Kingsman 3's disappointing update proves the spy franchise never recovered from Rotten Tomatoes' 51% miss

An update on Kingsman 3 and the future of the spy franchise proves that it never fully recovered from the reception of a maligned entry. Despite being heavily influenced by the Roger Moore era of James Bond, Kingsman: The Secret Service still felt like a breath of fresh air when it arrived in 2014. This over-the-top, hyper-violent romp combined the spy movies of old with an irreverent wit that made it a surprise hit. Director Matthew Vaughn had big plans for the Kingsman film franchise, and over the years, several sequels, prequels, and spinoffs have been announced.

Vaughn's other spy saga Argyle was even revealed as a Kingsman spinoff, with the film's post-credits scene revealing that the titular character was trained by the group. The question is, both critical and commercial reception to Vaughn's film The king's man and Argyle they were very poorwith financial bombings and receiving lukewarm reviews. The future of the property is now in doubt, with 20th Century Studios head Steve Asbell recently stating THR that "No plans to make them anytime soon", in relation to questions about the Kingsman franchise.

The downfall of the Kingsman franchise began with the disappointing Golden Circle sequel

Kingsman 2 was a lackluster sequel

For those who wanted a final adventure with Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Harry (Colin Firth), this will be disappointing news. Unfortunately, it's not a huge surprise and it looks like the franchise's downfall can be attributed to 2017 Kingsman: The Golden Circle. There's no reason why this sequel couldn't have been great; added new actors to the ensemble like Channing Tatum and Halle Berry, expanded the scope of the series and was action-packed.

The problem with The Golden Circle was how overcrowded it felt. There were too many characters and subplots, and the action became exhausting rather than exhilarating. It also seemed the film was more concerned with establishing potential Kingsman sequels and spin-offs - including the introduction of its American Statesman counterparts - than to focus on its own independent narrative.

Much of the humor fell flat, and the irreverent way in which the film played up Harry's death seemed to have robbed the original of its dramatic weight. Vaughn may have been excited about the future of the series after Kingsman: The Golden Circlebut even those who liked The Secret Service were quite disappointed with the sequel.

The King's Man failed to reignite the franchise in 2021

The Kingsman prequel was the series' first genuine failure

On paper, The king's man seemed like a great idea. This took the series back to World War I, explaining how the Kingsman spy organization was founded and by whom. This helped The king's man the cast was full of actors like Ralph Fiennes, Djimon Hounsou and Gemma Arterton, but despite the premise, the film just didn't work. The prequel was an uncomfortable mix of a brooding war movie and a goofy movie. Kingsman sequence — and those shades just don't mix well.

The prequel also suffered from a curious lack of energy, and while the original is a light-hearted adventure, The King's Man the solemn atmosphere cancels out the craziest antics. Also configured a subtitled sequence The traitor kingthis would turn the agency against Hitler. The reception at Kingsman prequel appears to have quietly killed plans for a direct follow-up, and if Asbell is taken literally, the estate itself appears to have stagnated.

What happens to the Kingsman franchise now?

Has Kingsman been closed for good?

In a 2024 Collider chat, Matthew Vaughn explained that the third Kingsman - dubbed The Blue Blood - it was taking a long time for us to get together because he and Taron Egerton were very busy. He still intended to make a third exit, and Although 20th Century Studios may not be interested in proceeding, a third party Kingsman It's still a possibility. As he confirms in the same Collider chat, Vaughn's production company, Marv Studios, owns the rights to Kingsman and Argyle openly.

This means Vaughn could strike a deal with a streamer like Netflix to produce and distribute Kingsman 3. Despite the response to the most recent entries, reuniting Egerton and Firth for a final entry seems like it would have enough traction to draw back skeptical audiences. If this third installment were well received, it could even reinvigorate Vaughn's plans for the Kingsman universe too.

For now, Asbell's comments have thrown cold water on the franchise's immediate future. It looks like Vaughn is committed to continuing the series, and It seems that the best way to proceed is to focus Kingsman 3 and ending the Eggsy saga. It's very doubtful Argyle /Kingsman crossover or a direct sequel to The king's man they will work, but the series should not be considered ready yet.

Source: THR, Rotten tomatoes, Mojo Box Office, Collider