Jim Carrey Denounces "Level of Violence" in Upcoming "Kick Ass 2"

Jim Carrey has withdrawn his support from "Kick Ass 2," a film in which he's starring, citing recent gun violence in the United States and in particular the Sandy Hook shootings last winter in which 20 schoolchildren and six adults were gunned down.

Carrey tweeted on Sunday, "I did Kick-Ass a month b4 Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence. 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."

Jim Carrey may be a bit of a wild card, but he's got undeniable heart and gumption to come out with a statement like this. "Kick Ass 2," like the first film, is based on the comics by Mark Millar and stars Aaron Johnson-Taylor as the titular Kick Ass and Chloë Grace Moretz as a badass, crime-fighting teen vigilante, Hit-Girl.

Carey's statement has come as a complete shock to executive producer and author of the comics, Millar. He released a statement in response, saying though he is "horrified by real-life violence... Kick-Ass 2 isn't a documentary." He claims the film "avoids the usual bloodless bodycount of most big summer pictures and focuses instead [on] the CONSEQUENCES of violence." Millar added that he respected the decision, though disagreed with Carrey's logic.

"Kick Ass 2" comes out on August 16.