KICKASS
byJane Goldman
And
Matthew Vaughn

Second draft

Marv Films
80a Portobello Road
London W11 3DL+44 20 7976 2313

1

EXT. NEW YORK SKYLINE. DAY.

1

A wide shot in which you could be forgiven for failing tospot a tiny, brightly-clothed FIGURE on one of the rooftops.
Over this, we hear the voice of our hero: DAVE LIZEWSKI.
DAVE (V.O.)
I always wondered why nobody did it
before me. I mean, all those comic
books. Movies. TV shows... You’dthink that one eccentric loner
would have made himself a costume.
We track in towards the figure: a YOUNG MAN IN A SUPERHEROCOSTUME. Perilously near the edge, striking an iconic pose.
With cool resolve, he slips a pair of GOGGLES into position.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Is everyday life really so
exciting, are schools and offices
so thrilling, that I’m the only one
who ever fantasized about this?
He spreads his arms to reveal awesome MECHANICAL WINGS.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
C’mon. Be honest with yourself.
Calmly, he dives off the roof.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
At some point in our lives, we allwanted to be a superhero.
A smile on his face. A beautiful open vista of concrete andglass windows reflecting the low sun. He’s in flight.
Oh wait... No he’s not. The smile fades. This isn’t flying.
Just good old-fashioned falling.
Fuuuuuck!

YOUNG MAN

Below, pedestrians become aware of his impending approach.
Pointing and screaming. Camera phones. Running to safety.
He lands on a PARKED CAR. It crumples like paper. The CAR
ALARM strikes up over the crowd noise. We needn’t look closer
to be sure that he’s dead. But what the hell. We track in.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
That’s not me, by the way. That’ssome Armenian guy with a history ofmental health problems. On thenews, his sister said he read about
me in the New York Post.

2.
2

EXT. JERSEY CITY HIGH SCHOOL. DAY.

2

A huge, antiquated building. STUDENTS mill around outside. A
CAR pulls up and out climbs highschool senior DAVID LIZEWSKI.
Not quite Napoleon Dynamite, but not quite Zac Efron either.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
That’s me. Back before any of thisstuff happened. Back when you’dhave to be a lot crazier than thatguy to try and be like me.
He waves to his father, MR LIZEWSKI, who is driving...
DAVE (CONT’D)
Later, Dad.
...And sets off towards the school entrance.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Not saying there was anything wrong
with me. Just that you’d have had a
hard time finding a hook.
(a beat)I mean, I wasn’t into sport...
HE strolls past a brace of SOCCER-TEAM GIRLS kicking a ball.
3

INT. HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE - CONTINUOUS.

3

Dave joins the back of a line of kids, all waiting to pass
one by one through a METAL DETECTOR ARCHWAY.
DAVE (V.O.)
I wasn’t a mathlete...
We move down the line to see three NICE KIDS ahead of him.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
or a hard-core gamer...
Two BOYS. Their t-shirts say “AFK”, and “The cake is a lie”.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
I didn’t have a piercing, or aneating disorder, or three thousand
friends on MySpace.
Four skinny, pierced EMOS stand at the front of the line.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
I wasn’t funny.
A chubby white guy, who we’ll come to know as MARTY, dances
through the archway doing the “Soulja Boy” dance.

3.
4

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM. DAY.

4

The bell RINGS. Dave and the class scramble into their seats.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Like most people my age, I justexisted.
Dave’s teacher MRS ZANE, 40, comes in. A slightly chubby
borderline milf. She takes off her jacket and hangs it up.
5

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

5

Dave lies on his bed watching TV.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Kick in my bedroom door and you’dprobably find me watching TV. Or
talking to my friend Todd on Skype.
Dave sits at his PC. On the screen: a You Tube page and, in aminimized window, the face of Dave’s best friend TODD.
TODD (ON THE SCREEN)
You watching Family Guy?
No.

DAVE

TODD (ON THE SCREEN)
Me neither.
The sound dips and we return to Dave’s V.O.
DAVE (V.O.)
Or jerking off. Mostly to mybiology teacher.
6

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM. DAY.

6

In a replay of what we just saw, Mrs Zane takes off her
jacket. Then she stares right at us and takes off her blouse.
She reaches back to unhook her bra just as we cut to:7

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

7

From our vantage point under Dave’s desk, we can see his
PANTS around his ankles. A wad of SOILED TISSUES are dropped
into the WASTEPAPER BASKET by his feet.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Though, to be honest, it didn’t
take much to set me off.

4.
8

MASTURBATION MONTAGE.

8

Dave’s COMPUTER SCREEN. A homework document headed “TheMaasai tribe”, and a shot of some bare-breasted tribeswomen.
He types: “...traditional ceremonial bead-work”. Then sentence abandoned - the cursor clicks to minimise thedocument and bring the tribeswomen to the foreground.
Another handful of tissues goes in the basket.
Dave’s playing WORLD OF WARCRAFT. His female NIGHT ELF is on
screen. The cursor fliesto and fro, removing all her clothes.
Fingers moving urgently on the keyboard, Dave types “/dance”.
The nearly-naked digital elf performs a sexy dance.
Another tissue drops into the basket.
A copy of TV GUIDE is tossed to the floor. Followed byanother tissue.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
I tell you, when my hormones
balance out, shares in Kleenex are
gonna take a dive, man.
9

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM. DAY.

9

Where we left off, Mrs Zane takes her seat and leans forward
to put down her purse. She catches Dave looking at her tits.
MRS. ZANE
Dave Lizewski. You might want to belooking at your textbook about now?
DAVE
Yes, Mrs. Zane. Sorry.
She flashes a playful mock-stern frown, then an amused smile,
before looking away. Truth is, she’s flattered.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Sure, a lot of what got me throughthe average school day was making
deposits in the wack-off warehousefor later. But don’t get me wrong.
I liked girls my own age, too.
10

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR. DAY.

10

Dave walks the crowded corridor, eyes fixed on a strikingly
cute girl who is fumbling in her locker: KATIE DEAUXMA.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Especially Katie Deauxma.

5.
Katie looks up and breaks into a broad smile.
KATIE
Hey gorgeous!
Hey!

DAVE

Katie claps her hand over her mouth, and, hearing a bark oflaughter from behind him, Dave wheels round to see the person
Katie was actually addressing: her best friend ERIKA CHO.
Oh my god.

KATIE

DAVE
No, you meant - Erika. I know. I
knew that. You were... I was justkidding. I knew you didn’t...
Oh god.

KATIE...mean me.

DAVE

KATIE
That was...
DAVE
It’s cool. Ok then. See ya... laterHe hurries away. Behind him, Erika and Katie clutch eachother in helpless laughter as Katie dies of embarrassment.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
I was just a regular guy.
11

INT. DAVE’S KITCHEN. DAY.

11

Dave sits at the table with his DAD, AND HIS MOM, 42. She’s
eating cereal.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
No radioactive spiders. No refugee
status from a doomed alien world.
Dave morosely pours himself a bowl of CORN PUFFS.
DAVE (CONT’D)
Know what? Todd said they do still
make Count Chocula. They just don’tsell it at the A&P any more.
Suddenly, Dave’s mom slumps forward onto the table.
Her bowl of cereal crashes to the floor, the spilled corn
puffs bouncing iconically towards us like the pearls fromMartha Wayne’s broken necklace.

6.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
My mother was killed by an aneurism
in the kitchen, as opposed to agunman in an alley. So if you were
hoping for any...
Close on the cereal box as it morphs into...
12

EXT. GRAVE-YARD. NIGHT.

12...A GRAVESTONE. Behind it, the New York skyline just visible
through a fierce storm. Dave: dripping wet, fists aloft,
raging at the heavens through the thunder and lightning.
DAVE
I will avenge you, mother!
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)...You’re outta luck.
The tombstone morphs back into...
13

INT. DAVE’S KITCHEN. DAY.
...A box of COUNT CHOCULA cereal. Just Dave and his dad at
the breakfast table now.
DAVE (V.O.)
In fact, in the eighteen months
since my mother died, the only
epiphany I had was realizing that,like it or not, life just goes on.
Dave studies the cereal box.
MR. LIZEWSKI
They never had so many mallow
pieces when I was a kid.
Oh.

DAVE

MR. LIZEWSKI
Hey, I have something for you.
He hands Dave three MOVIE TICKETS. Dave lights up.
DAVE
Spiderman 8! Thursday?! The sneak
preview?! Dad, you officially rock!
Don’t you got a shift Thursdaynight?
MR. LIZEWSKI
They’re for you and the guys.

13

7.
14

INT. COMIC BOOK STORE. DAY.
A fanboy’s dream. Two storeys of comic books, toys andcollectibles, with a coffee-shop concession. Dave is herewith Todd and Marty, chatting and drinking frappucinos.
DAVE
How come nobody’s ever tried to bea superhero?
MARTY
Gee, I dunno. Oh wait, yeah I do.
Cos it’s fucking impossible,
dickwad.
DAVE
What, putting on a mask and helping
people? How is that impossible?
TODD
That’s not a superhero, though. How
is that super? Super is like, being
stronger than everybody and flying
and shit. That’s just hero.
MARTY
It’s not even hero, it’s fuckin’
psycho.
DAVE
Hello? What about Bruce Wayne? He
didn’t have any powers.
TODD
Yeah, but he had all expensive shitthat doesn’t exist. I thought you
meant, like how come no one does itin real life.
DAVE
Yeah, I guess I did mean that.
MARTY
C’mon. Anyone who did it for real
would just get their ass kicked.
They’d be dead in like, a day.
DAVE
I’m not saying they should do it. I
just can’t figure out why no one
does. Seriously, out of all themillions of people who lovesuperheroes, you’d think at least
one would give it a try.
(MORE)

14

8.
DAVE (CONT'D)
All those mid-life crisis guys in
the guitar store, they’re nevergonna be rockstars, but it doesn’tstop ‘em buying guitars.
MARTY(shrugging)
Meh.

TODD
Yeah, I guess.

DAVE (CONT’D)
Jesus, doesn’t it bug you? Why dothousands of people wanna be Paris
Hilton, and nobody wants to be
Spiderman?
MARTY
Yeah, what’s with that? She has,
like, no tits. None at all.
TODD
Maybe it’s the porn tape. He
doesn’t have a porn tape.
MARTY
You never saw One Night inSpiderman?
They all crack up. But suddenly, Todd is distracted.
TODD
Holy shit, check out the wheels.
He nods over to the storefront window. A huge black stretch
S-class MERCEDES has pulled up outside.
DAVE
Looks like Mr. D’Amico traded in
the hummer.
TODD
Nah. He probably kept it. And has,
like, both?
A teenage boy climbs out - CHRIS D’AMICO, 17 and selfconscious. He shuffles in followed by a large BODY GUARD.
Chris begins to browse a rack of comics, sneaking a look overat Dave and his friends before looking hurriedly away.
DAVE
Is it just me, or do you feel kinda
sorry for Chris D’Amico?
MARTY
Yeah. Woah. Must suck to have arich dad and everything you want.
(MORE)

9.
MARTY (CONT'D)
In fact, I wish you hadn’t brought
it up. I think I’m gonna cry.
DAVE
Yeh, but he’s always on his own.
TODD
We should, like, talk to him. See
if he wants to hang with us.
DAVE
I wasn’t saying we should talk tohim, just, like TODD
It’d be awesome! Think about it: if
he was our friend, no one would
ever fuck with us again!
Dave and Marty consider this. Marty nods over towards Chris.
MARTY
Go on then, Todd.
TODD
Nuh-uh. Dave should go.
DAVE
Why? I just said I felt sorry - Aw
shit, ok, fine.
Dave makes his way over to the register, where Chris is now
in line. Nearby, the Bodyguard pretends to read a comic.
Chris sees Dave approaching and smiles. Dave smiles back with
an awkward wave. The bodyguard glances up from the comic.
Fuck off.

BODY GUARDThis guy is massive. Dave does not need to be asked twice.
From Chris’ pov, we watch Dave return to his friends and reenact the encounter. All three burst into laughter.
15

EXT. DODGY STREET. DAY.

15

Dave and Todd walk home, carrying their BAGS of new comics.
Then, from nowhere, TWO GANG KIDS block their path. The
bigger kid holds out his hand matter-of-factly.
FIRST GANG KID
Phones. Money.
TODD
Aw man, not again.

10.
Dave hands over his phone and cash. Todd just gives cash.
Phone.

FIRST GANG KID

TODD
I don’t have one! Somebody else
jacked it last week!
FIRST GANG KID
Gimme the bag.
TODD
It’s just comics.
SECOND GANG KID
You wanna get cut?
Todd reluctantly hands over the bag of comics, and the kids
walk away casually. Shaken and angry, Todd and Dave walk on.
16

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

16

TRE FERNANDEZ, 30, unlikely to join his local neighbourhood
watch scheme any time soon, is tied to a chair, his fingers
in a pair of heavy-duty BOLT-CUTTERS held by a HUGE GOON.
Several other goons surround him - let’s call them GINGER,SCARY, SPORTY, BABY and POSH. And here’s FRANK D’AMICO, 50s,
and his right-hand man, BIG JOE. You know by the cut ofFrank’s suit that he’s in charge.
TRE
Frankie... Frank, I’m telling you,man. I swear I’m not making thisup. This fucking guy... Comes outta
nowhere FRANKThis would be the guy who looks
like Batman.
TRE
I didn’t say he looked like Batman.
HUGE GOON
You did, you said the guy looked
like Batman.
ANOTHER GOON
He said, like, a black mask andstuff.
HUGE GOON
And a cape.

11.
BIG JOE
Like Batman.
TRE
I didn’t say ‘like Batman.’ I neversaid ‘Batman’.
FRANK
So this guy, he comes in, outta
nowhere.
TRE.
Right. Outta nowhere. Fucks us up
real bad.
FRANK
And this is who killed Johnnie...
TRE
Right. And my two guys.
FRANK...And jacked my coke.
TRE
He didn’t exactly jack it.
17

INT. SCUZZY 2ND FLOOR APARTMENT. NIGHT.

17

A hyper-stylized fantasy sequence. Tre lies on the floor
with a gusher of a nosebleed, clutching a BAG OF COKE. TWO
DEAD CRONIES lie nearby.
The last man standing is JOHNNIE - clearly the muscle. Tre
watches in dismay as the even-bigger SUPERHERO steps behindJohnnie and slices his throat with a HUNTING KNIFE.
The Superhero turns on Tre, who throws the bag of cocaine
into his face, bolts for the open window and jumps out. The
masked man, his black costume now covered in coke, watches
out of the window as Tre limps away for his life.
18

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.
Frank fixes Tre with an impassive look.
FRANK
And this guy... This guy who killed
everyone else, he doesn’t bother tofollow you. Because?
TRE
Because, I don’t know. I swear
Frank, I’m just telling you what
happened.

18

12.
FRANK
Okay. Let me explain the problem I
got here, Tre. Our mole with theRussians tells it a bit different.
19

INT. SWANKY APARTMENT. NIGHT.

19

Another stylized fantasy sequence. A TALL RUSSIAN shows Tre a
BRIEFCASE full of CASH. A group of RUSSIAN HOODS look on. Tre
nods his approval and the tall Russian clicks the case shutand hands it over, in exchange for a large bag of coke.
20

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.
Tre reacts to what he’s just heard.
TRE
You’re kidding me?
FRANK(re: the bolt cutters)
Does it look to you like I’m
kidding?
BIG JOE
Our guy said you gave them Russiansa pretty sweet deal.
TRE
It’s a fucking lie, man! I can’t
believe you believe this shit froma fucking Russian, man.
FRANK
Let’s see, Tre. What’s more likely?
You’re a greedy little cocksucker,
or my coke is missing because it
wound up all over Superman’s face.
Batman.
What?

BIG JOE
FRANK

HUGE GOON
Batman’s face.
TRE
I never said Batman!
FRANK
Oh for fuck’s sake. My son’s in thecar, waiting to go to the movies.
Joe, you’re in charge.

20

13.
He snaps his fingers as he turns to go. Joe nods. The hugegoon snips the bolt-cutters closed. Tre screams.
21

EXT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

21

We can still hear the distant screams as Frank - shadowed byGinger Goon - climbs into the back of the waiting Merc.
22

INT. MERCEDES. NIGHT.

22

Frank gets in beside his son - Chris, who we met earlier and the bodyguard. Ginger Goon sits in the front.
FRANK
Sorry you had to wait, buddy.
CHRIS
I coulda waited inside. I’m sick ofbeing treated like a kid.
FRANK
We’re not having this conversation
again, Chris.
(to the bodyguard)
Where’s the driver?
Restroom.

BODYGUARD

CHRIS
The movie’s starting in, like, 10
minutes.
We can still hear screaming coming from inside the warehouse,studiously ignored by everyone in the car.
FRANK
We’re cool. It’s okay. We’re only
gonna miss the trailers.
CHRIS
Yeah, but I wanted to, you know,
get popcorn.
FRANK(to the bodyguard)
When we get there, get Chris some
popcorn, okay? And bring it in.
What do you wanna drink, Pepsi?
Chris nods grudgingly. The screaming continues, escalates.
BODYGUARD
You got it, sir.

