Matthew Vaughn’s 2010 Kick-Ass landed somewhere between cult hit and lightning rod. Adapted from Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s comics, it paired a plain-vanilla teenager with an improbably lethal child vigilante and mixed cartoony bravado with brutal, black comedy. The result made money and stirred controversy: reviewers from Anthony Lane to Roger Ebert debated whether the film’s tone and its treatment of young characters crossed a moral line.
That same hybrid of stunt-driven spectacle and dark humor now seems to define a tangled follow-up plan — one that’s produced several finished films but hasn’t brought them to audiences. Over the past few years the project has evolved from a straightforward sequel model into a looser slate of interlinked entries, trading a single narrative through-line for anthology-style, stunt-focused stories. Directors, titles and cast elements have shifted repeatedly, and trade outlets such as Variety, Deadline and Screen Daily have tracked the changes as they appeared.
A shifting creative vision helps explain why completed films are still waiting for a public debut. Industry insiders point to a mix of reasons: strategic repositioning after final cuts, rights negotiations, festival-first plans, and concerns about how to market stunt-heavy features to global buyers. In short, studios are weighing backlash risk, box-office potential and international sales before committing to a rollout.
How the trilogy (or slate) was reimagined Originally described as three loosely related films in the Kick-Ass orbit, the project moved away from direct sequels. The new approach emphasizes standalone stories centered on practical stunt work and performers rather than masked vigilantes. That change altered casting priorities, marketing strategies and director assignments; it also spawned multiple title tweaks and personnel swaps. As of early 2026, at least two completed entries remain unseen.
Who’s involved and what the films look like Concrete casting details have been scarce and sometimes contradictory. Vaughn framed the slate as including a school-set entry, a middle film about stunt performers, and a rebooted Kick-Ass. The school-set picture reportedly landed Damien Walters — a former gymnast and long-time stunt professional — as director, which helps explain the production’s strong focus on practical effects and athletic choreography.
By, trade reports listed titles like Stuntnuts: The Movie and Stuntnuts Does School Fight; earlier variations included names such as The Stuntman. Producers describe the middle film as an ensemble centered on stunt performers and practical spectacle, while the school-set entry follows teenage protagonists through stunt-oriented set pieces. Names tied to the productions include stunt performers and athletes such as Bobby Holland Hanton, Greg Townley, Paul Lowe and Haruka Oshima. Several high-profile cameos have been reported — trades suggest Chris Hemsworth and Sam Rockwell appear as themselves, with later installments said to aim for John Cena and Benson Boone — though many of those elements remain unconfirmed until credits are locked and distribution deals are announced.
Finished films that haven’t reached audiences Multiple sequences, shorts and at least two full features have been reported as complete — Stuntnuts: The Movie and Stuntnuts Does School Fight among them — yet none has premiered theatrically or at major festivals. Sources say the team deliberately pursued a festival- and specialty-circuit mindset rather than an immediate wide release, a choice that can boost credibility within stunt communities and among specialty buyers but limit mainstream exposure.
Why the delay isn’t necessarily a disaster It’s common for distributors to reassess release plans after viewing final cuts and gauging festival interest. Title changes, re-packaging and alternate distribution strategies can all follow late-stage creative shifts. That can feel like inertia to outside observers but is often part of a calculated effort to find the best commercial fit — whether through specialty festivals, streaming platforms, or limited theatrical windows. The next concrete milestones are likely to be festival slots, screening announcements or platform partnerships rather than a sudden wide-release date.
Future plans and continued uncertainty Reporting through 2026 indicates ongoing title tweaks — Screen Daily noted Stuntnuts: Clash of the Nuts as a later entry — and plans for more filming in 2026. Vaughn has also said he’s drafting a new Kick-Ass script and imagines the pieces as elements of a broader creative strategy. Until distributors or festival programmers put dates on the calendar, though, those plans remain provisional.
Side note on gossip Alongside trade items about these productions, entertainment gossip sites have circulated unrelated blind items — anecdotes about a foreign-born actress’s marriage or a singer’s regretted wardrobe choice, for example. These tidbits have no verified connection to the films and should be treated as rumor rather than reporting. What’s missing is a public debut. Industry notices and trade listings document progress, but screening bookings and distribution deals are the missing pieces that will finally put these films in front of audiences. Expect the story to move forward once a festival slot, platform partnership or distributor announces a screening plan.