For the Kingsman series to go from two films in the modern era to the World War I throwback that is The King’s Man may have felt like a bit of a jolt for some fans. For co-writer/director Matthew Vaughn however, this decision was a part of several ideas that make up the fabric of where he wants to take the cinematic franchise. He recently revealed his plans for the Kingsman cinematic universe to CinemaBlend, and one thing became abundantly clear about Mr. Vaughn and his vision: it’s absolutely massive.
Where Could The Kingsman Cinematic Universe Branch Out To Next?
On behalf of the upcoming release of The King’s Man, I was invited to partake in a limited roundtable with Matthew Vaughn himself. With the conversation ranging from his work on the Apple TV+ original film Argylle to the potential for a Rocketman sequel, nothing was out of bounds. Yet after the experience myself and my fellow journalists had with his big prequel, the future of the Kingsman universe itself has been very much on everyone’s minds. When asked about that very subject, Mr. Vaughn gave the following rundown:
I mean, there’s a whole universe. You can't really see it, but this sort of the creative hub, and the movie I'm making is all on this wall. So, the Argyle is here. Then that wall, someone's just taken shit down. They'd panicked. It’s stuff that we're gonna be making, and round the corner is Kingsman 3, all ready to go; we've done all the art and stuff. But underneath Kingsman 3, it’s about 4 … The King’s Man 2, Statesman and we did have some fun thinking, if we did the spinoff in the streaming television world, whatever that is nowadays, of the Statesman and that worked, it might be fun to do local language stuff.
As he spoke from his home office during this hour-long conversation, Matthew Vaughn referenced the walls that were strategically out of frame. Even better, there were a couple other projects mentioned that the general public hasn't even heard about yet; like a reboot to another franchise that Vaughn had collaborated on with Mark Millar, Kick Ass. Between the various lockdowns that kept him cooped up, and a general creative energy that keeps him moving a mile a minute, the man has a lot of plans on his mind.
Matthew Vaughn On The Balance That Needs To Be Struck With Any Potential Kingsman Spinoffs
Which leads to the possibility of other Kingsman like organizations throughout the world; as we saw with the American based outfit Statesman in 2018’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle. When prompted, Matthew Vaughn mentioned that some of those local language spin-offs could be set in countries like Spain and France, complete with uniquely fitting titles that would be love letters to their respective regions. It’s all in the name of experimenting with the franchise, but even Vaughn admits that there’s a balance that needs to be struck between ambition and the demands of the market:
So yeah, but we don't want to overdo it and oversaturate, and it's one step at a time. ... The King’s Man, that's the experiment. Can the franchise expand into two different shapes and forms but still have the world of Kingsman underneath it. So, if people like it and go see it, then yeah, we'll keep expanding. … I've always said fans own a franchise more than the people who own the franchise, because the fans and people that make it alive and enjoy it and want more.
For the purpose of keeping score, let’s take a quick tally at what’s on the field for this cinematic universe thus far. Obviously, Kingsman 3 and a potential fourth follow-up are in the cards. We knew that much was at stake when it was announced that production is supposed to begin next September, and that the film would close out the relationship between Colin Firth and Taron Egerton’s franchise leads. Plus, Statesman was also a going concern, as the story for The Golden Circle was so massive it was almost split into two films, and spin-off plans had been mentioned early on.
Now, there’s a potential for a second mainline story branch with The King’s Man, as this is only the beginning of the story that sees Orlando, the Duke of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes) founding the intelligence operation during the early days of World War I. Should that particular endeavor be a success, Vaughn also has plans for where the more historically-minded side of the house could venture should this first movie resonate with fans. For any potential expansion to work, two factors need to be in place.
Why The Kingsman Cinematic Universe Works
If the Kingsman Cinematic Universe is to have a core, then it’s the exploits of British intelligence fighting off one tyrant at a time. This fits perfectly with the other aspect that Matthew Vaughn ultimately feels is the key to any potential Kingsman project working. Crediting the 2014 film’s success to the following key ingredient, here’s the other magic component to any project in this potentially massive world:
I think why Kingsman worked, it was a celebration of British culture. Statesman was me leaning into my love of American culture. You know, I grew up with those movies in the 70s and 80s, and the music. And I love so much about America, that I felt that's what Statesman could be. And, the other countries, you know, they've got-everywhere, you know, there's so many unique characteristics to each country that it would be fun. Like we're mucking around about the French, and when we were like saying, you know … we even thought, could we have Agent Camembert, Agent Brie, and they’re all, you know, and sort of have fun with the French, and sort of lean into the cliches of France, but then celebrate them. So who knows? But the answer is, if people want it, we'll keep making it.
Matthew Vaughn and his team seem to always be thinking of where things could go next, while also being mindful not to wear out the series’ welcome. Whatever happens next, this next chapter in line is a key component, and it is drawing ever closer to its theatrical release. Should this latest experiment pay off, we might get to see Vaughn take a page out of Netflix’s book, and introduce us all to further enclaves of espionage and villainy. One can only hope.
The King's Man requests your presence, only in theaters, starting December 22nd. Yes, it’s a crowded time at the movies, but you needn’t let the options get to your head too quickly. Relax, pour yourself a liquid refreshment of some sort, and head over to the 2021 release schedule to evaluate your options this holiday season.