14.
FRANK
And I’ll have an Icee. Mixed. Like,
when they mix the red one and theblue one?
The driver gets in. From inside the warehouse, we hear two
gunshots. Everyone but Frank flinches. Nobody mentions it.
FRANK (CONT’D)
And a pack of Twizzlers.
Drive.
23

EXT. MOVIE THEATRE. NIGHT.

23

The limo pulls up outside the theatre. A few people line up
for tickets as a huge tide of others flood out. Among them,an elated Dave, Todd and Marty - talking excitedly about themovie they’ve just seen.
DAVE (V.O.)
The comic-books had it wrong. It
didn’t take a trauma, or cosmic
rays or a power ring to make asuperhero.
24

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

24

Dave undresses. In his underpants, he really looks like justa little kid.
The camera jibs down to see a UPS PACKAGE. From it, Davepulls out: a WET-SUIT and a SKI MASK.
He pulls them on and looks in the MIRROR.
DAVE
You are fucking awesome.
He strikes a superhero pose, throws a few martial arts moves.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)...Just the perfect combination of
optimism and naivety.
25

EXT. INDUSTRIAL WASTELAND. DAY.

25

Meet MINDY MACREADY. 11 years old, and tiny. Wearing a woolly
hat, a padded jacket and an intense frown.
MINDY
Daddy? I’m scared.
Her father, DAMON, 35, is big and ripped and has a killer
handle-bar moustache. But he’s softly spoken.

15.
DAMON
C’mon Mindy, honey. Be a big girlnow. Nothin’ to be afraid of.
We pull back to take in Damon’s full towering height. In his
hand is A GUN. He loads the magazine.
MINDY
Is it gonna hurt bad?
DAMON
Only for a second, sugar.
(off her pout)
Handgun bullet goes more than 700
miles an hour, so at close range
like this, the force is gonna takeyou right off your feet, for sure.
But it’s really no more painful
than a punch in the chest. Okay?
MINDY
No. I hate getting punched in thechest.
DAMON
You’ll be fine, baby doll.
Before she can protest, he releases the slide, takes thesafety off, aims the gun at her and fires off a round.
The bullet hits her square in the chest. She flies throughthe air, landing on her back a couple of feet away.
DAMON (CONT’D)
Not so bad, huh?
She sits up stiffly and shrugs at him. Then she unzips herjacket to study the KEVLAR VEST underneath. She pokes her
finger into the little dent left by the bullet.
DAMON (CONT’D)
Now you know how it feels, you
won’t be scared when some junkie
asshole pulls a glock.
MINDY
Wouldn’a been scared anyways.
Damon guffaws, pulls off her hat and ruffles her hair.
DAMON
That’s my girl! ‘kay. Up you get.
Couple more rounds, then home.
Again?

MINDY

16.

Uh-huh.

DAMON

MINDY
Only if we can go Ben and Jerry’s
on the way back.
DAMON
Hmm. Okay. Two rounds, no wincing,no whining and you got yourself adeal, young lady.
She gets up and faces him, arms outstretched, grinning.
MINDY
I’m gonna get Phish Food and Chunky
Monkey!
DAMONGood call, baby!
He takes aim and - BAM! - cracks off another round.
26

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. DAY.

26

Dave, wearing his costume, slips jeans and a long-sleeved tee
over the top. He grabs his school bag and leaves.
27

INT. HIGHSCHOOL CLASSROOM. DAY.

27

Mrs Zane is at the whiteboard but Dave isn’t watching. He
writes in his book, fingering the collar of his costume under
his shirt, a sly smile playing on his lips.
In Dave’s notebook are several heroic DOODLES of himself in
costume, and some names: Night Walker, Bad Night, Bad Ass.
He writes down: Kick Ass. Then a bunch of question marks.
28

INT. BEN AND JERRY’S. DAY.

28

Mindy is here with Damon, scoffing a large core sundae. Fudge
sauce drips onto her padded jacket. She looks down to wipe it
off and notices five bullet holes.
MINDY
Daddy! Lookit!
DAMON
I know, honey. Good job! Hey, you
had any more thoughts on what you
want for your birthday?

17.
MINDY
Mmmm. Can I get a puppy?
DAMON(surprised)
A... puppy? Like, a dog?
MINDY
Yeah. A cuddly fluffy one. And a
Bratz Moviestar Makeover Sasha.
Damon looks like he’s about to have a seizure. Mindy spits
ice-cream everywhere as she bursts into giggles.
MINDY (CONT’D)
Just fucking with you daddy! I’dlove a Benchmade model-42 butterfly
knife.
Damon joins in the laughter, relieved.
29

EXT. D’AMICO’S APARTMENT BLOCK. DAY.

29

A black Lexus pulls up and a LIVERIED DOORMAN steps forward
to open the door. BIG JOE climbs out, nods his greeting to
the doorman, and enters the building.
30

INT. D’AMICO’S APARTMENT BLOCK - LOBBY. CONTINUOUS.

30

Inside, Big Joe greets a SECOND DOORMAN and walks towards thebank of elevators. One is guarded by Scary Goon. Inside theelevator, Posh Goon ushers big Joe in and closes the door.
31

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - KITCHEN.

31

A beautiful bespoke kitchen/breakfast room. Outside, anincredible view of Manhattan. Clearly, business is booming.
Frank and Chris eat breakfast with Chris’s mother, ANGIED’AMICO, 47 and looking good.
Posh Goon pops his head round the door.
POSH GOON
Big Joe to see you, sir.
FRANK
Okay, okay.
(to Angie)
Sorry hon.
She rolls her eyes good-naturedly as she stands up, taking
her bowl of oatmeal with her, and heads out of the room.

18.
ANGIE
No problem. Chris?
CHRIS(to Frank)
I don’t mind you talking business.
I’ll just sit quiet. I should,
like, start learning and stuff.
Frank points at the door. Chris gets up and stomps out.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
I’m gonna be 18 in eight months forchrissakes.
Frank ignores him and greets Joe, who gives Chris anaffectionate slap on the back as he passes. Joe sits down.
LOUIS
We got ourselves a problem, Frank.
FRANK
And here was me, thinking you broke
up my family breakfast cuz you
wanted to discuss last night’s
Dancing with the Stars.
BIG JOE
Our Russian says Tre just gave themanother 5 K’s, half price.
FRANK
Which Tre? Tre Tre? Tre Fernandez?
BIG JOE
Right. Tre Tre. Dead Tre.
FRANK
So now I’m getting fucked in theass by a ghost.
BIG JOE
Or Tre was telling the truth.
FRANK
This is my choice? I have tobelieve in ghosts or superheroes?
BIG JOE
Not the part about the superhero.
Just that he mighta really been
gaffled by somebody.
FRANK
I think it’s time we invited ourRussian friend over for a friendly
chat. See what’s really going on.

19.
BIG JOE
Put his balls in a vice?
Right.

FRANKBIG JOE
Cool. I just wanted to double
check. Cos there was that one time
you said “friendly chat”, and you
meant it literally, and I thought FRANK
I remember.
BIG JOE
So, better safe than sorry, y’know?
32

EXT. ROOF TOP. DAY.

32

Dave, in his costume, carefully treads the edge of the roof.
DAVE (V.O.)
I’ll be honest, there wasn’t awhole lotta crime fighting in those
first few weeks.
He reaches the corner and looks across to the next rooftop.
He glances down into the narrow alleyway separating the two.
33

EXT. ALLEYWAY. DAY.

33

The alley we looked down into before. Dave checks he’s not
being watched, then runs a TAPE MEASURE between the walls.
DAVE (V.O.)
But even so, my new vocation kept
me plenty busy. I didn’t even havetime for internet porn any more.
34

EXT. ROOFTOP. DAY.

34

Dave has placed two pieces of wood that distance apart. He
runs up to the first, leaps... lands nowhere near the second.
35

INT. HIGHSCHOOL GYM. DAY.
Dave pumps iron.
DAVE (V.O.)
If my friends wondered what thefuck was going on with me, they
never mentioned it.

35

20.
36

INT. HIGHSCHOOL CAFETERIA

36

Dave sits with Todd and Marty eating a plate of FISH, STEAK
and BOILED EGGS. The guys don’t bat an eyelid. Marty pokes
eye holes in a piece of bread and wears it as a BANDIT MASK.
37

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

37

Dave poses in his costume, flexing his still-tiny pecs.
DAVE (V.O.)
All I knew was I’d never felt sogood about myself.
38

EXT. ROOFTOP. DAY.

38

Dave, back at his long-jump, makes several more unsuccessfulattempts before he finally lands clear of his target.
Close on his feet as we see his subsequent landings past thesecond piece of timber, getting further and further away.
DAVE (V.O.)
I called it preparation.
Finally, he takes a run up and we see that the pieces oftimber have been put aside, and he is now going for the realthing. He reaches the edge of the roof... and stops.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
But if you called it fantasizing,
it woulda been hard to argue.
39

INT. MINDY AND DAMON’S APARTMENT. DAY.

39

The kind of place you’d expect to see in a documentary about
scary-ass opt-out survivalists - boarded-up windows, a gun
rack, not much furniture. Damon sits on one of several METALTRUNKS, grinning as Mindy admires a PAINTING.
Now we see that it is a brilliantly rendered piece of comicbook artwork depicting them in costume, dynamically posed.
You like?

DAMON

MINDY
I love! You’re the bestest comic
artist, Daddy!
He beams and hands her a prettily wrapped PARCEL.

21.
DAMON
And here’s your proper present.
Happy birthday, baby.
Mindy tears it open and squeals: It’s the exact BUTTERFLYKNIFE she asked for. She flings her arms around Damon’s neck.
MINDY
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
She studies the knife and tentatively begins to attempt a few
traditional “flipping” moves. She succeeds surprisingly well.
MINDY (CONT’D)
Daddy, look!
Damon applauds encouragingly until the blade accidentallyslices the back of her hand. She stops and studies the cut.
Shit.

MINDY (CONT’D)

She wipes her hand on her jeans and starts flipping again.
DAMON
Okay, pop quiz. What’s the proper
name for one of those?
MINDY
Easy: “Balisong”. It’s Filipino.
Ask me another.
DAMON
Mmmm. ‘kay... The AR15 was alighter, smaller calibre version ofwhat design?
She nicks her hand again. Wipes it, unperturbed. Continues.
MINDY
Eugene Stoner’s AR10. Now gimme a
hard one.
DAMON
When did Samuel Colt get his US
patent?
MINDY
I said a hard one! February 25th,
1836.
DAMON
John Woo’s first full-lengthfeature.
Mindy’s knife flipping is getting ridiculously good now. At
times, the knife is just a silver streak in her little hand.

22.
MINDY
Tie Han Rou Qing. The Young
Dragons... Look, daddy, look!
You’re not looking!
40

EXT. DODGY STREET. DAY.

40

At a junction, Dave wheels his bike beside Todd and Marty,
all carrying BAGS from the comic store. This is where they
part company. Dave mounts up, waves goodbye and rides off.
He rides on, down the same shitty street we saw earlier.
Nearby, two boys skulk by a car. The guys who mugged Dave andTodd. One has a SCREWDRIVER. He looks up, stares at Dave.
DAVE (V.O.)
Like every serial killer alreadyknew, eventually fantasizing justdoesn’t do it for you anymore. It
was time to engage.
Dave looks away, keeps pedalling, head down. But his speed
gradually slows until, at the next alleyway, he stops dead.
41

EXT. BACK ALLEY. DAY.

41

Dave chains his bike to a fire-escape. He tears open his
shirt, revealing his costume underneath. This is it.
42

EXT. DODGY STREET. DAY.
The first gang kid has his screwdriver wedged under thewindow rubber and is prying it off. His friend loiters
nearby, smoking a JOINT and keeping lookout.
They pause, utterly bewildered, at the sight of: Dave.
Walking towards them in his full, costumed splendor.
SECOND GANG KID
What... the... fuck?!
FIRST GANG KID
The fuck are you looking at?
Dave hesitates. They start to walk towards him.
FIRST GANG KID (CONT’D)
I said what are you looking at?
DAVE
Two cheapshit losers screwing witha car that somebody probably worked
their ass off to pay for.

42

23.

Say what?

FIRST GANG KID

SECOND GANG KID
Leave it man. Motherfucker be high.
DAVE
I’m not high. I just think it sucks
that you figure you can do whatever
you want. Walk away from the car,and we can just forget about it.
Without warning, the first kid steps up and punches Dave.
Dave reels. But now we see that, behind his back, he has apiece of LEAD PIPE. He cracks it over the kid’s head. The kid
goes down, the screwdriver flying from his hand.
A beat. Then the second kid sets on Dave. The pipe gives Davean initial advantage. But now the first guy is up again.
FIRST GANG KID
Fuck this shit! You crazy, man!
He pulls A KNIFE and, before Dave even realizes it, he’s been
stabbed in the gut. He looks down in disbelief. Then drops.
The gang kids run. Dave gets up and staggers to the road.
43

EXT. ROAD. CONTINUOUS.

43

Dave stumbles into the road as A CAR approaches. He tries toflag it, but the ALARMED FEMALE DRIVER accelerates past him.
Dave turns in disbelief to watch the car disappear into the
distance... failing to see A SECOND CAR speed towards him. It
ploughs into him, sending him flying like a rag-doll.
The car slows and a terrified BUSINESSMAN stares out to see:
Dave is out cold, his legs and pelvis grotesquely twisted,
his costume covered in blood. The driver is in serious shit.
He looks around. No witnesses. Panicking, he speeds away.
44

INT. AMBULANCE. DAY.

44

We fade up to Dave’s POV. A SIREN is wailing. A MEDIC is
cutting off his costume. The medic shouts up to the driver.
MEDIC
Back and responsive!
(to Dave)
Easy, pal. Take it easy. Don’t try
to move.

24.
Dave is in a neck brace, an oxygen mask over his face.
DAVE
My dad is gonna kill me.
MEDIC
He’s gonna be happy you’re alive.
DAVE
I need a favour. Please? Don’t tellanybody about the costume?
MEDIC
You got it.
The medic deposits the shredded costume in the MEDICAL WASTE
RECEPTACLE. Dave smiles with relief. Then his eyes roll back.
MEDIC (CONT’D)(shouting to the driver)
Losing him again!
45

INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR. DAY.

45

We fade up to Dave’s POV: a blur of bright lights andconcerned faces, as the hospital gurney speeds him along.
DAVE (V.O.)
I don’t remember a whole lot fromthe first days at the hospital.
Just that the pain was a thousand
times worse than anything I’d everexperienced.
A nurse leans down with a needle.
DAVE (CONT’D)
And the morphine was a thousand
times better.
Dave lies in a hospital bed, bandaged and wired up, asleep.
Beside him sits his drained father, staring into space.
46

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

46

A rather battered Russian, DANIL, 30, sits on a chair, hands
tied behind his back. Nearby, Big Joe talks on his cell.
BIG JOE
They don’t have the vice here no
more... No. They only treat the
lumber here now... Yeah, but thething they use for that is evenbetter... Exactly... Okay, cool.
(MORE)

25.
BIG JOE (CONT'D)(to Huge Goon)
Go ahead.
The Huge Goon pulls Danil up and, followed by Joe, begins towalk him across the warehouse, past piles of WOOD.
DANIL
Look, the guy tells me he is Tre
Fernandez, what do I know? Now you
say Fernandez is dead, so, okay,
this guy, he lie about who he is.
They arrive at a large INDUSTRIAL MICROWAVE OVEN, its door
open. The Huge goon punches Danil in the face and pushes him
inside. He bolts the door and studies the OPERATION PANEL.
HUGE GOON
Does it have settings? Like on aregular microwave?
BIG JOE
The fuck do I know? We’re notmaking a fucking Hungry Man dinner,
just turn it on!
Exasperated, Joe leans past the goon and hits the LARGESTBUTTON. A very loud WHIRR starts up.
BIG JOE (CONT’D)(shouting to Danil)
Who did you buy our coke from? And
this time, don’t tell us somebody
who’s dead.
Danil peers out, desperate, his hand cupped to his ear.
HUGE GOON
Can he hear you? I don’t think he
can hear you.
BIG JOE
I SAID: WHO REALLY SOLD YOU OUR
COKE?
Now Danil is in pain. We can faintly hear him shrieking.
Big Joe begins to mime his question, one word at a time: anopen handed shrug... a “handing over” gesture... a point...
BIG JOE (CONT’D)
WHO... SOLD... YOU...
But before he can finish, there’s a popping sound, and SPLAT - the viewing window is decorated with Danil’s insides.
Shit.

BIG JOE (CONT’D)

26.
47

INT. HOSPITAL. DAY.

47

Dave lies in bed, awakening slowly from his sleep. In thechair where we last saw Dave’s father, is his mother.
DAVE
Mom? What are you doing here?
MOTHERDavid honey, you need to get better
now. Your poor dad... First me thenyou? You really can’t go dying.
Dave squeezes his eyes shut.
DAVEThis isn’t real.
It’s not?

MOTHER

DAVE
Nah. I don’t believe in ghosts.
He opens his eyes. She’s gone, and in her place is a CHINESEFAMILY in traditional rural dress - a MAN, a PREGNANT WOMAN
and FIVE SMALL CHILDREN. The woman turns to her husband andwhispers in Mandarin, subtitled.
CHINESE WOMANHe believes in reincarnation.
CHINESE MAN(to Dave, subtitled)
You do know that statistically,
there’s a one in three chance ofcoming back as a Chinese peasant?
The woman rubs her belly and smiles ominously at Dave.
DAVE(in Mandarin, subtitled)
Is that even true? If you’re justgoing on numbers, aren’t I more
likely to come back as an insect orsomething?
The Chinese family have gone. In their place, a GIANT SPIDER
now sits in the chair.
GIANT SPIDER
You have a point, there.
DAVE
Shit... I really don’t wanna comeback as a spider.

