What Does the Future of the ‘Kingsman’ Franchise Look Like?

That first Kingsman movie really was lightning in a bottle, wasn’t it? With a fun premise, one of the most gruesome yet fun action scenes in recent history, and a stellar debut performance by Taron Egerton, Kingsman: The Secret Service had everything it needed to launch a franchise—and launch a franchise, it did.

Followed by Kingsman: The Golden Circle and a prequel, The King’s Man, Matthew Vaughn’s spy franchise, adapted from the comic books by Mark Millar, has left its mark on pop culture. But it’s been a while since we’ve heard news of the next installment—will Taron Egerton and Colin Firth return as the world’s foremost gentleman spies? Will we see the Statesmen again? And which maniacal villain might try to take over the world next? Here’s everything we know about the next Kingsman movie.

Is Kingsman 3 in the works?

Yes, Matthew Vaughn has confirmed that Kingsman 3, officially titled Kingsman: The Blue Blood, is still in the works. Kingsman: The Blue Blood was originally set for release in 2023 but was delayed due to the pandemic and last year’s Hollywood strikes, though Vaughn has said that filming is due to begin sometime this year. That would make a 2025 release possible, though 2026 seems more plausible, depending on when production actually begins. In a recent interview with Collider, Vaughn mentioned that the script isn’t quite finished yet:

“Act one is being written. Act three is being written. Act Two needs some work, right? And so we know how it ends, we know how it begins.”

In that same interview, Vaughn also mentioned that the third Kingsman movie, which will take place soon after the events of Kingsman: The Golden Circle, will be Eggsy and Harry’s final adventure together.

“So Kingsman 3, we’ve got to get on with it before Colin [Firth] is way too old and dare I say it, Taron’s [Egerton] getting on as well. So, Kingsman 3 is definitely the conclusion of their relationship.

This makes sense; Kingsman is all about bringing new, young talent into the fold, as Harry did with Eggsy. Perhaps the third film will end with Eggsy bringing in a candidate of his own, which could potentially launch a new trilogy. After the events of The Golden Circle, the Kingsman are a little short-staffed, after all, though Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, and Halle Berry’s Statesman agents may be able to lend a hand.

Vaughn has kept The Blue Blood‘s plot details close to his chest, though he has previously revealed that the film will see Eggsy lose “his purpose.” The Secret Service and The Golden Circle proved that Eggsy’s purpose was his job as a Kingsman agent and the new family it gave him. What if Vaughn is hinting that he will lose one or the other? Perhaps even both? That would certainly be enough to have him seek out Harry once again—their relationship is the heart of the franchise. The Secret Service revolved around Harry helping Eggsy, and The Golden Circle saw Eggsy helping Harry. Perhaps The Blue Blood will see them leaning on each other.

In addition to Kingsman 3, Matthew Vaughn has also often hinted at his desire to properly explore the Statesman, the American version of Britain’s Kingsman, and he’s still interested in developing a sequel to The King’s Man, too, which ended with a bonkers post-credits scene that foreshadowed the rise of Adolf Hitler after World War I. Because The King’s Man was originally meant to be a series, something along the lines of The Crown meets Kingsman, Vaughn has said that the sequel to The King’s Man could either be a series or a movie. He does already have a title, though: The Traitor King.

Last but not least, Matthew Vaughn’s latest spy caper, Argylle, has an odd connection to the Kingsman franchise. In the movie’s post-credits scene, a younger version of the “fictional” Agent Argylle is seen in a pub noticeably named The King’s Man. What this means, it’s hard to say—it might just be a fun Easter egg, but it could also technically mean that Argylle takes place in the Kingsman universe. Perhaps, if Argylle gets the chance to produce a sequel, we’ll find out.

Clearly, Vaughn has a lot of ideas about the future of the Kingsman franchise, but Harry and Eggsy’s final adventure is up next.

(featured image: Marv/20th Century Fox)