Over the course of his career as a director, Matthew Vaughn has not earned universal praise. He's made some movies that have received acclaim – like Layer Cake, Stardust, X-Men: First Class and Kingsman: The Secret Service – and he's also made films that didn't manage to totally win over critics. Even with that experience, however, the filmmaker still found himself shocked by the reactions that came out when his latest work, Argylle, arrived in theaters earlier this year.

CinemaBlend's Mike Reyes gave the movie positive marks in his Argylle review, but a lot of other writers were far less kind, and Matthew Vaughn was taken aback by their criticisms. Empire recently asked him if he was disappointed by the reception, and he didn't mince words. Said Vaughn,

Matthew Vaughn clearly had raised expectations for Argylle – which was produced by Apple Original Films and sported a $200 million budget – and things did not turn out as planned. The movie may have tested well, but a lot of critics took opportunity to tear into the work, with specific aim taken at its length (it has a 139 minute runtime) and what many described as a confusing and convoluted third act.

The review embargo for Argylle lifted two days prior to its domestic release, and Matthew Vaughn was so shocked by the tenor of responses that he made a point of visiting public screenings to witness how crowds were reacting. He explained in the recent interview that he lost some of his confidence in himself, saying,

Ultimately (with no help from the critical response), Argylle didn't have a great run on the big screen. After making just $17.5 million in its debut in the United States and Canada, ticket sales dropped 64 percent in its second weekend, and the film's stretch in theaters ended up only lasting seven weeks. According to The Numbers, it only managed to make $96.2 million globally, rendering it a flop in the context of its budget.

That being said, Matthew Vaughn is keeping hope alive for an Argylle sequel (which was teased in a mid-credits sequence). The movie may not have done well in theaters, but it has apparently found an audience streaming for Apple TV+ subscribers. Without getting into specifics, the filmmaker noted,

Argylle wouldn't be the first movie to get a sequel thanks to finding an audience on streaming, but nothing has been made official yet, and we'll just have to wait and see if that's what fate has in store for the potential franchise.

The directors on this list are among the greatest in the history of cinema, with films that are considered the best of all time; films that will never be forgotten. What about those movies they brought all their tremendous talents to, but which aren’t remembered as well? Here is our list of great movies, by great directors, that don’t get talked about enough these days. 

The Frighteners - Peter Jackson

The Frighteners is such a great movie, and it’s criminally underrated. No, it's not as sprawling or overwhelming as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, but it has all the heart and more. Michael J. Fox leads as a con man/exorcist who can see and interact with ghosts. The Frightners is really funny, well-paced, and delightful. 

The King Of Comedy - Martin Scorsese 

When you think of Martin Scorsese, “comedy” is not usually the first word that pops into your head, but The King Of Comedy is really a pretty great movie, and while it’s technically a comedy, it’s really dark. Goodfellas has some comedy in it, like Joe Pesci acting like a clown… but a true (dark) comedy? This Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis-led film stands alone in Scorsese’s canon. 

Peggy Sue Got Married - Francis Ford Coppola

Peggy Sue Got Married is a deceptively simple film. Unlike Francis Ford Coppola’s more-talked-about epics like The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, this film, starring Nicolas Cage and Kathleen Turner, is smaller, but that doesn’t mean it’s lesser. It’s a weird time-travel tale, but at its heart, it’s really a love story, and while it's not Coppola’s best work, it’s well worth a watch and should be talked about more often. 

Jackie Brown - Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Taratino has famously said that his next movie, his 10th, could be his last. Whether that holds true or not remains to be seen, but it’s a safe bet Jackie Brown will still be his least talked about.

Strange Days - Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow’s won Oscars (for The Hurt Locker) and she’s directed cult classics (Point Break). Strange Days is certainly closer to the latter. In it, Bigelow dabbles in science fiction, a rarity for her, but it’s unsurprising, as Strange Days was written by her then-husband James Cameron. It doesn’t have the iconic quotes that Point Break has, nor is it as white-knuckle as The Hurt Locker, but it is a great time capsule to filmmaking in the mid-90s and well worth remembering. 

Amistad - Steven Spielberg

Wedged between The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan in Steven Spielberg’s filmography, is Amistad. It’s easy to understand why this powerful historical drama revolving around a landmark court case regarding the slave trade is overlooked, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a moving story, told expertly as only Spielberg can, with a monster cast including Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, and Djimon Hounsou, among many others. 