27.

Why not?

GIANT SPIDER

DAVE
I don’t know. It’s just not really
how I saw things going. Eating
flies... fucking other spiders...
The spider climbs onto the bed and straddles him.
GIANT SPIDER
Hey, don’t knock it ‘til you’ve
tried it, baby.
A doctor hurries into the room with Dave’s father. They rush
over to the bed, apparently unaware of the spider’s presence.
MR. LIZEWSKI(to the doctor)
See? I think he’s...
(to Dave)
Dave? Can you hear me?
The spider has gone, and Dave stares groggily at them.
Dad?

DAVE

Mr. Lizewski’s face floods with joy and relief. He kisses
Dave on the forehead, and Dave smiles weakly.
DOCTOR
Welcome back, young man.
48

INT. X-RAY ROOM. DAY.

48

Dave lies on the bed, the X-RAY UNIT poised over his pelvis.
There’s a whine and a flash as it takes a shot.
DAVE (V.O.)
Turned out, I’d had, like, nine
operations or something insane.
The RADIOLOGIST enters and moves the unit for another shot.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
I hurt all over. I felt weak...
RADIOLOGISTGood job. You can get changed now.
She helps Dave over to a small changing cubicle.
DAVE (V.O.)
And coming off the morphine was apisser...

28.
49

INT. CHANGING CUBICLE. CONTINUOUS.

49

Dave takes off the patients gown, and begins to dress, gazing
absent mindedly around the cubicle at the various MEDICALINFORMATION POSTERS. One detailing how to perform a BREAST
SELF-EXAMINATION catches his eye.
DAVE (V.O.)
But all things considered...
50

EXT. CHANGING CUBICLE. DAY.

50

The radiologist stands outside the door, looking concerned.
RADIOLOGIST
Dave? Are you okay in there, buddy?
51

INT. CHANGING CUBICLE. DAY.

51

Dave deposits a handful of tissue into the MEDICAL WASTE BIN.
DAVE
Uh-huh. Sorry.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)...I was getting back to my old
self.
52

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM. DAY.

52

An X-RAY PHOTOGRAPH of a skull with a big metal plate in it.
Now another - an arm with elaborate pins. Now a metal-studded
leg. Dave studies these as, in the background, his dad packs
away Dave’s hospital things into bag.
DAVE
How cool is this? I look like
Wolverine.
MR. LIZEWSKI
They still have that metal detector
at your school?
DAVE
I know! It’s gonna have a meltdown!
MR. LIZEWSKI(suddenly serious)
Dave, I need to ask you something.
Go on...

DAVE

29.
MR. LIZEWSKI
The police report... They found you
naked. You said you didn’t remember
why. The muggers... they didn’t...?
DAVE
What? No! Jesus! I wasn’t even...
In the ambulance, they had to throw
my clothes away! Cos of the blood.
MR. LIZEWSKI
Right... Because the medic said you
were naked.
Great.

DAVE

MR. LIZEWSKI
But... Nobody...?
DAVEOf course not!! Oh my god.
Mr. Lizewski throws his arms round his son and starts sobbing
with relief. Dave pats him awkwardly on the back.
53

EXT. A NASTY STREET. NIGHT.

53

Mindy walks alone, carrying a GROCERY BAG. A passing COP CAR
slows to a crawl beside her and a handsome African Americancop, DETECTIVE MARCUS WILLIAMS, 37, winds down the window.
MARCUS
Hey! You need a ride home?
Mindy carries on walking, ignoring him.
MARCUS (CONT’D)
You shouldn’t be out on your own inthe dark, you know. It’s not safe.
Mindy shakes her head in amusement and keeps walking.
54

EXT. MINDY AND DAMON’S APARTMENT. NIGHT.

54

Mindy lets herself in, unaware that she is still being
watched from a distance by Detective Marcus.
55

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA. DAY.

55

Dave carries his tray - a burger and fries - trying to ignore
all the people staring or whispering. Katie looks at him as
she talks to Erika, then abruptly stops talking as he passes.

30.
ERIKI CHO
Said he’s what?
KATIE(not now!)
Nothing.
Perturbed, Dave takes his seat next to Todd and Marty. Martypunches him hard in the back.
MARTY
Did you feel that?

No.

DAVE
(bored of this)TODDYou’re like fucking Jason Bourne orsomething! That owns!
Marty does it again, harder.
MARTY
How about that time?
DAVE
No. Marty, give it a fuckin’ rest,man. I’ve only been back, like,half a day and already you’remaking me kinda miss the hospital.
56

INT. MINDY AND DAMON’S APARTMENT. DAY.

56

A veritable arsenal of WEAPONS are spread out all over theroom. Damon is at a makeshift drawing board, inking a picture
we can’t see. Behind him a row of PORTRAITS are pinned to thewall. All villainous-looking men, drawn in comic book style.
Mindy walks in carrying two open cans of PROTEIN SHAKE. She
hands one to Damon and takes a swig of her own.
MINDY
Protein shake for ya.
(re: the picture)
Oooh. Another picture for our plan?
DAMON
Yep. And I have something for you.
He produces: a UTILITY BELT, bristling with LETHAL ITEMS.
MINDY
Sweet! You got me a little one!

31.
DAMON
Made it just for you, babydoll. Try
it on?
She does. It’s a perfect fit. Mindy inspects it eagerly.
MINDY
Stun grenade, hand grenade, mace,
shuriken... And... What’s this for?
She scrutinises something on the back of the belt, near her
behind. We can’t see what it is.
DAMON
It’s for... If all else fails. But
only then.
57

EXT. ROOFTOP. DAY.

57

From Dave’s POV, we gaze down into the now-familiar alley,then across the chasm to the next roof.
DAVE (V.O.)
I should have quit, of course.
We see Dave: in a NEW COSTUME. He sprints towards the gap.
58

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

58

Dave holds his phone above his head - the favoured flattering
MySpace angle - and looks up. He snaps a shot of himself.
On his computer we see the PERSONAL PAGE he’s made for
Kickass. A few clicks and the photo he just took is in place.
DAVE (V.O.)
But you can’t just re-programmeyourself: what you want, who you
are... your purpose in life.
59

EXT. BASKETBALL COURT. NIGHT.

59

A costumed Dave approaches with a can of PAINT and a ROLLER.
He begins to paint a grafitti-covered wall.
DAVE (V.O.)
Drop a laptop and it’ll break. But
when it’s fixed, it’s not gonna bea fuckin’ George Foreman grill.

32.
60

EXT. GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT. DAY.

60

Dave, in costume, loads SHOPPING BAGS into an SUV for a
grateful - if slightly bemused - YOUNG MOM with a BABY.
DAVE (V.O.)
It is what it is.
61

INT. ARCADE. NIGHT.

61

Dave stands beside a DDR DANCING STAGE unit. A huge queue of
LITTLE KIDS wait their turn while two HULKING TEENAGERS end
theirs. Their feet just a blur, you get the feeling they play
a lot. One leans forward to put in another handful of coins.
DAVE (V.O.)
Me? My hardware was fixed now.
Dave leans in and stays the boy’s arm, stopping him from
inserting the coins. The teens stare at the costumed freak inshock. Dave indicates the line of little kids and gives theuniversal thumb-jerking gesture for get-the-fuck-outta-here.
Amazingly, the two guys comply, walking away, confused. The
crowd of kids CHEER, and the first two in line climb on.
62

EXT. ROOFTOP. DAY.

62

Dave’s sprint towards the edge of the roof continues.
DAVE (V.O.)
I was back and running Kickass
version 2.0.
Dave reaches the edge... and stops.
Crap.
63

DAVE (CONT’D)

EXT. NEIGHBOURHOOD STREET. DAY.
Close on a poster that reads: HAVE YOU SEEN MR. BITEY ???
There’s a PHONE NUMBER and a PHOTO OF A CAT.
Pull back to find Dave, in costume, studying it.
DAVE (V.O.)
Okay, maybe I was still in the betatesting phase. But it was a start.

63

33.
64

EXT. DODGY NEIGHBOURHOOD. NIGHT.

64

Dave - in costume, remember - walks the neighbourhood,searching for the cat, ignoring the stares of PASSERSBY.
Mr Bitey!

DAVE

Two GANG GIRLS walking past burst out laughing.
65

EXT. ANOTHER STREET. NIGHT.

65

A terrified man, OSCAR JUAREZ, 26, runs for his life. In hot
pursuit are three BIG SCARY GUYS.
We intercut between this chase, and Dave’s more mundane
ambling.
66

EXT. RUN-DOWN STREET . NIGHT.

66

From across the street, Dave spots A CAT eating from thetrash outside a FASTFOOD JOINT. This is it. He sprints acrossthe road towards it, cars honking as he darts between them.
DAVE
Hey there Mr. Bitey... C’mon...
But the cat makes a break for it, shooting away, up a TREE.
Wonderful.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Dave climbs the tree as the cat watches disdainfully. In the
distance, we may see the terrified Oscar Juarez turn onto
this street and dash in our direction - but Dave doesn’t.
Dave reaches for the cat, but his foot slips and he falls...
Right onto Oscar, flooring him. Neither can quite believe it.
Asshole!

OSCAR

Before Dave can speak, he receives a kick in the face. The
three scary guys surround them. The BIGGEST GUY, who justkicked Dave, eyes him as the others haul Oscar to his feet.
BIGGEST GUY
Thanks, freak.
The briefest pause. Then he turns and punches Oscar in themouth. Dave looks on, aghast, as all three lay into Oscar.
Dave tries to grab the biggest guy, but he shrugs Dave off.

34.
BIGGEST GUY (CONT’D)
Get the fuck outta here! This ain’t
none of your business.
DAVE
Yeah, it is.
Dave pulls his lead pipe and piles in, blazing, taking hits
left, right and centre and landing plenty of his own.
A few passerby slow down to gawp. Dave shouts to them.
DAVE (CONT’D)
Call 911! Somebody call 911!
A TEENAGER runs into the nearby fast-food joint.
67

INT. FAST FOOD JOINT. CONTINUOUS.

67

The teenager bursts in urgently.
Hey!

TEENAGER(a beat)
There’s a guy dressed like asuperhero out there fighting a loadof Bloods, it’s fuckin’ awesome!
And, as one, the DINERS hurry out into the street to watch.
68

EXT. RUN-DOWN STREET. CONTINUOUS.

68

The fast-food diners join the large crowd, many now filming
the fight on their cell-phones.
Dave gives as good as he gets as he fights to protect Oscar.
The biggest guy, badly beaten, clocks the crowd. Dave’s notgoing down, and now they’re on camera, too. Time to quit.
BIGGEST GUY(to Dave)
Fuckin’ freak!
He bolts, followed by his cohorts. The crowd bursts into
APPLAUSE. Dave leans down to Oscar, hunched on the ground.
DAVE
You okay, man?
It’s chaos here - the crowd shouting, approaching sirens. An
EXCITED GUY thrusts his cellphone breathlessly towards Dave.
PHONE GUY
Woooh! That rocked! Who are you?

35.
Dave ignores him and leans in closer to try and hear Oscar’s
response. Oscar manages a swollen smile.
Thank you.
69

OSCAR

EXT. THE OTHER END OF THE STREET. MOMENTS LATER.

69

Dave runs. In the distance, we see the ambulance - now
arrived - and much of the crowd still in attendance.
70

EXT. ALLEYWAY. NIGHT.

70

Dave rounds the corner, and after checking nobody’s seen him,
he opens the dumpster and retrieves a PLASTIC SHOPPING BAG.
He empties it out - it’s his CLOTHES. He pulls off his mask.
He’s bleeding and bruised but can’t help grinning. He did it.
71

INT. DAVE’S ROOM. DAY.

71

Dave peers at his bruised face in a mirror.
DAVEThis look like it’s going down any?
Todd, at Dave’s desk browsing YOUTUBE, doesn’t move. Marty,on the floor playing BIOSHOCK on the Xbox, looks up briefly.
MARTY
Give it time man. Only been a week.
TODD
Hey, did you see “Pretty Fly for a
Draenei”?
Yeah.

MARTY

Yeah.

DAVE

Todd looks slightly crushed. Then his face lights up.
TODD (CONT’D)
Ah wait, did you see that thingwith the superhero guy? From round
here?
DAVE
What thing?
Surely it can’t be...? Dave tosses aside his CONTROLLER andmoves over to the computer. Marty follows.

36.
72

KICKASS MEDIA FRENZY MONTAGE.

72

In the low-ish res of a youtube clip, we see Dave, bent overOscar. The camera thrusts towards him.
PHONE GUY (OS)Woooh! That rocked! Who are you?
Dave leans down to hear Oscar. Then looks up into the camera.
DAVE
I’m Kickass.
MUSIC kicks in now as we follow the explosion of Dave’s fame.
- A Youtube page, showing the fight. It’s titled: Kickass!
Real life Superhero. Underneath it says: VIEWS: 10,019- Footage from a LOCAL NEWS CHANNEL. A FEMALE ANCHOR speaks.
LOCAL NEWS ANCHOR
And coming up after the hour: acostumed vigilante has become thelatest internet phenomenon after a
Hamilton Park resident filmed theman’s remarkable intervention in agang-related attack last week...
- More Youtube footage. Now the counter says: VIEWS: 208,323- In the school corridor, the mathlete and gamer kids we met
earlier stand together by their lockers, talking excitedly.
MATHLETE(impersonating the clip)
My name is Kickass!
GAMER
No, no, no, he just goes, like,“I’m kickass”. Then he runs off.
- In the studios of THE TODAY SHOW, Oscar sits nervously,
being interviewed by MEREDITH VIERA.
MEREDITH VIERA
And what would you say to him, if
you did, do you think?
OSCAR
If I saw him again? I guess, justhow brave he was. And, y’know,
just... thank you.
- Dave at his computer, on his Kickass MYSPACE page.
- Another Youtube clip. Now it says: VIEWS: 5,630,621.

37.
- Katie, in pyjamas, lies on her bed with her friend Erika,
painting her nails and watching THE SOUP. On TV we see:
JOEL MCHALE
And now it’s time for our kickass
clip of the week...
Someone dressed as KICKASS runs in, brandishing a stick.
JOEL MCHALE (CONT’D)
Not you, Kickass. You were our clipof the week last week.
(shouting offscreen)
I think we’re gonna have to changethat segment title.
73

INT. LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN STUDIO. NIGHT.

73

Letterman is reading out the top ten list.
LETTERMAN
Top ten signs your neighbor iskickass, number nine: Answers
phone, "Kickass residence -- I
mean, Smith residence".
Laughter from the audience, the usual drum roll continues.
LETTERMAN (CONT’D)
Number eight: The family ofsupervillains across the street
have really been on edge lately.
74

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. NIGHT.

74

Mindy reads a COMIC while Damon performs pull-ups in the doorframe and watches LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN.
LETTERMAN(on TV)...your neighbor is Kickass, number
seven: Lists his likes as country
music, softball and leaping tallbuildings in a single bound.
MINDY
I like kickass.
Damon, still performing pull ups, doesn’t respond.
LETTERMAN(on TV)
Number six: claims he's getting 50
miles to the gallon since switching
to hybrid Kickass-mobile.

38.
MINDY
Did you see the clip? He was pretty
good.
DAMON
Good at getting his ass kicked. Heshoulda called himself asskick
instead.
MINDY
That doesn’t even make sense.
75

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE. NIGHT.

75

Frank, Angie and Chris are also watching Letterman.
DAVID LETTERMAN(on TV)
Number four: A lot of "thanks for
hospitalizing my attackers"
bouquets being delivered.
FRANK
The kid’s gonna end up dead, iswhat I think.
DAVID LETTERMAN(on TV)
Number three. His last house-guest:
The Silver Surfer.
CHRIS
No way. He owns. I’d mail his site
if I had a problem needed fixing.
FRANK
Are you kidding me? Tell me you’refucking kidding me! I got a hundredguys could fix a problem and you’dcall some Jersey City doofus?
DAVID LETTERMAN(on TV)
Number two: Mailman mistakenly puts
"cowl-of-the-month club" catalog inyour box.
CHRIS
Well I wouldn’t wanna get in theway of your “business”. Where I’m
not wanted.
76

INT. DAVE’S HOUSE. NIGHT.
Dave watches TV with his dad.

76

39.
DAVID LETTERMAN(on TV)
And the number one sign that yourneighbor is Kick Ass: You hear his
television blaring "Extreme
makeover - Internet Superhero
edition".
On TV, the audience applaud.
MR. LIZEWSKI
Is that the guy from round here?
DAVE
Uh... That kickass guy? I guess so.
Had you... seen that clip before?
MR. LIZEWSKI
I heard about it. The guys at work
were... I had a fight with one of‘em about it, actually. Said tohim: when your son’s been mugged
half a dozen times, then you cometell me what you think ofvigilantes.
DAVE
He’s more, like, a superhero. Thana vigilante. Wouldn’t you say?
MR. LIZEWSKI
Meh. The costume I could do
without. Hey, this reminds me, did
you look at that catalogue I gave
you? The personal tasers?
DAVE
Yeah. I said fine. I’ll carry one
if you want me to.
MR. LIZEWSKI
You were gonna pick a color.
DAVE
I don’t know, they were all kind ofgay. I think they’re, like, meant
for girls or something.
MR. LIZEWSKI
What are you talking about? They
had, like, camo, and purple...
Exactly!

