Matthew Vaughn Drops Hints About Kingsman Sequel Possibilities

NOTE: This story contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Speaking to Moviefone (via /film), director Matthew Vaughn offered some hints about what audiences can expect in Kingsman 2, should a sequel happen. (And with a $36 million opening weekend in the U.S., I'd say the odds are pretty good.) "I'd love to do another one," he told the website. "This movie really is the origin story of [the Taron Egerton character] Eggsy. And Eggsy is really the real, true modern gentleman spy. It really isn't Harry Hart [Colin Firth's character]. Harry Hart is the old cliché of what you think a gentleman spy is. Eggsy will be taking on a whole new way. But it's up to the audience. If they go see it and want another one, I would absolutely love to do it. We had so much fun making this movie. And you wouldn't believe what we've got in store. Poor Mark Strong will be going on a journey that he never imagined. And we've got this idea to introduce the world to the American branch of the Kingsman." Hm... Part of the appeal of Kingsman (right down to the title) is its pervasive Englishness. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to dilute that with an American branch, but you never know. Still, Mr. Vaughn, you don't need to go doing that on our account. Americans love that exaggerated, bygone Englishness. Look at the success in this country of Downton Abbey, or the original Avengers.

Despite insisting that the franchise now belongs to Eggsy, Vaughn also told USA Today (via Screen Rant) not to rule out the possibility of Colin Firth returning despite his character's untimely demise in the first film. "A lot of people are very upset that Colin might not be in the sequel but I’m coming up with ideas at the moment. If people buy tickets in America, I’ve got a feeling we’ll figure out a way for having Colin back." Even so, he still reiterates that in his eyes, Eggsy is the future of the gentleman spy, jokingly calling Kingsman "the prequel to the Eggsy movie."

He's got a good point about Eggsy being the more original element in Kingsman and Harry being a throwback, but they nailed the throwback character so well that I can't help think I prefer Vaughn's vision of the past to his vision of the future. Firth really managed to epitomize the image of the British gentleman spy, dated though it may be. If you've read my review, you'll know I didn't much care for Kingsman. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't be interested in a follow-up. It would feel like something of a cop out to say that Harry survived that headshot delivered him at close range by Samuel L. Jackson's villain Valentine in this movie, so I'm guessing his potential return would take the form of flashbacks. (It could be a Godfather II situation, transitioning between a past adventure of Harry Hart and a current, related one starring Eggsy.) But how about this? Here's my idea: use Kingsman's success to build two separate franchises. Studios love Marvel-style shared worlds nowadays! Do a series of sequels with Eggsy to be cutting edge and showcase all the hyper-violence, misanthropy and nihilism that Vaughn seems so fond of, and a simultaneous series of prequels for those of us who prefer "the old cliché" starring firth as Harry to satirize and celebrate the great British spy traditions of the past! I did say in my review that I wished I could pluck Firth's character, fully formed, out of Kingsman and send him off in an entirely different series all his own. And I really would like to see that happen. And even if Vaughn (quite understandably) prefers to invent a new kind of spy hero, he's just so good at realizing the old kind!
Thanks to Danny for the heads-up.