With Cars 3 already set to open June 16, 2017, any film that decides to counter-program against the continuously profitable adventures of Lighting McQueen is probably just a little crazy. Considering the sequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service did just that, it only proves our theory – and in the best way possible.
The Playlist dropped the information in a recent announcement, which pits Eggsy and his compatriots against a children's franchise that's more critic proof than a Michael Bay movie. Even better still, the site has reported a potential title for the sequel: Kingsman An Unnecessary Follow-up. While this should be considered a heavy dose of cheek from The Playlist, as no official confirmation has been given, it sounds like exactly the sort of title that Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn would feel right at home using.
With an unconventional hero, a potentially off kilter title, and an audience eager for more comedic yet mannerly ass-kicking, Kingsman: An Unnecessary Follow-up will still have a lot of competition coming out of Cars 3. With the Pixar brand still running strong, and Cars 2 taking in almost $600 million worldwide, the second race car themed sequel is primed to maintain, if not lap, its previous standings at the box office. Then again, Cars 2 did cost $80 million more to make than Cars, and the goodwill that brought audiences into the sequel might not have lasted after the film's rather lackluster, Mater heavy, spy plot.
Even with Cars 2 not totally sinking the ship, the greatest chance Kingsman: The Secret Service's sequel has at succeeding lies in victory through inferior air power. Let's not forget, Disney has spent part of the interim trying to launch its own spin-off/knock-off brand of cartoons in the Planes series. While they were extremely cheap to make, the law of diminishing returns had their way with the franchise – which could effect Cars 3 by association. It's not a slam dunk just yet, but our money is on Kingsman: An Unnecessary Follow-up - if it's in fact called that – holding its own, if not slightly losing out to the allure of the kids film of the week.
This isn't the first time Kingsman: The Secret Service has faced stiff competition, as just this past February the first film squared off against Fifty Shades Of Gray. While it managed to take a second place opening with a strong $36 million, Kingsman would go on to score a total of four consecutive weekends in the same slot – with a second weekend drop-off of only 49%. Fifty Shades Of Gray experienced a hemorrhage of 74% in that same weekend. So is opening a sequel to Kingsman: The Secret Service against a Pixar film the best idea? It absolutely is.
Seeing as the Cars brand may have suffered more damage than thought, and its predecessor beat away a man with enough fetishes to fill a diary, Kingsman: An Unnecessary Follow-up might just be the friendly competition needed to keep summer 2017 all the more interesting. We'll find out who the winner is when both Cars 3 and Kingsman: An Unnecessary Follow-up unleash hell on our wallets on June 16, 2017.