DAVE

40.
MR. LIZEWSKI
Camo is gay now? You wanna tell thearmed forces or shall I?
DAVENo, look, fine, I’ll have Camo.
Camo is fine. But I’m... You don’t
have to worry about me, Dad... I
wish you wouldn’t worry about me.
77

INT. DAVE’S ROOM. NIGHT.

77

Dave sits down at his computer and logs onto Myspace.
DAVE (V.O.)My MySpace: 38 friends. Kickass’s
MySpace: 16k and counting.
He scrolls through his mail. We catch flashes of text: “Canyou help?” ... “and I swear I know for sure he did it“ ...
“3rd armed hold-up in two months” ... “broke into my car”
Dave begins to type a reply: “I’m working my way through abacklog of requests right now, but I’ll get to yours as soon
as I can. Yours sincerely...”He erases “sincerely” and types “truly”. Erases that, types“keep it real”. Then wipes that too and just types “Kickass”.
78

EXT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR. DAY.

78

Dave strides to his locker, his face still bruised from
Kickass’s now-legendary fight, but more confident than ever.
Katie, approaching from the other direction, smiles at him.
Hey.

KATIE

Wary this time, Dave looks over his shoulder. Katie laughs.
Dave. Hey.

KATIE (CONT’D)

DAVE(surprised)
Oh... Hey.
KATIE
How’s the... Uh...
She gestures to her face. He pats his own bruised face.

41.
DAVE
Ah, good, thanks, yeah. Much
better. Not as bad as last time,
that’s for sure!
KATIE
Hey, you’re into comicbooks, aren’t
you?
(off his wary nod)
Well... me and Erika sometimes hang
after school at this great store,
Gotham Comics? They have aStarbucks. Actually, I always see
those two friends of yours there?
Yeah...?

DAVE

KATIE
I mean... I could buy you a coffee
there sometime if you want? If you,like, need someone to talk to?
DAVE
Um... Sure. Thanks.
KATIE
Cool. What, today? Tomorrow?
DAVE
Um... Today... sure, why not?
Today’s good.
KATIE
Sweet! See ya later, then!
And she’s off. Dave spots Todd and Marty lurking nearby andwalks over, in a euphoric daze.
DAVE
Man, did you just see that?!
Todd and Marty exchange looks.
MARTY
Don’t wanna piss on your fries,
dude, but it might not be... what
you think.
TODD
Yeah, because, Katie Deauxma,
she’s, like, the world’s biggest
carebear?
DAVE
What are you talking about?

42.
MARTY
Just look at her friends: Erika Cho- self harmer. Kanesha whats-hername - alopecia. And I heard Ariel
Kressly’s piano tutor interferedwith her.
TODD
Really? What, like, actual rape, or
he just felt her up and stuff?
MARTY
The point is, Katie Deauxma is allabout the lame ducks.
DAVE
What’s that got to do with me?
Dave and Marty exchange another look.
79

EXT. COMIC BOOK STORE. DAY.

79

Dave walks to the store with Todd and Marty. He is mid-rant.
DAVE
But... A rent boy?! A fucking rent
boy?? What kind of rumor is that?
MARTY
Well you know, getting mugged...
DAVE
You guys have been mugged!
MARTY
Yeah, but you got beat up, and you
had, like, no clothes on that time?
DAVE
That’s not even true! The medic
threw my clothes away!
TODD
And, like, someone said when you
went through the metal detector theother day they saw you turn in thisreally gay-looking personal taser?
It’s camo!

DAVE

MARTY
Aw, forget about it man. Rumors
don’t mean shit. The people whocare about you know the truth.

43.
TODD
Yeah. And who knows, it might even
get you laid.
They’ve arrived at the comic store.
MARTY
Not if she thinks he’s gay, Todd,
you fucktard!
DAVE
Thanks a lot, Marty.
Dave opens the door and we see his stunned reaction to:...the store as he’s never seen it before. It’s rammed, andthe demographic has expanded wildly to include a lot of girls
and a good cross section of teenage society. At the coffeeshop, a sign says: “TODAY’S SPECIAL: KICKASS CAPPUCCINO”
DAVE (CONT’D)
Holy shit, what happened?
Marty flicks a huge promotional cardboard sign: the cover ofKickass number 1. A strap-line on it says: COMING SOON.
MARTYThis guy happened.
Dave gapes at the poster. But before he can comment, he hears
his name being called and spots Katie, in the coffee-shop,
waving. Todd and Marty shoo him over to her.
Moments later, we find Dave sitting at a table and Katie
returning to him, carrying two frappucinos. She sits down.
DAVE
You really didn’t have to get mine.
KATIE
It’s my pleasure. You’ve had kindof a rough time. I think the least
I can do is buy you a coffee.
DAVE
Yeah... about that, I KATIE
God, I’m sorry - I didn’t wanna...
you don’t have to talk about it.
But if you ever want to... I’m, you
know. A good listener.
DAVE
Right... Thanks. So...
(reaching for a subject)
Do you actually... Read comics?

44.
KATIE
Well, I only just started, butyeah. The guy recommended some.
Let’s see... Love and Rockets. Dan
Clowes. That kinda thing. I’m not
so big on all the superhero stuff.
DAVE
Guess you won’t be lining up forthat Kickass comic, then.
KATIE
Guess not. But you know what, I was
seriously thinking of mailing thatguy’s site? I could use some help
from a guy like that right now.
DAVE
Help? Really? What with?
KATIE
Oh, boyfriend troubles. But thelast thing you need is me
unloading. I mean, everything
you’ve been through? My stupid
problems are, like, nothing.
DAVE(trying to hide despair)
Don’t be dumb... I mean, I’m fine.
I’m... But...
(lightening the mood)
Kickass? Those must be some pretty
serious boyfriend troubles!
He cracks up at his joke ‘til he realizes she’s not kidding.
KATIE
You can’t even imagine.
(a beat)
So... What comic books do you like?
DAVE
You can tell me, if you want. I
mean... I’m a guy. I could maybe...
Give you a guy’s perspective orsomething?
KATIE(a beat)Okay... You know I volunteer at theneedle exchange?
DAVE
Uh... No, I didn’t.

45.
KATIE
Well, there was this one guy,
Rasul? The more I found out about
his upbringing and stuff? I justfelt so sorry for him, and... Wow,
this is weird, unloading. I’musually the one playing therapist.
DAVE
Well, I’m... here for you, and allthat kinda thing.
Katie reaches across the table and squeezes his hand.
KATIE
Can I make a confession? Ever since
I was young I always wanted a... afriend who was... A friend likeyou? I hope it’s okay to say that?
It’s not homophobic, is it? I
don’t, like, think you’re all thesame or something, I mean Dave takes her hand in his. May as well get what he can get.
DAVE
Shhh. Of course not. Carry on.
80

EXT. DODGY HOUSING PROJECT. NIGHT.

80

Dave - in costume - walks the street. A few KIDS cheer as hepasses. Some NO-GOOD TYPES cross the street nervously. A
SHADY-LOOKING GUY unexpectedly high-fives him.
DAVE (V.O.)
I don’t know if I was everything
Katie had always dreamed her gay
b.f.f. would be. But I tried mybest. And, more importantly, I
talked her into mailing Kickass.
At a nasty block, he pushes bells ‘til someone buzzes him in.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)Long story short, this particularlame duck of hers had turned out tobe more of a lame cobra.
81

INT. DODGY HOUSING PROJECT. NIGHT.

81

Dave climbs a filthy stairwell, walks a dilapidated corridor.

46.
DAVE (V.O.)
She didn’t want the money back that
she’d given him, or an apology forthe black eye he’d given her. She
just wanted him to get that they
were through, and leave her alone.
(a beat)And - let’s be real - no otherrequest could’ve given me more
pleasure.
Dave stops outside one of the doors and pushes the bell. The
door is opened by LEROY, 21, huge and intimidating.
LEROY
Ain’t Halloween for another few
months, kid.
DAVE
Are you Rasul?
LEROY
No... Who’s that under there?
Dave steps in, shouldering his way past the puzzled Leroy.
82

INT. RASUL’S APARTMENT. NIGHT.

82

A depressing drug den in which RASUL - 19, cute but wasted sits playing CALL OF DUTY 4 with some other THUG.
Dave walks in, followed by LEROY.
DAVEWhich one of you guys is Rasul?
RASUL
Who’s that? Leroy, who is this?
Leroy shrugs.
THUG
The fuck is this, trick or treat?
DAVE
You don’t know who I am?
No!?

RASUL

(re: the game)
Great, now I’m dead.
Rasul tosses his controller aside, bemused and angry.

47.
DAVE
I, I have a message for Rasul.
About Katie Deauxma.
(off his reaction)
You’re Rasul? Ok. You’ve gotta stayaway from Katie now. It’s over.
And, uh... You just need to...
leave her alone.
RASUL
What? Who are you? What is this?
DAVE
I’m Kickass. Look me up. And thisis me giving you a message: leaveKatie alone.
RASUL(standing up menacingly)
Or what?
DAVE
I’ll come back and break yourfucking legs.
Dave turns to leave, but Leroy steps into his path.
Rasul grabs Dave’s shoulder, but before he can do anythingelse, Dave has pulled his TASER. He tasers Rasul, who shrieks
and falls twitching to the ground.
Dave tries to make a break for it, but Leroy tackles him to
the ground. Dave struggles to load his spare cartridge into
the now empty taser, but Leroy is too strong.
The other thug helps Rasul up, and Rasul pulls a knife.
RASUL
You are so fucking dead, man! I’m He stops in mid sentence and his eyes bug out as he looks
down in surprise at: a LONG BLADE bursting from his stomach.
He keels over forwards to reveal a huge knife through hisback and, standing behind him, the tiny costumed figure who
put it there. Her mask conceals her face, but when she pulls
a pair of butterfly knives from her little utility belt andbegins to flip them, we know for sure that it’s Mindy.
MINDY
Who’s next?
Leroy and the thug look at one another in disbelief, and Davestands frozen in shock as Mindy launches herself at them.

48.
It’s an extraordinary sight as this tiny, lethal figure flies
between the two, knives flashing, deflecting every blow as
she slices and dices these two guys three times her size.
When they lie bleeding, she pulls the knife from Rasul’s backand stares at Dave. Terrified, he aims his taser at her.
MINDY (CONT’D)
Dude, that is one fuckin’ gaylookin’ taser.
(a beat)Chill. We’re on the same team.
Dave lowers it, dumbstruck, and watches as she turns theapartment upside down. Soon, she finds a holdall and pulls
out several BAGS OF COCAINE. She crams them back in the
holdall, grabs it and heads for an OPEN WINDOW - the way shecame in, we presume. She climbs out onto the fire escape.
Dave watches her, still glued to the spot. Mindy pokes herhead back into the room.
MINDY (CONT’D)
C’mon, dipshit. Can’t use the front
door now.
83

EXT. FIRE ESCAPE. NIGHT.

83

Too scared to protest, Dave follows her up the fire escape.
84

EXT. HOUSING PROJECT ROOF. NIGHT.

84

Dave stops, out of breath. Reluctantly, Mindy pauses too.
DAVE
Wait, wait... Who are you?
She holds out her little gloved hand. It’s covered in otherpeople’s blood. Reluctantly, Dave shakes it.
MINDY
I’m Hitgirl. And that’s Big Daddy.
She points to the next building where we can see Damon, also
in superhero costume. Dave gives him a small, awkward wave.
Damon salutes, puts his fingers to his lips - shhh - thendraws his finger across his throat.
Come on.

MINDY (CONT’D)

She breaks into a run towards the edge of the roof.

49.
Dave runs too but, as the gap between the buildings yawns
wide before him, slams on the brakes in terror at the last
moment. Mindy keeps going, leaping fearlessly into the voidand landing on the roof opposite.
She looks back, shrugs, takes Damon’s hand and waves goodbye
to Dave before the two turn and run towards the next rooftop.
And they’re gone.
85

EXT. FIRE ESCAPE. NIGHT.

85

Dave climbs shakily down the fire escape to the street.
DAVE (V.O.)
Hitgirl and Big Daddy, they were
the real deal. Me, I was just a
stupid dick in a wetsuit.
86

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

86

Dave sneaks into his room and sits down heavily on the bed.
DAVE (V.O.)
A stupid dick with a real problem.
The superhero duvet-cover, toys and other detritus of Dave’s
childhood around the room remind us that he’s just a kid. He
pulls off his blood-spattered mask, curls up into a ball andstarts to cry.
87

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - KITCHEN. DAY.

87

A grim-faced Big Joe sits with Frank, the huge goon nearby.
FRANK
Let me get this straight: 8 of myguys are dead, and we have nomerchandise on the street at all.
BIG JOE
No, 8 last night. 15 altogether.
And six more missing.
FRANK
Okay. I want everyone on this. The
Russians want a war? Then a fucking
war is what they’re gonna get.
BIG JOE
Frankie... I don’t think it’s theRussians. Take a look at this:He holds his hand out and the goon passes him a blood-stained
cellphone. He wipes it with his sleeve and gives it to Frank.

50.
BIG JOE (CONT’D)
Sal’s phone. It was in his hand.
ON THE PHONE’S SCREEN: A blurred image of a large costumed
figure - who we might recognise as Big Daddy - vaulting outof an open window.
BIG JOE (CONT’D)
I know this sounds fucked up? But
we think it’s that guy. That
superhero guy from the TV.
FRANK
Kickass? One guy?? If you’re right,
we’re gonna look like the biggest
bunch of pussies in New York!
Man... Go ahead and look into it.
BIG JOE
Look into it, yeah. Okay. Just to
double check... You want FRANKKICKASS’S FUCKING HEAD ON A STICK!
And I want it YESTERDAY!
88

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

88

Dave lies in bed, asleep, and gradually we realize that is
this is a POV shot: somebody is creeping closer as he dozes.
Dave’s eyes snap open and he leaps out of bed, cowering. It’s
Mindy and Damon in full Hit Girl and Big Daddy costume.
DAVE
I didn’t say anything, to anyone, I
swear!
DAMONGood move. Let’s keep it that way.
Dave nods like crazy. Petrified. Mindy holds out a handful of
unfamiliar-looking SMALL PLASTIC BITS. Dave peers at them.
MINDY
Know what this is? All the
cartridge shit that comes outta
your gay taser when you fire it.
You do know the police could’a
traced it right back to you ifthey’d found it? Lucky for you, I
picked it up.
DAVEI, I... Thanks.

51.
Dave reaches out to take the pieces from her. Damon’s handshoots out and grabs Dave’s wrist before it gets anywhere
near. With his other hand, he takes the pieces himself.
DAMON
Let’s call it insurance. Makes it
easier for me to take your word.
See, we like you. But we don’t
trust you.
MINDY
Don’t take it personal though. We
don’t trust anybody.
DAMON
I recommend it.
(a beat)
Listen, I re-routed your IP addressfor you. Finding you was way too
easy.
DAVE
Shit... I hadn’t - God, I owe you.
But, you know, I’m thinking of
shutting my site down anyway,
quitting. This is... insane. I’m in
way over my head.
MINDY
Shame. You have potential.
DAMON
Your call. But, y’know, we’rearound if you need us.
DAVE(humouring him)Thanks. That’s really nice of you.
DAMON
We don’t do nice. But put it thisway, there’s a whole lot of people
in this town we’d rather see
accessorizing with a toe tag.
DAVE
How do I get hold of you?
MINDY
(deadpan)
Oh just contact the mayor’s office.
He has this special signal heshines into the sky? It’s in the
shape of a dick and balls.

52.
DAMON
You need us, put on your site thatyou’re on vacation. We’ll find you.
Dave nods, confused. Damon salutes, takes Mindy by the hand,and climbs out of the window. Mindy follows, blowing a kiss.
MINDY
Sweet dreams.
89

INT. CLOTHING STORE. DAY.
Dave sits on a pink sofa by a curtained changing cubicle.
DAVE (V.O.)
Murder. Superheroes breaking into
my bedroom. And now Katie Deauxma
undressing three feet away from me.
Nothing seemed real any more.
KATIE (O.S.)(from behind the curtain)
So, I didn’t get a mail back from
Kickass, but it’s been a whole weeksince I’ve heard from Rasul?
She emerges from behind the curtain in an absurdly sexydress. She does a little twirl in front of the mirror.
KATIE (CONT’D)
What do you think?
DAVE...Awesome. Just... Wow.
KATIE
Shit, can you totally see mynipples?
DAVE
Uh... No. A bit? Is that bad?
She throws a few poses in the mirror, frowning.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Being Katie’s gay best friend
sucked and rocked in equal measure.
Somehow, I mostly managed not to
get a boner...
Katie sticks her hand into her top, assessing thetransparency of the fabric.

89

53.
KATIE
Oh hey, I read those old Ditko
Spidermans you gave me? They wereactually pretty good.
DAVE (V.O.)...But there’s only so much control
a man can have in the presence ofperfection.
He grabs a cushion from beside him and places it on his lap.
90

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - STUDY. DAY.

