For those who have ever wondered about the origins of the Kingsman organization, Matthew Vaughn has you covered with the upcoming prequel, The King’s Man. Set to release on February 14th, 2020, the prequel will chronicle the creation of the spy agency. The first two films in the franchise, 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service and 2017’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle, were hits thanks to their snarky wit and over-the-top, over-fantasized violence.
The King’s Man is set during the early 1900s and sees a group of real-world villains teaming up in order to kick off a war that would wipe out millions. The force working against them is led by the Duke of Oxford, played by Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, James Bond series). Working alongside him is Conrad, his protege played by Harris Dickinson (The Darkest Minds). Other cast members include Matthew Goode, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Gemma Arterton, Charles Dance, and Rhys Ifans.
Vaughn, who helped create the comic the movies are based on, isn’t the only one returning to the franchise. In addition to directing, he also co-wrote the prequel with Jane Goldman. The two also wrote the first two entries together, as well as 2010’s Kick-Ass and 2007’s Stardust.
Vaughn and his production company Marv initially planned for a November 19th, 2019 release date. But it was pushed back and had its name changed from Kingsman: The Great Game. And it’s a good thing Vaughn is taking his time. With the release of The Golden Circle, Vaughn announced an entire cinematic universe was in the works. And with Vaughn no longer partaking in a certain other cinematic universe, he’ll have plenty of time to develop this one. The King’s Man will just be the first step outside of protagonist Eggsy’s story.
The trailer for The King’s Man definitely shows Vaughn’s signature stylish touch. But it paints a more serious picture than its predecessors. It’s unclear if any of the franchise’s somewhat gross-out humor will be included. But Vaughn has a pretty tremendous track record even outside of the Kingsman series. Here’s hoping he’s serving up another amusingly bloody hit.
