Jim Carrey, who was a surprise addition to the cast when a sequel to the popular Kick-Ass franchise was announced, has denounced the level of violence in the wake of the events at Sandy Hook in December last year. Colonel Stars – Carey’s character in the film – actually refuses to fire guns, choosing instead to take down his enemies as a masked vigilante with melee weapons, but that doesn’t mean gunplay isn’t involved.

The original Kick-Ass movie, while garnering critical acclaim, was condemned for its level of violence, and that doesn’t seem to have subsided the second time around. “I did Kickass (sic) a month b4 Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence,” Carrey tweeted to over 10 million followers. “…My apologies to others involve[d] with the film. I am not ashamed of it but recent events have caused a change in my heart.”

A keen advocate of gun control, Carrey was recently mocked by the American media for a spoof video mocking U.S gun law – he will now refuse to perform his promotional duties for the film, which includes interviews, premiere appearances and the like.

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Since this revelation, Kick-Ass creator Mark Millar has said he is surprised by Carrey’s newfound stance. “I respect both his politics and his opinion, but I'm baffled by this sudden announcement as nothing seen in this picture wasn’t in the screenplay eighteen months ago,” he wrote in a post on his blog. “Like Jim, I'm horrified by real-life violence (even though I'm Scottish), but Kick-Ass 2 isn't a documentary. No actors were harmed in the making of this production!"

Jim CarreyIt's a solid no to violence from Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey
So much so that he's withdrawn his support for Kick Ass 2