90

Frank is on the phone, with Big Joe at his side.
FRANK
I need you to get rid of Kickass.
91

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT. DAY.

91

In his office, DETECTIVE VIC GIGANTE, 50s, cradles the phone
in his sweaty neck as he chows down on Chinese takeout.
We now intercut between the two men.
What’s up?

GIGANTE

FRANK
Kickass is killing my men, that’s
what’s up, Gigante.
GIGANTEMy condolences. No can do, though.
Outside my remit.
FRANK
Outside your remit?? You’re afucking cop and he’s breaking thelaw! That’s so inside your remit
it’s ball-deep in your remit’s ass!
GIGANTE
Listen: The cops pay me to nail thebad guys. You pay me not to.
Everything else is a grey area.
There’s no evidence on Kickass, andtrust me, folks here ain’t in ahurry to find any. He’s just doing
what a lot of ‘em would like to do.
FRANK
Fuck you very much, Vic. Just doit, okay?

54.

Frankie -GIGANTEFrank picks up a framed photo on his desk. We can’t see it.
FRANKBoy, you sure look good in that
picture I have of you down in
Tijuana last year. Maybe I should
put it on Facebook. You think?
Frank slams the phone down, checks the time and turns to Joe.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Where the hell is Dimitri?
92

EXT. JUNKYARD. NIGHT.

92

Damon and Mindy, in Big Daddy and Hit Girl costume, areupside down. It soon becomes apparent that this is the POV of
DIMITRI, 30. He’s strapped into a seat in an upside down car.
DAMON
Thank you, Dimitri. We appreciate
your cooperation.
DIMITRI
Let me out now. Let me down.
(off their silence)
I gave you all them names andaddress.
(more silence)
I won’t say nothing to nobody.
We pull back to see that the car is inside a CRUSHER. Mindy
smiles and hits a BUTTON. The crusher grinds into action.
Momentarily, a small metal CUBE lands at her feet.
MINDY
What a fucking douche.
93

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT. DAY.

93

Gigante has called a group of COPS into his office. All sit
around, staring into space, largely disinterested, except:
Detective Marcus Williams. The cop we saw tailing Mindy.
GIGANTE
Look, I get that you all like him.
I’m just saying we give him afriendly reminder that we don’t
encourage the public to take thelaw into their own hands.

55.
MARCUSThis is not about us liking him,
Gigante. It’s about having betterthings to do than hunt down someguy who roughed up a few gangbangers.
GIGANTE
Ah. Detective Williams. Why am I
not surprised by your lack of cooperation?
MARCUS
I’ll keep an eye out. But trust me,
we have bigger burgers to barbecue.
GIGANTE
Then you better get your damn apron
on, Marcus. Dismissed. All of you.
94

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. DAY.

94

There’s nobody here. Suddenly, the LOCK on the door flies out
and onto the floor. Detective Marcus walks in.
He inspects the apartment, stopping at the wall. Where before
we saw the row of comic-book style portraits is now a huge
pyramid arrangement of pictures. The lower ones - all thegangsters Damon and Mindy have killed, including Rasul - have
red crosses through them. The higher ones are as-yet
unmarked. At the very top is Frank.
Marcus keeps walking, notes the huge stash of weapons. He
opens drawers and rifles through their contents. He picks up
what appears to be a home-made COMIC, and begins to read...
95

ANIMATED COMIC BOOK SEQUENCE.

95- We linger on the first panel, static. Two cops - a black
guy and a white guy bearing more than a passing resemblance
to Damon and Marcus himself - stand side-by-side, beaming
proudly. In front of them, a photographer snaps a shot.
- In the next panel, also static, we see the shot, captured
in black and white on the cover of a newspaper. The headline
above it reads: LOCAL SUPER-COP TEAM LEAD THE WAR ON DRUGS.
- We whip to the third panel, still static, to see the white
cop - definitely Damon - about to get into his cop car when ahand taps him on the shoulder.
- Now the artwork comes to life in animation as we see Damon
turn around to see a man who is unmistakably Frank. He has anoleaginous smile and a huge fistful of money.

56.
- A thought-bubble springs from Damon’s head, containing animage of himself and a pretty, heavily-pregnant woman,standing together in front of a dingy apartment block. The
image magically changes to show the two wearing new, upscale
clothes, standing outside a beautiful mansion.
- The thought bubble bursts, and we pan back down to Damon,shaking his head and holding up his hand to refuse the money.
- Frank, red-faced, hands in angry fists, smoke coming fromhis head. Suddenly a light-bulb appears overhead. He grins.
- Damon and his pregnant wife watch TV. Suddenly, a huge teamof cops burst in! The cops tear through the apartment until
one - whom we recognise as Gigante - produces two huge bagsof white powder. Damon and his wife react in shock.
- An establishing image of jail house gates.
- In a prison cell, Damon sits, his head in his hands.
- Outside the jail, a sad Marcus puts a comforting arm around
Damon’s now-even-more-heavily-pregnant wife, who is crying.
- In his penthouse, Frank laughs maniacally.
- In a female hand, we see an envelope marked “bill”. It is
tossed into the air and we follow it as it lands atop acolossal tower of other bills. We pan down to find Damon’s
pregnant wife sitting in its shadow, weeping.
- Marcus enters Damon’s place, looking concerned. His lookturns to horror as he sees: Damon’s wife lying on the ground,a bottle of pills in her hand, pills scattered about.
- An ambulance streaks across the frame, siren blaring.
- A doctor lifts a newborn baby into view... But we pan down
to see another doctor, mournfully drawing a sheet over thepeaceful face of Damon’s wife. She’s dead.
- The first doctor hands the smiling baby to Marcus.
- Marcus and the baby - now in a little pink dress, a bow in
her hair - sit in a prison visiting room, the baby waving toa sad-faced Damon.
- In a sunny playground, Marcus plays happily with the baby,
now a pretty little toddler, becoming recognizably Mindy.
- In the jail, Damon works out aggressively, transformingfrom a regular guy into the Big Daddy we now know, acquiring
a moustache and a psychotic look in his eye along the way.
- A comic book caption says: FOUR YEARS LATER... Outside thejail-house gates, Marcus hands Mindy - now looking about four
years old - over to Damon, and she waves goodbye to Marcus.

57.
- The sky darkens. All around them we see the squalor of arun-down, crime-ridden neighbourhood. And looming over them,filling the horizon, is the giant demonic face of Frank.
- Close on Damon’s big hand. Mindy puts her little hand in
his. Pull back to see they are now in costume: Hit Girl and
Big Daddy. Ready to fight back. The image freezes and we pullback again to see...
96

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. DAY.
...The comic book in Marcus’s hand. He jumps as he hears:
DAMON
How did you find me?
MARCUSOne of us is still a cop, remember?
DAMON
So go ahead, Marcus. Arrest me.
Marcus gestures at the comic and the wall of portraits.
MARCUSThis how you brainwashed Mindy?
DAMON
You say brainwashed. I say made it
into a game.
MARCUSThis your idea of playing, Damon?
Vigilante justice? Mass murder?
(a beat)
Where is she?
DAMON
I sent her onto the roof when I saw
someone had busted the lock.
MARCUS
I want to see her. I... I miss her,
Damon. I miss you both.
DAMON
I appreciate your concern. But you
need to go now.
Marcus looks down to see: Damon has a gun levelled at him.
Marcus shakes his head sadly.
MARCUS
Please, hear me out first: thatasshole Gigante is looking for
Kickass. I needed to warn you.

96

58.

Kickass?

DAMON

MARCUS
Yeah. He anything to do with you?
You got some kinda fucked-up
superhero club going or something?
DAMON
Hardly know the guy.
MARCUS
Well, I wanted to give you a heads
up. You carry on like you’ve been
doing and it’s only a matter oftime before Gigante’s looking foryou, too. He’s been on D’Amico’s
payroll ever since you passed up
the opportunity, no doubt about it.
DAMON
You got proof?
MARCUS
Working on it. But nevermind that.
Point is, you screw with D’Amico,
the cops are gonna be all over you.
DAMON
You know I’m not gonna stop. Not‘til D’Amico and his whole damn
operation are toast.
MARCUS
Ain’t gonna bring her back, Damon.
DAMON
Damon’s gone, Marcus. Damon diedwhen she died. I’m Big Daddy now.
MARCUSThis is no life for Mindy, you
know. You owe that kid a childhood.
DAMON
No, I’ll tell you who owes her achildhood: Frank D’Amico. Now get
the hell out of here.
97

INT. D’AMICO’S LIMO. DAY.
Frank, fuming over his situation, sits tensely in the backseat beside the Huge Goon. Suddenly, he spots something.
FRANK
Holy shit... Stop!

97

59.
The driver complies, and now we see what Frank has: Kickass.
Just walking. The goon pulls his gun. Frank stays his hand.
FRANK (CONT’D)(to the driver)
Follow that superhero.
(to the heavens)Thank you.
The limo crawls along a discreet distance behind Kickass as
he continues on his way, oblivious, pausing only for theoccasional high-five from passers by. He takes a left down aquiet side-street.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Oh, you are mine.
As the limo corners, Frank leaps out and runs at Kickass.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Hey! Kickass!
Kickass spins round to be met with a perfect round-house kickfrom Frank. He goes down instantly. Frank, utterly out ofcontrol, kicks him furiously as he lies there, motionless.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Kill my men, huh?! Take my fucking
coke?!
A lone ONLOOKER stops and stares in horror at the bizarre
sight of a well-dressed man laying into a superhero.
FRANK (CONT’D)(to onlooker)
You want some?!
The onlooker runs away, as the goon runs over, gun in hand.
HUGE GOON
Boss, what the fuck?!
Frank snatches it and shoots the fleeing onlooker before
holding the gun to Kickass’s head and pulling the trigger.
98

INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

98

Katie is on her bed sobbing.
KATIE...I just can’t believe he’s dead,that’s all.
We pull back to find Dave. Alive, well and comforting Katie.
He puts his arm gingerly around her shoulder.

60.
DAVE
I know. But, Katie, guys like
Rasul... They get mixed up in
stuff, and...
KATIE
I know, but what if it was myfault? What if Kickass did it?
DAVE
Oh my god, you’re talking crazy!
Katie, there’s no way! He probably
didn’t even read your mail yet.
Katie throws her arms round Dave and hugs him, sobbing into
his neck. He holds her, guiltily relishing the opportunity.
DAVE (CONT’D)
C’mon. Don’t cry. Let’s go out andbuy you... some candy? And some ofthose magazines you like where theydraw the red circle on the picture
if a celebrity has, like, an extra
long toe or something.
She nods and wipes her nose, looking fondly into his eyes.
KATIE
You’re the best, Dave. I hope it’sokay to say this but... It so sucks
that you’re gay.
Dave opens his mouth to speak... but changes his mind.
99

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - KITCHEN. DAY.

99

Frank holds a NEWSPAPER up to Big Joe and flicks it angrily.
FRANK
What kind of fucking children’s
entertainer is that? What kind of
kid has... I mean, a Spiderman
party, sure, but... a fucking
Kickass party!? What, are they
doing paper plates and fucking
napkins at the store now?
Unnoticed by Frank and Joe, Chris walks in behind them andputs a Pop-tart in the toaster.
BIG JOE
Frank, you’re scaring me. You’relosing it. Since when did you startgetting your hands dirty again? Andin public!?

61.
FRANK
Since when I ask you fucks to getme Kickass, and you don’t deliver,that’s when.
BIG JOE
Gimme a break, it’s been a week! We
mailed him, we got half our guys
out doing petty crimes as bait,
we’re busting our asses, here.
Frank produces a wrap of COKE and empties it onto the table.
He begins to chop out a line.
BIG JOE (CONT’D)
The hell are you doing? You’re backon the powder now as well?
Frank ignores him and hoovers it up, muttering to himself.
FRANK“Mommy, I wanna Kickass party”.
Dumb little fucks.
CHRIS
I know a way you could get him.
Frank and Joe swivel round, surprised.
FRANK
Chris! Who said you could come in?!
Get the hell out!
CHRIS
You wanna hear it or not?
Reluctantly, Frank nods - go on. Chris tries not to betray
his thrill at finally being accepted into his dad’s world.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
Okay, look: you’re a superhero.
It’s lonely. But who do you trust?
You can’t really trust anyone,right? Because either they’ll findout your secret identity, or FRANK(to Joe, interrupting)
Comic books, this kids reads, allfucking day long.
CHRIS
Point is, there’s only one way asuperhero would trust a stranger.
And... I could be that stranger.
Just... Give me a chance. I can doit. I just need a few things.

62.

What?

FRANK

CHRIS
I need these things.
Chris hands Frank a handwritten list. He scans it.
FRANK
What are you fucking kidding me? A
Shelby Mustang? A... What is this?
CHRIS
It’s all the stuff I’ll need. And
you have to fuck somebody over.
Like, Louie, or somebody.
BIG JOE
Louie?! Woah woah woah, Chris Frank holds his hand up to Joe, motions for Chris to go on.
CHRIS
Or somebody. But I swear, dad. If
you let me do this, it’ll work.
100

INT. COMICBOOK STORE. DAY.

100

Dave, Todd and Marty drink their coffees in the busy store.
TODD
So how are things going with Katie?
DAVE
Oh, just peachy. Spent the weekend
watching the entire Ugly Betty box
set and doing pedicures.
MARTY
I’m telling you, man: longer you
leave it, the worse it’s gonna be.
DAVE
I know, I know. I’m gonna tell her.
She just seems so... happy. Itnever feels like the right time.
MARTY
Well, now’s your chance.
Marty nods to the door: Katie’s just walked in. She runs
over, plonks herself on Dave’s lap, kisses him on the cheek.
Hey guys.

KATIE

63.
The boys mumble their greetings.
KATIE (CONT’D)
Oh my god, did you see on TV thismorning? The new superhero guy? How
cool was that?
What? Who?

DAVE

Katie pulls out her IPHONE, but then spots the store’s TV,
which is running the news with the sound muted. She squeals
excitedly and waves to the BARISTA.
KATIE
Oooh, can you please turn it up?
(to the boys)
Check this!
The Barista shrugs and complies, and everyone in the store
turns to watch the screen. On it we see:101

EXT. DRUG DEN. DAY.

101

An indignant, HANDCUFFED MAN is pushed into a police van.
Nearby, other COPS swarm industriously. A superhero in an
awesome red costume signs autographs for a gathering crowd.
This is RED MIST. (Who is - as we’ll surely guess - Chris.)
REPORTER (V.O.)...After the death last week of a
local children’s entertainer who
was dressed as Kickass. But it
seems that far from being put-off,
this individual, who calls himself
Red Mist, decided to take crime
fighting to a new level, as his
actions last night proved.
Cut Red Mist, still signing autographs for a clamoring crowd
as he talks to the news reporter.
CHRIS
I guess folks have had enough ofliving with fear, and uh... Kickass
proved that one person can make adifference. If anyone needs help,
I’m gonna be fighting crime twentyfive/eight. And I’m just a clickaway.
(he stares down the lense)
Red Mist dot com.
Cut to a shot of some SUSHI being picked up with CHOPSTICKS.

64.
NEWS ANNOUNCER
Up next... A deadly threat at yourdinner table? Why eating sushi
could kill you.
102

INT. COMIC STORE. DAY.

102

The barista turns the sound down again, and the store breaks
into excited chatter. Some kids use their cells to log on to
Red Mist’s site. In the background we may notice Chris
himself. Here and Loving it.
DAVEWhat did he do?
KATIE
He got, like, some drug dealer?
Some most-wanted guy? You saw ‘embringing out, like, a ton of stuff,
the cops were wetting their pants.
TODD
Pretty cool.
MARTY
Yeah. Better costume than Kickass.
KATIE
Aw, they’re both kinda hot. But hehas a better body than Kickass.
Don’t you think, Dave?
MARTY(trying not to laugh)
Yeah, whaddya think Dave? He thekinda guy you’d go for?
Before Dave can comment, they are all distracted by a shout
across the room: the mathlete kid is making the “rock on!”corna double hand-gesture to his friends.
MATHLETE(celebratory rock growl)
Red Miiiiist!
He looks down and adjusts his glasses, embarrassed, when herealizes that everyone is looking at him.
103

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

103

Dave is at his desk, fuming. On the monitor: RED MIST’S SITE.
It’s fabulous. A ticker says- VISITORS: 5,688,502. Davedrains a CAN OF SODA and throws it, far harder thannecessary, into the wastepaper basket under his desk.

65.
DAVE (V.O.)
Apparently Katie wasn’t the only
one who thought Red Mist owned.
He punches a few keys and the KICKASS WEBSITE comes up. A
button says - NEW MAIL: 2. Dave clicks on it.
DAVE (CONT’D)
Seemed like hardly anybody wanted
to talk to Kickass any more.
Dave opens a mail. It’s an advert for a PENIS ENLARGER.
He opens the second... and leans in, surprised and intrigued.
We see a snatch of the mail: ...JUST TELL ME A TIME AND
PLACE, IT’D BE COOL TO HOOK UP. YOURS, RED MIST.
104

EXT. ALLEYWAY. NIGHT.

104

Dave, in his Kickass costume, enters the alleyway cautiously.
Kickass.

CHRIS (O.S.)

Dave looks up to the source of the voice to see Chris, in his
Red Mist costume, standing iconically on a high wall.
Red Mist.