Clockers - Spike Lee

Let’s be clear here, Clockers is not Spike Lee’s finest work. It doesn’t reach the heights of movies like Do The Right Thing or Malcolm X, but it's still a really good movie. It gets lost in Lee’s stellar filmography, which is understandable. It’s also a testament to just how good Lee’s career has been. 

Talk Radio - Oliver Stone

Talk Radio has everything you expect from an Oliver Stone movie. Its pacing and storytelling are perfect, it’s a fascinating and terrifying story that pulls from the real-world events of a murdered radio show host. It also has a healthy dose of conspiracy, as any great Stone film does. 

The Bling Ring - Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring is a meta-tastic heist film that is not only a ton of fun to watch with celebrity cameos and great acting performances, but it also touches on some of the emerging trends that exploded in the years after the movie came out, notably influencer culture. It’s too often overlooked in Coppola’s stellar filmography. 

The Game - David Fincher

David Fincher is a master, and his filmography is full of great movies, like Se7en and Fight Club. The movie he made between those two classic is The Game with Sean Penn and Michael Douglas. Understandably, it’s overshadowed, but it’s an amazing film that is every bit as good as those two more talked-about movies. Even when people watch Fincher’s whole body of work, The Game gets overlooked and it shouldn’t. 

Casualties Of War - Brian De Palma

Casualties of War was released in 1989, which was the tail end of a slew of excellent Vietnam War movies released in the late ‘80s, like Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Hamburger Hill. Despite earning well-deserved praise from critics, the Brian De Palma film bombed, and as such, it's unfortunately one of the director’s least talked about movies when it should be one of the most. 

Matchstick Men - Ridley Scott

Usually, when movie fans talk about Ridley Scott, it’s his sprawling historical epics like Gladiator or Napoleon that dominate the conversation, along with sci-fi classics like Alien and Blade Runner. Matchstick Men is a smaller movie, a dark comedy about a con man with a myriad of personal problems played by Nicolas Cage. It’s a wonderful performance by Cage, and despite not performing well at the box office, it’s been well-reviewed over the years.

Inherent Vice - Paul Thomas Anderson

Inherent Vice from Paul Thomas Anderson is a complicated movie, based on a complicated book by Thomas Pinchon. It’s easy to understand why it’s not as talked about as some of Anderson’s other movies, like There Will Be Blood and Boogie Nights, but it’s every bit as good as those, featuring great acting performances and wonderful cinematography. 

Out Of Sight - Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderberg is known for stylish filming techniques with snappy dialog and interesting plot twists. It’s all right there in Out Of Sight, but the movie still gets overlooked. It was Soderbergh’s first big-budget film, and maybe that’s why it doesn’t get talked about enough. It was also his first collaboration with George Clooney, which makes it even more confounding that it’s not more popular. 

Barry Lyndon - Stanley Kubrick

It’s hard to really argue that any of Stanley Kubrick’s films are not talked about enough, but Barry Lyndon comes the closest here. It’s most revered for its cinematography, but it’s also a wonderful story. While it doesn’t have the panache of A Clockwork Orange or the scope of 2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s still a Kubrick film and it’s one of the best ever made. 

Stardust - Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn has quietly put together one of the finest resumes in Hollywood. The Kingsman movies are a hot franchise, he’s dabbled in Marvel, and may have inspired the choice of Daniel Craig as James Bond after directing him in Layer Cake. Stardust seems to get lost in the shuffle, but it’s maybe, low key, his best film. 

Ryan's Daughter - David Lean

David Lean is rightfully most remembered for three films, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago. Lost in the discussion of those films is Ryan’s Daughter, a retelling of Madame Bovary set at the end of World War I. It was the last film Lean directed for 14 years and we can only wonder what he might have done had he not semi-retired. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson has developed one of the most distinct styles in film history, which translates brilliantly to animation, as well. Anderson’s first foray into the genre was Fantastic Mr. Fox, starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray, among others. While it may never outshine his live-action classics, it should be discussed more as one of his best works. 

Bound - The Wachowskis

The DNA of the Wachowskis is very evident in Bound, their first movie. It was made on a shoestring budget, so it doesn’t have the over-the-top effects of The Matrix series, but you can see where they were headed in their filmmaking. 

