Nicolas Cage has joined the cast of the comic book adaptation Kick-Ass, according to the Hollywood Reporter. He will play a former cop trying to bring down a gangster at the top of the drugs racket, who has also trained his daughter to be a lethal weapon.

The comic book centres on a teenage boy who decides to become a superhero despite having no discernible powers, nor any of the traditional angst of cape-wearing types. It is based on the ultra-violent Mark Millar series and is being directed and produced by Matthew Vaughn, who managed to persuade private backers to fund the project after traditional studios balked at its subject matter.

Aaron Johnson was also announced yesterday to play the title character, who is also known by his real name, Dave Lizewski. The story sees him eventually run into trouble during his superheroic endeavours when he runs into some real villains.

Christopher Mintz-Plasse, aka Superbad's McLovin, is also in the cast, playing a character named Red Mist, the angry son of a gangster, who's determined to uncover Kick-Ass's identity. Desperate Housewives' Lyndsy Fonseca will play the object of Lisewski's affections, who unfortunately believes our hero is gay.

Kick-Ass will start shooting in the autumn in London and Toronto.