DAVE

Chris jumps down in front of Dave.
CHRIS
Owww. Shit. That was higher than it
looked.
DAVEAre you okay?

Yep.

CHRIS
(clearly in pain)

Chris collects himself and shakes Dave’s hand.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
I can’t believe you’re really here.
You’re my hero, man. You...
inspired me. I mean, no Kickass? No
Red Mist. Seriously.
DAVE
Wow, I... Really?

66.
CHRIS
Straight up. And, look, if you everwanted me to be, I don’t know, yoursidekick...
DAVE
You wanna be... my sidekick??
CHRIS
Yeah, I mean, you and me? Together?
Would we own or what? I mean, wannago fight some crime or something?
What, now?

DAVE

CHRIS
Why not? C’mon, I got a thing I
wanna show you.
Dave follows him, protesting.
DAVE
To be honest with you? I really
only fight crime between, like,nine and two weekdays, so I’m gonna
need to get back pretty soon...
They turn the corner to see: a gorgeous MUSTANG.
DAVE (CONT’D)
Sweet!! Is that yours?
CHRIS
Meet the Mistmobile. Check it out:
He opens the passenger door and Dave gets in.
105

INT. THE MISTMOBILE. CONTINUOUS.
Chris points to various things in the car.
CHRIS
Sat-nav. My iphone - so I can checkthe website for emergencies while
I’m driving around. Uh... Cup
holder...
Dave notices a pile of COMICS scattered in the foot well.
Chris produces what appears to be a JOINT.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
Sorry about the mess. Smoke?
(off Dave’s head shake)
I find a lil’ zoot takes the edge
off when I’m on patrol.
(MORE)

105

67.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
Going up against a crowd... it can
get pretty scary, don’t you find?
(off Dave’s silence)
Something wrong?
DAVE
You’re so not how I expected?
Chris shrugs, sparks up and starts the engine.
Seatbelt?

CHRIS

Dave buckles up, still bemused. Chris hits play on thestereo. Danny Elfman MUSIC kicks in. Chris floors the pedal.
106

INT/EXT. THE MISTMOBILE. CONTINUOUS.

106

They speed down the street. Excited PASSERSBY stop and wave.
Chris grabs his i-phone, hits a key and puts it down again.
CHRIS
So, I got a mail from this chick,said some guy keeps following herhome from work. I have the addressand stuff. You wanna check it out?
DAVE
Sure, why not?
They throw a sharp, screeching left into a dodgy street.
107

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

107

Ten Goons, armed to the teeth. Huge Goon talks into his cell.
HUGE GOON
Just got an SMS. He’s on his way.
108

INT. D’AMICO’S LIMO. NIGHT.
Frank’s in the back on his cell, beside Joe.
FRANK
Don’t kill him ‘til I get there.
He hangs up and pockets the phone.
BIG JOE
Looks like reading all them comics
paid off, huh? Your boy did good.
FRANK
He’s his father’s son.

108

68.
109

INT. THE MIST MOBILE. NIGHT.

109

The superheroes drive to the suitably heroic music, the scene
undermined only slightly by the interruption of the Sat-Nav.
SAT-NAV LADY (V.O.)
In 100 yards, turn left.
110

INT. D’AMICO’S LIMO. NIGHT

110Frank grins to himself as he loads his GUN.
111

INT. THE MIST MOBILE. NIGHT.

111

Our superheroes screech round a corner.
SAT-NAV LADY (V.O.)
Destination. Destination.
Chris stops the car and the two stare out ahead, stunned.
CHRIS
What... the... fuck????
112

EXT. WAREHOUSE. CONTINUOUS.

112

Pull back from the car to see: The warehouse. It’s on fire.
The boys swing the doors open, climb out and stare some more.
SAT-NAV LADY (V.O.)
Destination. Destination.
Oh my god.

DAVE

Chris begins to run towards the entrance.
DAVE (CONT’D)
What are you doing?!
CHRIS
There are people in there!
DAVE
Shouldn’t we just call... Oh shit.
Okay.
No choice. Dave runs after him.

69.
113

INT. BURNING WAREHOUSE. CONTINUOUS.

113

Our superheroes cough and splutter through the smoke. Within
moments, Chris has sprinted away, losing Dave.
Dave enters the main open space, in which he eventually spots
the Huge Goon, lying on the floor, face down, out cold.
Dave hoists the man’s arm over his shoulder and, with great
difficulty, begins to drag him towards the exit. As the goon
begins to slip, Dave gives a little tug on his arm. The man’shead tips back to reveal his face: his eyes are rolled backin his head and his mouth has been cut nearly all the way tothe ear on both sides. Dave screams, drops him and runs.
As he continues his nightmarish fight through the flames,
Dave now spots one heap of CORPSES after another: Frank’shenchmen. Some shot, other displaying extensive knife wounds.
Utterly freaked out, Dave reaches a door... but it’s jammed.
DAVE
Red Mist! Red Mist!
Overcome by the smoke, Dave slumps to the ground.
Suddenly out of the miasma comes: a gloved hand. Chris pulls
Dave up and they run, finally reaching the doorway to safety.
114

EXT. BURNING WAREHOUSE. CONTINUOUS.

114

Dave and Chris emerge from the flames, looking every inch theauthentic superheroes, bar the fact that they haven’t rescued
anyone and Chris appears to be holding A BURNT TEDDY BEAR.
A group of BYSTANDERS have gathered. They applaud.
DAVE
Holy shit, that was...

CHRIS
Oh my god. Oh my god. Fuck.

DAVE
Did you see all those bodies?
Chris nods in horror. In the distance, SIRENS.
CHRIS
We’ve gotta get out of here.
DAVE(noticing the teddy)
Why’d you save the teddy...?
CHRIS
What? I don’t know. Come on.
And they jump into the still-open Mistmobile and drive off.

70.
115

INT. BACKSTREET NEAR THE WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

115

Frank climbs from his limo and gapes in disbelief at thesight greeting him: the warehouse on fire. In the distance:
SIRENS. Frank climbs unsteadily back in. The limo pulls away.
116

INT. DETECTIVE GIGANTE’S HOUSE - BEDROOM. NIGHT.

116

Gigante lies in bed, sound asleep until his PHONE RINGS.
GIGANTE
Gigante... Yeah, I know thatwarehouse... So put out an APB. And
don’t call again until you got ‘em.
He hangs up and settles down again when his DOORBELL starts
to ring persistently. He gets up, grabs his GUN just in case.
117

INT. DETECTIVE GIGANTE’S HOUSE - HALLWAY. NIGHT.

117

Gigante opens the door to see: Frank. He’s a total wreck.
Before Gigante can protest, Frank pushes into the hallway.
GIGANTE
What are you doing here?
FRANK
We gotta talk.
GIGANTE
What if someone saw you come?
FRANK
Chris is dead, Vic. My son. Thatmotherfucker burned down mywarehouse and killed my son.
GIGANTE
Shit. I just got a call about
Kickass... and the warehouse. Chris
was in there?
FRANK
Chris... Most of what was left of
my men... You gotta help me.
GIGANTE
Okay, listen to me Frank. Good news
is, there’s an APB out. Tonight wenail these superhero fuckers to thewall.
Suddenly, the door bangs open and Chris, in his Red Mist
costume, still holding the teddy, busts in and runs at Frank.

71.
FRANK
Holy shit!...
Gigante goes for his gun... Then stares in total alarm as
Frank and Red Mist hug one another.
FRANK (CONT’D)...You’re ok!
CHRIS(crying)
They’re all dead, dad. We got there
and all the guys were dead.
Gigante, still confused, keeps the gun leveled at Red Mist.
FRANK
Put the fucking gun down, Vic, it’s
Chris!
GIGANTE
Chris is Red Mist?!
FRANK
It’s not Red Mist you gotta worry
about, it’s Kickass!
CHRIS
But’s it’s not!
FRANK
What are you talking about?
CHRIS
Kickass is just some geek! Its nothim! You gotta watch this!
Chris thrusts the teddy at them. Now they both look confused.
GIGANTE
I’m watching.
FRANK
What’s it gonna do?
CHRIS
Aw, for fuck’s sake. I mean watch (to Gigante)
Where’s your DVD?
118

INT. GIGANTE’S HOUSE - FRONT ROOM. NIGHT.

118

Chris fumbles around, plugging the DVD cables into the teddy.

72.
CHRIS
You bought this to spy on the nanny
when I was a kid, don’t you
remember?
FRANK
Why’d you put it in the warehouse?
CHRIS
I guess I thought it’d be kinda
cool to put the unmasking of
Kickass on the net, okay? But look:
The TV springs to life, and we see:119

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

119

The same scene we saw: 10 armed goons. Huge Goon on his cell.
HUGE GOON
Just got an SMS. He’s on his way.
Suddenly, Damon - in Big Daddy costume - appears behind him
holding a hunting knife, and slices his face open.
A beat, then a full scale fight begins, Big Daddy versus thegangsters. Within moments, most have been shot or cut.
120

INT. GIGANTE’S HOUSE - FRONT ROOM. NIGHT.

120

Gigante, Frank and Chris watch the TV, stunned. Reflected intheir eyes, we see the screen, lit up now with flames.
GIGANTE
Jesus... Who is this guy?
CHRIS
He’s the real deal.
121

INT. DAVE’S HOUSE - KITCHEN. DAY.
Dave and his dad eat breakfast in silence.
DAVE (V.O.)
Superheroes who run into burningbuildings are meant to find pretty
ladies screaming “save my baby”.
What they’re not meant to find is apile of massacred corpses.
FATHERYou okay, buddy? You look tired.
Get an early night tonight, maybe?

121

73.
DAVE
You bet I will.
122

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - KITCHEN. DAY.

122

A shaky Chris, school bag over his shoulder, rifles a shelf.
Frank slumps at the table, in the same suit as last night.
CHRIS(shouting)
Mom? Do we have any Tylenol?
Angie, wearing a coat, pops her head round the door.
ANGIE
In my bathroom.
FRANK
Angie! The fuck are you wearing acoat? Where’dya think you’re going?
ANGIE
The hair salon?
PETE
No, you’re not! Nobody leaves thisfucking building, you understand?
ANGIE
What? What’s wrong with you?
FRANK
(to Chris)
And you. Put down the goddamn
school bag. You’re grounded.
Grounded?

CHRIS

FRANK
Nobody comes in, nobody goes out!
You both got it? I’m serious. I Big Joe enters before Frank can continue.
FRANK (CONT’D)
About time! Security fixed?
BIG JOE
Tighter than a nun’s chooch.
FRANK
You watch your mouth in front of myfucking wife and kid!
Angie, Chris and Joe swap nervous looks: Frank is losing it.

74.
BIG JOE
Easy, Frankie. You’re safe. You got
fifteen men here.
FRANK
And everybody else?
BIG JOE
Is out looking for thismotherfucker. Just like you said.
123

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - STAIRWELL. DAY.

123

Marcus is whispering into his cellphone.
MARCUS
They’re onto you.
124

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. DAY.

124

Damon is on his cell, cleaning his knife as he talks. Nearby,
Mindy reads a COMIC. We intercut between the two men.
DAMON
I thought they were looking for
Kickass?
MARCUSNot anymore. Gigante just put on alittle movie show for us. Different
Superhero. In a warehouse rinsing awhole bunch of D’Amico’s guys. I’m
guessing that was you?
DAMON...I killed all the cameras.
COP
Apparently not. Better get yourself
hid, bro.
DAMON
Appreciate it.
He hangs up and walks over to the wall with the pyramid ofgangster pictures. Now all but the three topmost pictures
have red Xs drawn through them. Damon reaches to the top for
Frank’s picture and rips it from the wall.
DAMON (CONT’D)
Mindy? Ditch the comic. It’s time
for Frank D’Amico to go bye-bye.
MINDY
What, right now?

75.
DAMON
You bet. Tool up, honey bunny.
Damon tosses the picture towards her. Mindy leaps up toreveal that she is wearing her utility belt.
MINDY
Waaaay ahead of ya.
So fast that we barely see the movement, she grabs a THROWINGSTAR from the belt and skims it across the room. It catches
the picture in mid air and - THUNK - pins it to the wall.
125

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - HALLWAY. NIGHT.

125- Through the open door to the study, we can see Frank lying
comatose on his desk. Chris, carrying a PLASTIC BAG, looks inand tiptoes past. He passes Ginger Goon and salutes him
before sneaking out the door.
126

INT. D’AMICO’S APARTMENT BLOCK. CONTINUOUS.

126

Chris leaves the apartment and makes his way downstairs,
ignoring the heavily-guarded elevator and taking the equallyheavily-guarded stairs down to the underground parking lot.
127

EXT. D’AMICO’S APARTMENT BLOCK. CONTINUOUS.

127

Additional goons stand outside. Chris leaves on foot via theparking lot entrance, unnoticed. Across the street we find...
Damon and Mindy, parked up and lying low in their car.
128

INT. DAMON’S CAR. CONTINUOUS.
Mindy presses her nose against the glass.
MINDY
Daddy, I wanna go home.
DAMON
No, babydoll. He’s spooked rightnow. But it’s only been three days.
He can’t stay in there forever.
MINDYWhat if he can? Then what?
DAMON
I don’t know, hon. But I do knowthat if we go in there, we might
never come out again. It’d be agamble, Mindy baby.

128

76.
Mindy thinks a while.
MINDY
Well... I’m all in.
Damon hugs her.
DAMON
I’m so proud of you.
129

INT. THE MIST MOBILE. NIGHT.
Dave sits in the passenger seat beside Chris. Both are in
full costume. Chris is smoking a joint.
DAVE
Like I said in my mail, I think I’m
just... Done with all this.
CHRIS
I thought the same thing after theother night. But it’s kind of...
Addictive?

DAVE

CHRIS
Exactly. Maybe we could forget thecrime fighting. Just drive around.
In our costumes, you know?
DAVE
Dude, I really... I think there’s
some messed up shit going on I
don’t even wanna know about.
CHRIS
How do you mean?
DAVE
Like... I, I think I might know who
killed those people at thewarehouse. I think they’re on ourside. But it’s major-league shit. I
don’t wanna... Get mixed up in it.
CHRIS“They”? Like more than one person?
DAVE
I don’t even wanna talk about it.
I’m serious. I can’t say anything.
CHRIS
Kickass, you gotta tell me.

129

77.
They pull up at a red light, and another car pulls up
alongside, driven by two HOT CHICKS. who notice them
immediately. Chris notices them back. Dave remains oblivious.
DAVE
Look man, I just can’t.
Chris elbows him and indicates the girls. The BLONDE in thepassenger seat rolls down her window. Chris follows suit.
BLONDE
O.M.F.G. Is it seriously you?
CHRIS
Red Mist. At your service. And thisis, as I’m sure you know, Kickass.
The BRUNETTE driver cranes for a better look and both giggle.
BLONDE
So what’s going on?
BRUNETTE
We fucking love you guys, man.
The light changes and Chris pull over. The girls pull up
behind and get out, whispering to each other.
DAVE
What are you doing?!
CHRIS
Ladies. Wanna ride in the
Mistmobile?
BLONDEThat’s not all I wanna ride.
Chris climbs into the back seat. The blonde follows him.
The brunette gets into the driver’s seat. Dave waves at her
awkwardly. In the back, the blonde is down to her bra.
BRUNETTE
Oh my god, this is so weird? Me andJess were just saying last night
how superheroes are so fucking
horny? And now, like, we just see
you guys out?
DAVE
Uh... Wow. That is a coincidence.
Imagine that.
She giggles, climbs onto his lap and whispers in his ear.

78.
BRUNETTE
I want you so bad right now.
Dave’s eyes widen. Before he can speak, she silences him witha kiss. Meanwhile, the blonde tries to remove Chris’ mask.
CHRIS
Uh-uh, baby. The mask stays on.
(a beat)
But the pants, knock yourself out.
The blonde leans over to comply. Chris grins. Meanwhile, inthe front, Dave pulls away from the brunette.
DAVE
I’m... I’m really sorry. I’m sure
you’re a lovely girl and, and,
don’t get me wrong, I honestly
think you’re... so pretty andeverything. But... I’ve got to go.
Dave pushes the girl off as politely as he can and gets outof the car. The girl shrugs and climbs into the back seatwith her friend and the now ecstatic Chris instead.
And Dave hurries purposefully away down the street.
130

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - STUDY. NIGHT.
Frank is freaking out. Ginger Goon cowers nervously.
FRANK
I’m AWARE he’s not here. What I
wanna know is WHERE THE FUCK HE IS!
Frank throws an empty BOTTLE of whisky at the goon. He
dodges, and it shatters against the wall.
GINGER GOON
Woah. Take it easy!
FRANKThe next fucker who tells me totake it easy dies.
GINGER GOON
Boss, I was... I’m sorry about yourson, but all they said is make surenobody gets in. I didn’t know we
had to stop yer family gettin’ out.
FRANK
Why are you still here? Just GO
FUCKING FIND HIM!