Intolerable Cruelty - Coen Brothers

When you have a filmography like the Coen Brothers, inevitably, some of the movies won’t get talked about as much as others. Intolerable Cruelty is one of those that gets lost in the mix, behind movies like The Big Lebowski and others that are among the best movies of the ‘90s and beyond. 

Insomnia - Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is among the most beloved directors of the 21st century, creating what feels like independent films, but with monster budgets. That DNA was on display early in his career with Insomnia, which has everything you’d expect from a Nolan movie, but with less than half the budget of Oppenheimer. 

The Fan - Tony Scott

There are few better action directors in Hollywood history than Tony Scott. Most remembered today for classics like Top Gun, and Days of Thunder, The Fan should be talked about more. It’s not a perfect movie, but De Niro’s performance is terrifying (in a great way) as a baseball fan obsessed with Wesley Snipes' character. It’s action horror, and it’s great. 

Vincent And Theo - Robert Altman

Robert Altman had one of the most up-and-down careers in Hollywood history. After a string of successes in the ‘80s, his career was almost sunk by Popeye. It took years for him to rebound, but he did with Vincent & Theo. That led to a career revival, but it’s hardly remembered anymore, overshadowed by his early and later films. 

She's Having A Baby - John Hughes

One of the biggest reasons John Hughes is so loved by people who came of age in the ‘80s and ‘90s was his ability to write and direct genuine teenage characters. That extended to a young married couple starting their lives together in She’s Having A Baby. It’s not as quotable as some of Hughes’ other movies, but it’s still sharply written and a fun watch. 

Only The Lonely - Chris Columbus

Chris Columbus has some directed some huge films in his career, most notably Home Alone and Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone. He's also got movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Adventures in Babysitting on his resume. One film that is not talked about enough is Only The Lonely starring John Candy as a man looking for a wife, but dealing with a controlling mother. 

Beowulf - Robert Zemeckis

Generations of high schoolers have been confounded and frustrated by Beowulf. Some love the old English classic, but many hate it. It takes a bold director to take it on as a movie. Robert Zemeckis makes it work, and work well. Still, given the material, it’s not a surprise it’s not talked about as much as Zemeckis’ more popular movies like Back to the Future. 

Great Expectations - Alfonso Cuaron

Director Alfonso Cuaron has made some of the best movies of the last 20 years, including Roma, Gravity, and Y tu mamá también. One of his films that doesn’t get talked about much anymore is 1998’s Great Expectations starring Gwenyth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke. It’s a bold modernization of the classic Dickens novel that can be polarizing, but still worth talking about more.

Ed Wood - Tim Burton

Of all the movies Tim Burton has made, it’s unsurprising that Ed Wood is one of his least discussed. It’s a love letter to legendary B-Movie director Ed Wood, and despite being filled to the brim with great performances, it's not as popular as many of Burton’s other works. 

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil - Clint Eastwood

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is not exactly the kind of film you might expect from Clint Eastwood, but you should. Some of his best work is when he strays away from the tough guy movies he’s so well known for and this is a great one, starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey. 

Away We Go - Sam Mendes

Sam Mendes is best known for movies that cover heavy topics, movies like American Beauty, 1917, and Road to Perdition. That's probably the reason 2009's Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph isn't talked about as much, but it's a sweet movie about a couple dealing with major changes in their life and how to handle them. 

Sleepers - Barry Levinson

Sleepers is a dark, dark film. It's also really, really good. With an all-star cast that includes Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, and many more, it's surprising it doesn't get talked about as much as some of director Barry Levinson's other work, but given the subject matter, it can be a very hard watch.  

High Anxiety - Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks is a living legend and his filmography is filled with some of the most quotable movies of all time. One that doesn't get quoted much, or even talked about much, is High Anxiety. It was, believe it or not, the first time Mel Brooks also played the lead in one of his movies, so that alone should garner more attention. 

Great directors usually have long filmographies, so it's only natural that some of their finest work would be talked about less than their most groundbreaking or biggest films. That said, many movies should be talked about as much as those classics, but aren't. Here's to that changing now! 

