Daddy, documents his conquests as a vigilante in a shrine by drawing his victims and putting them up on a wall– The Wall of Villains – that he has in his secret room. It morphs from the page in the comic book into a one-minute-or-so animated sequence.
How was directing an animated sequence different than straight-up comic book illustration?
That's the interesting thing. Director Matthew Vaughn wanted it to be a comic book sequence. He was specific in saying, "Stick to what you do. We'll have it as a homage to the comic book." So I basically drew a comic book sequence and the computer-generating people at Double Negative Visual Effects turned it into a 3-D animated sequence.
What's it like working with Mark Millar? Any antics?
He's one of the funniest guys you'll ever meet, and the two of us get along because we're both wise-asses, just from different countries. No, he just sends me the script, and I do what I do. Working with him is an absolute pleasure. He absolutely cracks me up when I can understand his heavy Scottish dialect, I crack him up when he can understand my heavy Brooklyn dialect. We get along famously.
Any sort of tidbits you can offer us on the Kick-Ass 2 comic?
I can only give you the name of the arc, "Balls to the Wall." And Mark gave the villain's name away at the screening – it's The Mother[frick]er. Mark's sworn me to secrecy.
For the FULL interview, follow the link below.
Kick-Ass is set to be released on April 16 in the United States, and April 2 in the United Kingdom.