130

79.
Big Joe walks in at the end of this tirade.
BIG JOE
Woah woah woah. Frank. Take it
easy.
Wrong move. Frank grabs Joe and throws him over his shoulder.
Joe staggers to his feet. Frank strikes again with a lethal
karate blow to the throat. This time, Joe doesn’t get up.
Frank sits down at his desk. The goon rushes to check on Joe.
GINGER GOON
Shit... he’s... dead.
FRANK
What are you? A fucking doctor?
And with that, he shoots the goon in the head.
131

INT. KATIE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

131

Katie sits at her dressing table in nightclothes, brushing
her hair. Her music is playing too loudly for her to hear:
Dave, outside the window - still in his Kickass costume perched on the ledge and struggling to open the sash.
Once in, he leans against the dresser, as coolly and sexily
as he possibly can.
DAVE
Hi. I’m Kickass. You mailed me?
Katie carries on brushing her hair. She hasn’t heard him.
DAVE (CONT’D)(louder)
Hi! I’m Katie leaps up, screaming hysterically.
DAVE (CONT’D)
Shhh! Shhh! It’s just me! Kickass!
KATIE
Get away from me!!
She grabs a bottle of BODY MIST from the dresser and sprays
it into his eyes. Dave crumples, clutching his face. Katie
tosses the spray, grabs a TENNIS RACQUET and lays into him.
DAVE
Stop! Please! Katie! I’m not gonna
hurt you! I really am Kickass!

80.
KATIE
I don’t care! Fucking freak in amask!? Breaking into my house?!
At the same time, they both spot: a BASEBALL BAT.
Katie, no!

DAVE

They both lunge for it...
Shit!

DAVE (CONT’D)

But Katie gets there first, tripping over the cable for her
stereo as she does so, silencing the music. She pulls backfor a big swing at Dave. No choice: Dave pulls off his mask.
It’s me!

DAVE (CONT’D)

Slowly, in disbelief, Katie lowers the bat.
KATIE
Dave?! What are you doing? Why are
you dressed as Kickass?
DAVE
Because I am Kickass. And I’m also
not gay. And I’ve been an idiot,
and a shit friend, and I’ve lied toyou, and if it makes you feel any
better, I don’t think you could
hate me any more right now than I
hate myself. I’m just... Really,
really sorry. I’ve never met
anybody who was as beautiful andkind, and... and... lovely as you.
And you deserve better.
Katie stares at him as he walks towards the door to leave.
Dave...

Yes?

KATIE

DAVE
(hopeful)

KATIE
My mom set the burglar alarm
downstairs. You should probably use
the window.
Oh.

DAVE

81.
He turns despondently and starts towards the window. He’s
just about to climb out when...
KATIE
Or...
(a beat)
You could just stay.
Really?

DAVEShe nods and sits down on the bed. He walks over uncertainly.
DAVE (CONT’D)
Stay... Like when we have asleepover?
She shakes her head slowly, with a little smile.
He sits down beside her and they kiss. Sweetly at first, andthen with a violent intensity that surprises them both.
132

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - CORRIDOR. DAWN.

132

Chris grins as he does up his jeans. He stuffs his costume
into the plastic bag as he sneaks back towards his room.
At the study, he glances in to see: two corpses. And Frankmaking Jack Nicholson in The Shining look like Mary Poppins.
FRANK
So. You wanna explain what part of“grounded” you found confusing?
CHRIS
What... happened?!
(noticing Joe)
Oh my god... Joe?
FRANK
Nobody comes in. Nobody goes out.
It couldn’t have been more fucking
simple to understand.
CHRIS
You did this because of me?
Frank looks away. Chris, touched, can’t suppress a smile.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
I think I know how to find thisguy, dad. If we get him, everything
will be like, okay again, won’t it?
We can fix things together.
Frank opens his arms and Chris walks over. And they hug.

82.
133

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. DAY.

133

Damon and Mindy are surrounded by CRATES, BOXES, DIAGRAMS and
BLUEPRINTS. Both have laptops open. On Damon’s: links to the
CCTV cameras in D’Amico’s building. We can’t see Mindy’s.
DAMON
Ain’t no man in the whole ofManhattan with bigger cojones thanyou, Mindy baby. You know that?
But Mindy is engrossed in something on the computer.
MINDY
Daddy, I think I found one. It’s
perfect. And they can deliver inthree days... But it’s threehundred thousand bucks.
DAMON
Can you think of anything else
you’d rather spend it on?
Mindy giggles. Damon looks at her laptop screen in awe.
DAMON (CONT’D)
Damn, that’s cool!
134

INT. COMIC BOOK STORE. DAY.

134

Dave sits with Todd and Marty. Katie sits on Dave’s lap.
TODD
Out of Kickass and Red Mist, who do
you think would win in a fight?
KATIE
No idea. But Kickass is definitely
cuter.
You think?

DAVE

KATIE
Uh-huh. Kickass is smokin’. I, forone, would definitely fuck his
brains out if I got the chance.
Todd and Marty look taken-aback by the newly raunchy Katie.
You would?

DAVE

KATIE
Definitely.

83.
Dave and Katie look at one another hungrily.
DAVEDo you... uh, fancy checking outthat new Kate Hudson movie where
she’s a shoe designer who can’t geta guy? I think we can make the next
showing if we leave right now.
Hell yeah.

KATIE

They leave, arms around each other. Todd and Marty exchange
confused looks, then go back to reading their comics.
135

INT. ALLEYWAY. DAY.

135

Dave and Katie are at it, urgently, up against the wall.
DAVE (V.O.)
Comic-books rocked. Jerking off
rocked. And being a superhero
owned. But this... there wasnothing - absolutely nothing - inthe whole wide world that cameclose to being better than this.
136

INT. DAVE’S HOUSE. NIGHT.

136

Dave and his dad are eating dinner together.
MR. LIZEWSKINo Katie tonight?
DAVE
Tomorrow. Wednesdays she does oneof her volunteer things.
MR. LIZEWSKI
You seem like a different guy, youknow that? Your mom would’ve been
so happy to see you out of yourshell like this.
137

INT. DAVE’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.
Dave is halfheartedly playing World of Warcraft.
DAVE (V.O.)
Katie worried about me getting
hurt, so I promised her my Kickassdays were over. And the truth was,I hardly missed it at all.
(MORE)

137

84.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I realised I hadn’t even checked
the web site for, like, a week.
Dave minimizes the screen and logs on to the KICKASS PAGE.
The button says: NEW MAIL: 45. Dave skims through the list of
mails without reading any until he sees one from RED MIST.
138

EXT. DAVE’S APARTMENT. NIGHT.

138

Mr Lizewski, in uniform for his shift, gets into his car anddrives away.
Seconds later, the door opens again to reveal: Dave. Wheelinghis bike; wearing a duffle-coat over his Kickass costume, andno mask. He’s just about to climb on when his cell rings.
Hey baby.
139

DAVE

INT. NEEDLE EXCHANGE. NIGHT.

139

Katie is behind a reception desk in a waiting room crowdedwith JUNKIES. Katie listens intently, her face clouding over.
KATIE...Where? What kind of a thing? I
thought you were done with that?
We now intercut between Katie and Dave.
DAVE
This is the last time. I totally
swear... Well, I wish you wouldn’t
worry.
KATIE
I can’t help it. I do. Because I...
(is she gonna say it?)...Care about you. A lot.
In the alley, Dave can’t control his giant smile.
DAVE
I... care about you a lot, too.
140

EXT. WHARFSIDE. NIGHT.

140

The Mistmobile is parked in a deserted lay-by near the river.
Dave rides up, hops off his bike and puts on his mask as heapproaches. Chris, in full Red Mist costume, opens the door.

85.
141

INT. THE MIST MOBILE. CONTINUOUS.

141

Dave slides into the passenger seat - coat still on.
DAVE
Serious and urgent had better mean
serious and urgent, dude. I
promised my girlfriend I was
through with all this.
CHRIS
How about us both being fucking
dead? That serious enough for ya?
Dead how?

DAVE

CHRIS
Like how it turns out those deadguys had some bad mother-fuckers
for friends, and they think we did
it. There’s a price on our heads.
DAVE
A price on our heads? What is this,the wild west?
CHRIS
I’m not messing with you, man. They
found out where I live. They
trashed my place. I’m fucked. And
you’ll be next. That guy you
mentioned... The guy you thought
did it? You said you figured he wason our side. You think he can help?
Dave thinks. Sighs. Then uses his cell to get the Kickass web
page. Chris watches as Dave keys in: Kickass is on vacation.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
That’s your plan?! Like they’regonna go “aw shoot, he’s onvacation, let’s just forget itthen”?! What the fuck!?
DAVE
Dude... Calm down.
142

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. NIGHT.

142

Mindy is on her laptop. Damon studies an open packing crate.
MINDY
If I didn’t know you better, Daddy,
I’d say you were just looking atthat thing for the hell of it now.

86.
DAMON
(laughing)
Just checking it one more time.
You gotta admit, it’s pretty cool.
From the laptop, an ELECTRONIC ALERT sounds. Damon looks up.
Kickass?

DAMON (CONT’D)

MINDY
I think... Yep... Looks like hejust triggered the emergency
protocol you set up.
DAMON
Tell him to go to safehouse B.
We’ll meet him there.
143

INT. THE MIST MOBILE. NIGHT.

143

Chris studies the screen on Dave’s phone.
DAVE
Do you know where that is?
CHRIS
I’ll put it in the Sat-nav.
Chris looks anxiously over his shoulder and starts the car.
144

INT. SAFEHOUSE - CORRIDOR. NIGHT.

144

The run-down corridor of a faceless apartment block. Chrisand Dave (still wearing his duffle-coat) ring a doorbell.
145

INT. SAFEHOUSE. NIGHT.

145

The door swings open and Dave and Chris step in to be greetedby Damon, in his Big Daddy costume.
DAMON
Well, here you are. And Red Mist,
too. Pleasure to meet you.
(extending his hand)
Big Daddy.
Chris and Damon shake hands, and the boys follow Damon into
the main room, where Mindy sits on the sill of the open
window, looking out. She turns back, a little concerned.
Daddy...

MINDY

87.
DAMON
Manners, honey.
Obediently, Mindy hops off the window sill.
MINDY
Sorry.
(extending her hand)
I’m Hit Girl.
She extends her hand but, before she can even walk over,before we even realize what’s happening, Chris has pulled a
GUN. He shoots Mindy three times - BAM BAM BAM - and she
tumbles backwards, out of the window.
Hit Girl is no more.
Dave freezes in shock; Damon gives an animal howl of horror.
And now Chris holds the gun shakily to Damon’s head.
CHRIS
Don’t move, motherfucker.
The door behind them is kicked open and EIGHT GOONS rush in.
Two grab Damon, two grab Kickass and within seconds they’reboth on the ground, cuffed and gagged.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
No, not Kickass! He’s with me!
SPORTY GOON
Forget it, kid. I don’t follow
orders from no one but your daddy.
These guys are going with me, andyou’re going home with him.
He indicates Scary Goon, who seizes Chris by the arm. And
they’re out of the door with Damon, Dave and Chris in tow.
Shit! No!

CHRISThe Scary Goon holds him back as the others hustle on ahead.
146

EXT. SAFEHOUSE. NIGHT.

146

The goons bundle Damon and Dave into the back of a VAN.
Nearby, Scary Goon pushes a fighting Chris towards a LIMO.
Seeing Dave in the van, Chris shouts over to him, distraught.
CHRIS
I didn’t mean for this to happen, I
swear!
(to Scary Goon)
Let me go with them, I have to tellthem not to hurt Kickass!

88.
SCARY GOON
Just get in the goddamn car or yourdad is gonna hurt both of us!
Chris struggles as Scary tries to push him into the backseatof the limo. In the scuffle, Chris’s mask comes off.
We see Dave’s reaction. Then Sporty slams the van door shut.
147

EXT. BURNT-OUT WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

147

Damon and Dave are tied to chairs in the eerily charred
warehouse. The former calm. The latter sobbing. There is
PLASTIC SHEETING on the floor, and hanging behind them. In
front of them is a DV CAMERA on a tripod.
Nearby, Baby Goon hands out SUPER-VILLAIN MASKS. Sporty Goon
looks at his in disgust.
SPORTY GOON
The fuck is this? I meant, likebalaclavas or something!
BABY GOON
I just thought these would be fun.
Fun?!

SPORTY GOONBABY GOON
You know, they’re like superheroes,
so we could be SPORTY GOON
Just get me some fucking
balaclavas! Or anything! Now!
BABY GOON
Can I still wear mine?
148

INT. PENTHOUSE - STUDY. NIGHT.
Chris is here, also on the verge of tears.
CHRIS
We had a deal, dad. We had afucking deal that I’d get you theguy who did it. All I’m asking isto let Kickass go! He didn’t doanything wrong!

148

89.
FRANK
Chris, you gotta look at it my way:
I wanna send out a little public
service message to warn the people
out there that being a superhero ishazardous to your health. And thebig motherfucker? Nobody’s ever
heard of him. For all Joe Schmo on
the street knows, he’s not even areal superhero.
CHRIS
But that’s not fair!
FRANK
Life’s not fair, kid. Get over it.
CHRIS
What are you gonna do to them?
FRANK
Shut up and watch.
He indicates his computer SCREEN. On it is a DIGITAL CLOCK,
counting backwards from 5 minutes. And a graphic saying:
KICKASS IS RETIRING! HIS FINAL APPEARANCE - LIVE.
We pull back to find...
149

INT. TV NEWS STUDIO. NIGHT.

149...that the graphic is now on a monitor behind a NEWS ANCHOR.
ANCHOR...the exact nature of thebroadcast, but as word-of-mouth
continues to spread, internet
providers are predicting that it
could be the most-widely viewed
live event in web history.
We pull back from the news studio to find...
150

INT. COMIC STORE. NIGHT.

150...It is playing on the TV in the comic store. Todd, Marty,
the other kids and store employees are crowded round in rapt
anticipation. Many are logged onto the site on their phones.
151

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT. NIGHT.
A large number of COPS, including Marcus and Gigante, aregathered around the TV and computers, curious.

151

90.
152

INT. NEEDLE EXCHANGE. NIGHT.

152

Katie sits behind the reception, looking at the site on acomputer, a little uneasy. Nearby a TV runs the news, watchedby the waiting junkies, except those who are nodding out.
ON THE SCREEN: The countdown reaches zero. The graphic is
replaced by a live feed. Kickass and Big Daddy, captive.
Katie lets out a shriek of pure distress.
153

INT. COMIC STORE. NIGHT.

153

As one, the kids and store employees react in abject shock.
154

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

154

The goons crowd menacingly around their captives. All inbalaclavas except Baby, who wears the supervillain mask.
Sporty steps forward and addresses the camera.
SPORTY GOON
Uh... I think y’all know who thisguy is. And this guy here, his nameis Big Daddy. And what Kickass and
Big Daddy are gonna demonstrate
today, kids, is why trying to be ahero is a bad idea.
The goons, armed with BATS and BLUNT WEAPONS, move in.
155

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT. NIGHT.

155

As one, the crowd of cops wince. Marcus reacts in dismay.
NEWS ANCHOR (O.S.)...mean we are unable to continue
broadcasting these images...
156

INT. COMIC STORE. NIGHT.

156

The kids are glued in stark horror. Some unable to look, mostunable to look away. A few of the girls start crying.
NEWS ANCHOR (O.S.)...and those who are logged on to
the site are strongly advised...
MATHLETE
Woah! Cool!
The crowd bays at him to shut up.

91.
157

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - STUDY. NIGHT.

157

Chris gets up in disgust and walks out, slamming the door.
CHRIS
I hate you!
158

INT. NEEDLE EXCHANGE. NIGHT.

158

Katie, her face streaked with tears and eye-makeup, leansover the desk and screams at the junkies.
KATIE
Please! Someone just turn it off!
NEWS ANCHOR (O.S.)...appears the fantasy story that
captured America’s imagination may
have what looks to be a tragic
ending.
159

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

159

Sporty Goon holds up his hand for the others to stop the
beating. Dave and Damon slump forward, breathing unevenly.
DAVE (V.O.)
Even with my metal plates and my
fucked up nerve endings, I’ve gotta
tell ya: that hurt.
SPORTY GOON
Gentlemen? Time to die.
He produces a can of GASOLINE, and begins to douse them.
DAVE (V.O.)
But not half as much as the idea ofleaving everything behind. Katie.
My dad. Todd and Marty. And all thethings I’d never do. Like learn todrive. Or see what me and Katie’s
kids would look like. Or find out
what happened in Lost.
Sporty produces a ZIPPO and flicks it open.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
And if you’re reassuring yourself
that I’m gonna make it through thissince I’m talking to you now, quit
being such a smart ass. Hell dude.
You never seen Sin City? Sunset
Boulevard? American Beauty?

92.
160

EXT. WAREHOUSE ROOF. NIGHT.

160

Close on THREE BULLET HOLES. A little finger pokes them. We
pull back to find: Mindy. The top of her costume hiked up so
she can examine her kevlar vest.
She shrugs, pulls her costume back down and reaches round tothe back of her utility belt. She produces a small package.
On it is written: FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY.
She tears it open. She pulls out a piece of PAPER that reads:
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, CALL MARCUS. 212 555 7407
Then she pulls out: a syringe. She plunges it into her arm.
Close on Mindy’s eye. Her pupil dilates, a black vortex.
She puts on a pair of NIGHT VISION GOGGLES and - like a small
colorful, deadly tornado - she leaps down from the roof.
161

INT. WAREHOUSE. CONTINUOUS.