Director Matthew Vaughn has a unique voice that translates into his brash action films. He’s fond of pushing the envelope, visually, in the spy genre – as he recently does with Argylle and also pulled off in the Kingsmen franchise of films. And that aggressive attitude also powered Vaughn’s detours into the comic book and graphic novel world, as when he worked on both Kick-Ass and his lone X-Men film, X-Men: First Class. It was on that latter film that Vaughn actually punched an extra… but he had a good reason to, and also, they were friends.

We had the opportunity to have Matthew Vaughn on CinemaBlend’s official podcast, ReelBlend, to talk Argylle and his career in general. When we mentioned X-Men: First Class, we brought up the Magneto scene where Michael Fassbender’s vengeful mutant has tracked down former Nazis in hiding to an Agentinian bar. You can cut the tension in the scene with a knife – which is also what Magneto uses to kill the bartender in the scene. Only, according to Vaughn, he wasn’t getting the right reaction from the stunt performer playing the bartender.

As Vaughn remembers it, this was the first scene that they shot in the movie. And he was nervous, being what he called a “director for hire” by Marvel and 20th Century Fox, as opposed to producing his own content. And so, as he recalls:

That’s certainly one way to establish dominance on set. And the authenticity achieved by Matthew Vaughn on that production might be why X-Men: First Class ranks as one of the best X-Men movies made to date. Vaughn did such an incredible job, it was a shame that they didn’t bring him back to direct X-Men: Days of Future Past because Bryan Singer wanted to return to the series. And then Vaughn also has a story to tell as to why he didn’t stay on and direct X-Men: The Last Stand. 

Make sure to listen to Matthew Vaughn’s ReelBlend conversation, in full:

We expect the X-Men to officially become part of the MCU with Deadpool 3, the upcoming Marvel movie. The transition started when Beast showed up in a mid-credits scene in The Marvels. And we’ve also seen multiversal versions of Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I wonder of Matthew Vaughn might ever try another X-Men movie, because I loved his First Class, and think he really understands these characters. Time will tell.

For the last decade, writer/director Matthew Vaughn has been building the world of Kingsman, the franchise based around a secret group of English spies (which was inspired by the James Bond franchise). Now, he's directed Argylle -- a movie which is also about spycraft and that even includes reference to the Kingsman movies. It could mean that the first franchise exist in the "real world" of the 2024 movie schedule entry. So is there a possibility we could see these characters crossover? Vaughn isn’t writing off the idea, and he says there’s a solid reason that such a thing could happen.

It’s hard not to see a lot of Kingsman in Argylle, which is an equally stylized story about super spies who are always the coolest people in any room. As Uproxx points out, the movie even includes a wink to Matthew Vaughn’s previous franchise. When asked if this was only meant to be an easter egg style reference, or a more overt statement over the two films possibly existing in the same universe, Matthew Vaughn didn’t answer directly. However, he strongly indicated that Agent Argylle and Agent Galahad might have the same tailor, saying…

The exact origin of the source material for Matthew Vaughn's latest venture has actually been a subject of some interest. The movie was presented as a story based on a novel by an author who did not exist. Who actually wrote the book, or if there even was one, has been a question, with some even wondering if Taylor Swift wrote it. While Vaughn doesn’t go into detail here, it seems that Mark Millar, the creator of Kingsman, at least owns the story, whether or not he had a hand in making it. So a crossover is, at least in theory, possible.

There would still be some hurdles to overcome for such a mashup to happen, however. The Bryce Dallas Howard and Henry Cavill-fronted flick is a Universal Pictures production, whereas Kingsman has been produced by Fox, which is now owned by Disney. That doesn’t make a crossover impossible, though. If Sony and Marvel can make Spider-Man movies, then a Kingsman/Argylle movie could still happen. 

At present, Argylle sequels are already being considered, though the movie's box office pefromance makes a follow-up seem less likely.  But if the interest from an audience is there, it’s not so wild to think that future films could happen.

As for Matthew Vaughn's logic, it makes some sense. People in the same industry tend to get their clothes from the same place. And Kingsman, in addition to being a front for a super secret spy organization, also makes suits.  Even if you didn’t know they were spies, anybody who had the money would want a Kingsman suit, right? 

The speculation aside, check out Argylle in theaters now, and streaming Kingsman: The Secret Service using a Hulu subscription.

