The Kingsman Universe(Perhaps the KCU) is attempting to expand. Deadline has reported that the CEO of director Matthew Vaughn’s production company Marv, Zygi Kamasa, said recently at Winston Baker UK Finance Summit that Vaughn has “something like seven more Kingsman films” in early stages of planning. This comes of little surprise, as Vaughn’s recent focus has been on this franchise showing his love for the source material and this universe.
The franchise is based on a 2012 comic that was quickly green lit into Matthew Vaughn’s 2014 film Kingsman. The picture was well received and put Taron Egerton on the map in addition to Vaughn. Before Kingsman he directed Kickass and Stardust, two films that were reasonably successful, but are undeniable fun films. Vaughn would not come back to the Kickass franchise as more than a producer.
Following the success of Kingsman as well as clear passion for the characters, Vaughn came back to write and direct his first sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle in 2017, which garnered mixed reviews, though it expanded the universe with adding an American branch of the spy syndicate. In the franchise’s latest installment, Vaughn is once again back as scribe and director, but this time the story is a prequel in The King’s Man.
The franchise is no stranger to all-star casts as Samuel L. Jackson, Julianne Moore, Pedro Pascal, Michael Caine and Channing Tatum are just a few alums to have appeared in this vast sea of talent throughout only the first two films. The latest installment stars Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Bruhl, Stanley Tucci, Gemma Arterton, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Djimon Hounsou. The film is scheduled for a February 12, 2021 release date after a few delays.
A huge question though is: can this franchise sustain this level of expansion?
In addition to the seven films in early stages, Kamasa also said, “We have a Kingsman TV series in the works and there are two-three other franchises that are being developed alongside the Kingsman world.” This is incredibly expansive and the model has not worked for too many franchises, the Dark Universe always comes to mind. Even the MCU with all its success, had struggles early on with their TV division on Netflix.
Even the sequel of the Kingsman felt flat, and that’s only the second film in the franchise. While it certainly has starpower and a great writer and director at the helm, it is still a surprising basket that Marv has decided to put all their eggs in. The comic series only has three series with The Secret Service, The Big Exit, and The Red Diamond all created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons.
Vaughn is clearly committed to this franchise. His last three feature directorial films have been Kingsman related. Though he has a lot more to offer in other productions, franchises, or ideas, it is endearing that he is solely focused on creating this universe, and, hopefully, cinema watchers can connect to Eggsy and his fellow Kingsmen just as Matthew Vaughn has.
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