161

The zippo lighter touches Damon. At once he’s in flames.
A small hand hits a light switch. And everything goes black.
Dimly lit by the screaming Damon, alight, we can see thegoons look to one another in puzzlement.
Seconds later, Hit Girl is all over them. We cut between her
night-vision POV and the eerily beautiful darkness
illuminated by her burning father as, one by one, she slices
and dices the hoods into submission. She’s taking a few hits,sure, but she appears to be utterly oblivious to them.
Last man down, Mindy runs to Damon and beats out the flames.
All is black now. We hear footsteps as she runs to the light.
ON A COMPUTER SCREEN: The dark image of the room lights up.
The tripod must have been knocked during the fight, so what
we see now is several dead goons and, in the corner of theframe, a shocked - but very alive - Kickass.
162

INT. WAREHOUSE. CONTINUOUS.

162

Mindy pulls a gun from her belt and levels it at the camera.
MINDYShow’s over, motherfuckers.
BAM. It explodes into pieces.

93.
163

INT. COMIC BOOK STORE. NIGHT.

163

On several dozen phone screens, the image goes BLACK. The
store erupts in celebration. What the hell just happened?
164

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT. NIGHT.

164

Confusion and noise. Gigante and Marcus both look shaky.
NEWS ANCHOR (O.S.)...exactly what happened, but itwould seem that Kickass, at least,
is alive.
165

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - STUDY. NIGHT.

165

Frank stares at the TV, catatonic with incredulity.
166

INT. NEEDLE EXCHANGE. NIGHT.

166

Katie reacts with near-hysterical relief. In sharp contrast
to the junkies, who continue to stare impassively.
167

INT. WAREHOUSE. NIGHT.

167

Blinking in the light, Mindy runs to Damon. But as her steps
slow and her face falls, we surmise that the sight greeting
her isn’t good. And we’re right: we need no medical degree tomake a grim prognosis for the thoroughly fried Damon.
DAMON
So proud of you, baby. I love you.
He closes his eyes. His eyelids are the only things thataren’t burned. Mindy plants a gentle kiss on one of them.
MINDY
I love you too Daddy. Sleep tight.
And he’s gone. Her face set in a brave show of stoicism,
Mindy moves briskly to the traumatised Dave and unties him.
MINDY (CONT’D)
Let’s get the hell outta here.
168

EXT. DAMON’S CAR. NIGHT.

168

Mindy and Dave arrive at the car. Dave has removed his mask.
DAVE
I... I can’t drive.

94.
MINDY
I can. Get in.
169

INT. DAMON’S CAR. NIGHT.

169

The two drive through Manhattan, battered and shell-shocked.
Mindy can barely see over the wheel.
DAVE
What’s your name? I mean, your real
name.
MINDY
A superhero never reveals his true
identity.
DAVE
Look, you can’t... However you
lived before... It’s over. Is there
anybody else? Any other family, or?
MINDYFuck you! I can take care ofmyself. I saved your sorry ass!
DAVE
But I mean, what about money?
You’ve got to think long-term MINDY
I’ve got three million dollars in afucking suitcase! That long-termenough for ya? Just leave me alone.
DAVE
I’m not going anywhere ‘til i know
you’re okay. I owe you. If it
wasn’t for you, I’d be dead.
MINDY
And if it wasn’t for you, my dad
wouldn’t be.
DAVE(a painful beat)...And I owe it to him to lookafter you. He wouldn’t have wanted
you to be on your own.
170

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. NIGHT.
The door opens into the dark. Mindy hits the light.

170

95.
The first thing they see, pinned to the wall, is the Hit Girland Big Daddy picture that Damon did for Mindy’s birthday.
They both stare at it. A sad, awkward moment.
Dave, holding MARCUS’S NUMBER, breaks the silence.
DAVE
We should call this number your dad
gave you.
MINDY
Not now. I’ll do it later, okay?
DAVE
Ok... Look, pack up whatever you
need. And we’ll go to my place.
I’ll figure out something to tell
my dad when he gets back from hisnight shift. I need to clean up?
171

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE - BATHROOM. NIGHT.

171

It’s grimy. Dave rinses the blood from his face and hair.
172

INT. DAMON AND MINDY’S PLACE. NIGHT.

172

Like a tiny Rambo, Mindy begins to tool up, weighing up
RIFLES and HANDGUNS, sharpening KNIVES with a WATER STONE.
We intercut between her and Dave’s clean up until finally
Dave walks out of the bathroom to find Mindy fully tooled up,
and shoving additional WEAPONS into an OVERNIGHT BAG.
DAVE
Woah. I meant, like pyjamas andstuff. And clothes. You can’t...
MINDY
You know what my dad would havewanted? He would have wanted me tofinish what we started. And that’s
what I’m gonna do. You can try andstop me. Or live. Your choice.
Dave looks around. Blueprints and plans. CCTV feeds on thelaptop. Picture of Frank, pinned to the wall by a shuriken.
DAVE
Frank D’Amico?
MINDY
You know him?
DAVE
I know who he is.

96.
MINDY
My dad said Jersey City used to bea real nice safe place to raise afamily. Then D’Amico started up his
little business enterprise. Flooded
the street with cheap drugs. Armed
the gangs. Bought-off the cops.
Dave squints at the CCTV footage on the laptop, then looks
over at the plans again. Mindy continues to assemble a gun.
DAVEThis is his place? All thissecurity? I don’t even see MINDY
Let him go, the whole thing starts
up again. New guys. New supplies.
All our hard work, wasted.
DAVE
I know, but this plan of yours.
Even if there were ten of you MINDY
My mom already died for nothing.
I’m not gonna let my dad die fornothing too.
DAVE
You can’t do this on your own. It’s
suicide.
MINDY
Exactly. You wanna deal with owing
my dad? Then shut the fuck up andpick your weapon.
Mindy opens the big crate. Dave gapes at its contents.
DAVE
That what I think it is?
MINDY
Damn straight. Better start reading
the instructions, cos you’re gonna
be using it in about five minutes.
Dave picks up his duffle coat and his mask. He looks at both.
Then he puts on his coat and shoves the mask in the pocket.
He shakes his head at her sadly.
DAVE
I’d do anything to bring your dad
back, if I could. Anything. But
nothing will. And if I...
(MORE)

97.
DAVE (CONT'D)
There are people back home who...
Hit Girl, I’m so sorry. I can’t do
this.
MINDY
Some fucking superhero.
He shrugs helplessly, nothing he can say. She watches him go.
The camera tracks in to the laptop showing the CC TV feed. We
pull out again and find...
173

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - LIVINGROOM. NIGHT.

173...The bodyguard - the one we first saw with Chris at the
comic store - watching the same images on D’Amico’s monitors.
Suddenly, the screens go DEAD. He reacts. What the fuck?!
174

INT. D’AMICO’S APARTMENT BLOCK -LOBBY. NIGHT.

174

Posh Goon and ANOTHER GOON, on guard, look confused as Mindy innocent in her street clothes - stumbles in, crying.
POSH GOON
Hey? What’s the matter?
MINDY
I lost my mommy and daddy.
Another hood steps forward and offers his cell.
ANOTHER GOON
You wanna use the phone? You know
your phone number?
175

EXT. ROOF TOP. NIGHT.

175

Dave stands on a rooftop, gazing out towards the Manhattan
skyline. No mask. But no duffle-coat either.
DAVE (V.O.)
Had I ever been a real superhero?
The most I’d ever had to offer theworld was good intentions and aslightly elevated capacity to takea kicking.
(a beat)With no power comes noresponsibility.
(another)
Except... that wasn’t true.
Dave pulls on his mask. And he starts to run.

98.
Faster and faster. Towards the edge of the building. He
reaches the edge... and this time, he doesn’t stop. He jumps.
There is no way he’s going to make it to the next rooftop, no
way anyone could make this jump. Dave begins to lose
momentum. He starts to drop...
...Until the JET PACK on his back kicks in. Dave swoops
upwards. He’s flying.
Dave soars. Over the water. Across New York. It’s beautiful.
From the streets and windows people gawp in delight.
176

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - LOBBY. NIGHT.

176

Mindy unleashes hell as she wastes the goons in the lobby.
We intercut between her fight and Dave’s flight.
177

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - ELEVATOR. NIGHT.

177

Mindy - still in her street clothes - pushes the button forthe penthouse and catches her breath. The door closes - thenjams. She looks down to see that it is blocked by the body ofPosh Goon. She boots him out of the way and the door shuts.
178

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - HALLWAY. NIGHT.

178

The elevator doors slide open to reveal: Mindy in her Hit
Girl costume and utility belt. Ready to play.
179

EXT. D’AMICO’S APARTMENT BLOCK. NIGHT.

179

Dave is here. Swooping up the side of the building.
180

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - HALLWAY. NIGHT.

180

The TWO GOONS guarding either side of the elevator are down.
But EIGHT MORE rush down the corridor towards Mindy.
She doesn’t move, but with jaw-dropping precision, employs
the contents of her utility belt. THROWING STARS, KNIVES and
GRENADES whistle through the air, taking down six hoods inquick succession.
A MACHETE spins down the length of the corridor, neatly
decapitating a seventh.
The eighth looks behind him in dismay as he keeps runningtowards Mindy, to discover that he’s now alone. When he turns
back, Mindy is right there in front of him, a small CROSSBOW
to his forehead. She grins and delicately lets it go. Thwack.

99.
181

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE. CONTINUOUS.

181

Mindy’s inside the apartment now, and YET MORE GOONS are
down, but two remain - Scary Goon, and the Bodyguard, also
armed. They open fire. She’s leaping around, absorbing thehits in her bulletproof vest, until she trips and falls.
Scary Goon aims at her head... but he’s out of ammo.
SCARY GOON
In the head! She’s wearing afucking vest!
The bodyguard raises his gun... but before he can shoot,there’s an almighty smash from behind them as the GLASSCONSERVATORY leading to the roof terrace explodes in a showerof glass to reveal: Dave coming in to land, opening fire witha machine gun in each hand. The recoil sends him tumbling
onto his back on the terrace. But he keeps shooting.
The bodyguard and Scary have barely had a chance to turn andregister before they get it in the back and go down cold.
Mindy’s smile lights up. Dave smiles back. Mindy limps over.
MINDY
Gimme the guns?
DAVE
We’re out of bullets!
MINDY(sniggering)
Rounds. Ok. Only one to go, anyway.
She runs towards the corridor. Dave throws down the nowuseless guns and follows her.
Mindy reaches the first door, kicks it in. It’s a bedroom. We
see Angie, cowering in a corner. Mindy takes a step in when,outside, we hear SIRENS. Her face falls.
MINDY (CONT’D)
You called the cops.
DAVE
I called the number. Your dad’sfriend. Told him to meet us. He MINDY
He is the fucking cops.
In a hurry now, Mindy turns her back on Angie and runs on to
the next door, Dave racing to catch up. She kicks it open.
It’s Frank’s study. The motherlode.

100.
182

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - STUDY. CONTINUOUS.

182

A beat, as Frank stands in the middle of the trashed study
and stares at Mindy. Dave catches up just in time to see
Mindy fly at him.
MINDY
You are so dead, you cocksucker.
With his martial arts skills, Frank is an alarmingly evenmatch for Mindy. Dave watches, frozen. This could go either
way. Dave moves to help, but finds himself held back by:
Chris. Still in his Red Mist costume, though without themask. Behind Dave, forcing him into an arm-lock.
Now we have two fights going on - Mindy vs. Frank and Davevs. Chris. The former a spectacular display of fighting
prowess, the second essentially a messy scrap between two
frightened kids in superhero costumes.
Just as it looks like Mindy is a goner, she regains the upperhand with breath-taking aplomb and sends Frank crashing
through the window, down 70 storeys to his death.
Chris stops fighting and howls in horror.
MINDY (CONT’D)(to Chris)Your turn.
CHRIS
No, wait please, I never... Please
don’t hurt me. I’m just a kid.
MINDY
So am I, and you fucking shot me!
DAVE
Chris, you don’t have to be likeyour Dad. You have a choice, you CHRIS
How do you know my name?!
Before Dave can answer, Mindy has a knife to Chris’s throat.
MINDY
Enough with the touchy-feely bullshit already.
DAVE
No! Wait! Don’t!
It’s not this that stops her, however, but THE COPS. A
sizeable team of them, crashing in towards them, armed.

101.
FIRST COP
Freeze! Police!
Chris and Dave put their hands up immediately. Mindy,
however, goes for a STUN GRENADE in her belt. Before anyone
has a second to react, it’s landed by the cops and gone off.
In the fog and confusion, Mindy grabs Dave’s hand. They run.
183

EXT. D’AMICO’S ROOF TERRACE. NIGHT.

183

Mindy helps Dave into the jet pack and puts her arms roundhim. Just as the cops get to the terrace, the two take off.
One cop takes aim at them. Suddenly a shout from behind him:
MARCUS (O.S.)
Hold your fire!
It’s Marcus. He smiles as he watches them disappear over thehorizon like Superman and a very tiny Lois Lane.
Finally he turns to go inside, the smile still on his face,
to find: Gigante, incandescent with anger.
GIGANTE
You’ll go down for that, Williams!
Your ass is going straight totribunal! I’ll see to it myself.
Marcus grins and produces a framed photograph. He admires it.
MARCUS
Oh this is nice. You look awesome.
What?

GIGANTEMARCUS
Just found this on D’Amico’s desk.
Isn’t this a great shot, guys?
Marcus shows the picture around to the assembled cops, whoreact in delighted shock. Gigante reels. He knows it’s over.
MARCUS (CONT’D)
Hope Frank D’Amico paid you well,
Gigante. You’re gonna be needing
one fine-ass lawyer.
184

EXT. ROOFTOP. DAWN.
Dave and Mindy land on the roof of Mindy’s building.

184

102.
MINDY
Thanks, Kickass. My dad would havebeen proud of both of us.
Dave pulls his mask off meaningfully.
DAVE
Dave. My name is Dave Lizewski.
MINDY
I know that, dumbass.
A long pause. Then Mindy pulls off her mask, too.
MINDY (CONT’D)
Mindy Macready.
She holds out her hand, and they shake hands. It’s over.
185

EXT. HIGH SCHOOL. DAY.

185

Mr. Lizewski’s car pulls up outside the school. Dave climbs
out and waves goodbye to him.
As Dave begins to walk, he turns around to see ANOTHER CAR
pull up. Driven by Marcus. In the passenger seat, Mindy.
Marcus hugs her and she hops out and runs over to Dave.
DAVE (V.O.)
Mindy moved in with Marcus and heenrolled her at my school - firstschool she’d ever been to - on thepromise that I’d look out for her.
Before she reaches him, however, a BIG MEAN BOY and his THREECRONIES block Mindy’s path. He holds out his hand.
BIG MEAN BOY
Hey. New kid. Lunch money. Now.
We cut to Dave’s concerned face. O.S, there’s a scream.
When we cut back to Mindy, she’s once more trotting happily
towards Dave, waving, as if nothing has happened. In the
background a CONCERNED CROWD has formed a circle aroundwhatever carnage Mindy left.
DAVE (V.O.)
Not that she needed me to.
Marty and Todd are sitting in the sunshine, reading comics.
Dave and Mindy join them, Mindy checking out the comics.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
The guys never knew about what
happened. And Katie?
(MORE)

103.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Well, besides being deeply relievedthat my superhero days were over,Katie was the same as ever.
From the other direction, we see Katie walking over with
Erika and a slightly chubby, FLAMBOYANTLY-DRESSED GUY.
KATIE
Hey everybody, this is Phil. He’s
new. Phil, this is everybody.
Marty, Todd, Dave and Mindy all wave their greetings.
DAVE (V.O.)...And I loved her for it.
Katie and the boy sit down with the group. Dave rests hishead on Katie’s shoulder. We’ve never seen him so contented.
In the foreground, TWO LABORERS walk past carrying the metal
detector archway away from the school.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
But the world around us waschanging.
We pull back a little to see: the two gang kids from earlier,
peering into a parked car at the entrance to the school. A
FOXY WOMAN IN A SUPERHERO COSTUME walks towards them. They
nod at her shiftily and amble away.
We pull back further and see: the streets around the schoolare patrolled by various other SUPERHEROES.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
People said I’d been theinspiration for the others. But I
saw it differently.
We pull back further still, across the water, to Manhattan.
Here’s the Armenian Guy from the beginning, in his winged
suit, climbing up the fire escape of a building. There areSUPERHEROES everywhere. Walking the streets. Running acrossthe cars in a traffic jam. Leaping across the rooftops.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)All I did was make a door into aworld I’d dreamed about since I wasa little kid. Now it was open. And
the world was coming out.
We pull upwards now, further and further back, ‘til thesuperheroes are just brightly colored dots on the streets.
DAVE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
That’s how it looked to me. And I
liked what I saw.

104.
Just as we think it’s all over, the camera pushes through awindow into...
186

INT. D’AMICO’S PENTHOUSE - STUDY. DAY.

186

The study has been restored and redecorated, and there’s
someone sitting here with his back to us, admiring his
reflection in the glass-topped table.
The camera tracks round and we see: Chris. A crazy look in
his eyes, wearing a new, more menacing costume. He slips onan evil-looking mask. Clearly a super-hero no more, now asuper-villain. He turns to stare down onto the street.
CHRIS
A world full of superheroes, huh?
As a great man once said: “wait‘til they get a load of me”.
FADE TO WHITE.
187

END

187