Warning: SPOILERS for Argylle are in play. If you haven’t learned the secrets of Elly Conway’s world of espionage, you’ve been warned. 

Director Matthew Vauhgn’s Argylle has to be the first title of the 2024 movie schedule with as many twists and turns as this film has to offer. Thanks to a promising mid-credits scene, there’s some interest as to where this would-be spy franchise could be going in the future. Though after learning the truth behind Agent Aubrey Argylle, that could be understating things just a bit. 

Let’s take a look at what happened in the mid-credits scene for Argylle. However, be warned: we’re going to have to talk about the ending in order to really dig in. So if you’re still looking to keep things fresh in the realm of both the screen and the page, then you might be better off reading our Argylle review in the meantime. 

Are you still here? Fantastic, as it’s time to proceed with where the Argylle franchise could be headed next. 

What Happened In Argylle’s Mid-Credits Scene

After the adventures of author Elle Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) have concluded, we’re treated to a tease for what’s potentially coming down the pike. Sending us back 20 years in Argylle history, we see young Aubrey (Louis Partridge) show up to a pub with a rather familiar name: The King’s Man. 

Asking for a Cosmopolitan from the bartender (Ben Miles), the young Argylle is given a box with a gun and a silencer, and told that if he’s been sent there, he must be in a lot of trouble. Giving his name to the as of yet unnamed barman, we’re shown a title card that tells us that Argylle: Book One - The Movie will be coming soon. And if you’re curious, yes, that scene plays pretty much “as adapted” in Argylle’s literary tie-in; straight out of Chapter 14 of Elly Conway’s novel. 

THis is something that further tweaks the potential future of this series, as there are a couple ways this could play out. Here's the last call for bailing out before spoiler town, as we're about to talk about Argylle’s big twist and how it sets the table for two big paths this next installment can walk.

Argylle’s Twist, In A Nutshell

Throughout the plot of Argylle the movie, we learn that Elly Conway isn’t who she says she is. Rather, she’s Agent Rachel Kylle, an operative for The Division. A nefarious rogue organization of sorts led by Director Ritter (Bryan Cranston), Elly’s books have basically been memoirs. What’s more, after a blown operation left her with amnesia, Ritter and Dr. Margaret Vogel (Catherine O’Hara) brainwashed Rachel into thinking she was Elly all along. 

The reason for revisiting this big shift in what we knew about Argylle is the fact that there’s a chance things could get even more meta, depending on how Matthew Vaughn decides to move forward. With Elly Conway’s book series now complete, but chock full of details about here life, there are two variants for a follow-up film, both with a unique twist.

The Two Choices The Argylle Franchise Has Moving Forward

One way of playing this Argylle: Book One - The Movie card is letting it proceed at face value. This means Matthew Vaughn and his team can just straight up make the movie version of the book that’s currently on shelves. Sidestepping any concerns for Elly Conway’s reality, we’d potentially see a straight-up movie that shows us Aubrey Argylle emerging from the shadows and becoming the Henry Cavill-starring spy we now know. 

That first option is especially important, as Argylle’s opening weekend box office casts doubt on a straightforward sequel. That being said, if Vaughn and company want to continue building off of the fun puzzle box that the first Argylle dove head first into, there's another option. Doubling down on the meta aspect of it all, Argylle 2 could see Elly navigating the world of Hollywood by adapting her own book into a movie. 

This, in turn, could make things even more intriguing. While her happy ending with Aidan (Sam Rockwell), Keira (Ariana DeBose) and Alfred (Samuel L. Jackson) all witnessing her final book being read aloud seems like it closes the door on her former life, Elly/Rachel could start remembering things differently than originally written. 

At the moment, Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle plans include both options as possibilities. Some serious box office muscle is going to need to show up in the weeks to come for that sort of bullish thinking to even be considered feasible.

What Argylle’s Twist Could Tell Us About Future Books

So what if Argylle takes neither option, and instead opts out of films and TV altogether? Well, there’s always the books, as we know there are supposed to be at least five novels altogether from Elly Conway’s pen. Or, shall we say, from the pens of authors Terry Hayes and Tammy Cohen, the writers revealed by The Telegraph to be the team that actually wrote Argylle: Book One. 

Thanks to the snippets we learn about the novel series in the film, we know that future books entail some pretty huge twists. Not to mention, anything we read in the pages of an Elly Conway novel now has the potential to tell us more about the life of hers we don’t learn about in Matthew Vaughn and Jason Fuchs’ picture.

Either way, if Argylle: Books Two through Five are ever published, we’ll have an even greater window into the lives of Rachel Kylle, Elle Conway and the people they used as inspiration for this new potential spy franchise. If MARV Films has anything to say about it, it'll all lead to a potential crossover with the proposed Kingsman cinematic universe.

Which is a good point to tell you that if you’ve somehow read through this rundown without seeing Argylle, it’s ok. Even knowing the secrets doesn’t dampen the fun that can be had at a theater near you, which is exactly where this big ticket adventure is playing out.

However, if you’re waiting for the streaming release of this particular title, you’ll have to be patient. If there’s anything that’s a more tightly-guarded secret than who the real Agent Argylle is, it’s when Apple TV+ subscription holders will get to see this flick on their home theater systems. 

Director Matthew Vaughn joins the show to discuss his new film “Argylle,” starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, and John Cena. He gets into his competitive nature with Guy Ritchie, the potential of connecting his filmography under one cinematic universe, Henry Cavill for James Bond and so much more. An incredible guest who made for a fascinating conversation, so enjoy. 

Stick around following our interview for our full spoiler-free and spoiler-filled reviews of “Argylle” and the return of the IMDB game.

Timestamps (approx. only

• 00:00:00 - Intro 
• 00:06:50 - Matthew Vaughn Interview
• 00:28:38 - Spoilers! - Matthew Vaughn Interview
• 00:39:38 - ‘Argylle’ Review (SPOILER-FREE)
• 00:49:15 - ‘Argylle’ Review (SPOILERS!)
• 00:59:32 - The IMDB Game: ‘Argylle’
• 01:29:24 - Outro 

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For months now, Taylor Swift and Apple spy comedy Argylle have been talked about in the same sentence thanks to some wild theories from Swifties regarding the singer writing the novel the movie is based on. While promoting the movie, its director, Matthew Vaughn, quickly cleared up that Swift is not involved in Argylle. While speaking to CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast, the filmmaker got real about why he found it so important to quickly deny the connection, and it involved name dropping record executive Scooter Braun.

On an upcoming episode of the ReelBlend podcast, dropping this Friday, Matthew Vaughn discussed Argylle going viral thanks to Swifties. In his words: 

As history has revealed over and over, you don’t want to be on the bad side of Swifties, and Matthew Vaughn was very much aware of this when his movie became the center of theories about one of her many upcoming projects. As Vaughn continued: 

Back in October, Argylle was placed on the radar of Taylor Swift’s fans when the movie’s connections with the singer started piling up. One major element of the whole thing is the fact that the author behind the spy story, Elly Conway, is a first-time novelist, and yet Apple TV+ reportedly bought the rights to the film based on her work for a staggering $200 million, per The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, the movie features an adorable Scottish fold cat (which Swift famously has herself), and the actor playing Conway in the movie, Bryce Dallas Howard, holds similar features to Swift’s alter ego in the All Too Well short film. Vaughn then said this: 

Matthew Vaughn quickly denied those Taylor Swift rumors out of respect for the powerhouse singer and not wanting to exploit her popularity for the sake of promoting his film. Of course, Argylle is now more popular and known organically because these rumors started in the first place, but rather than running with them, the director was very much aware of not wanting to be targeted by Swifties. 

After the music producer sold the masters for Swift’s first six albums, she shared plans to re-record them and has since done so in a big way, with two more albums left to re-release left. Late last year, more big artists like Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato parted ways with Braun.

While the movie isn’t among upcoming Taylor Swift projects, our CinemaBlend Argylle review recommends the new release. You can check out the movie in theaters this Friday, February 2. 

Henry Cavill and Bryce Dallas Howard lead an extraordinary ensemble cast in Argylle, the upcoming spy action comedy from Matthew Vaughn. After much anticipation — and some wild theories about Taylor Swift being connected — the movie is set to hit theaters on February 2. Critics had the opportunity to screen the film ahead of its release, and they’ve got mixed opinions about the meta look at espionage stories.

The story revolves around spy novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), whose world — as well as that of her beloved cat Alfie — is turned upside down when she’s informed that the plots of her books are being reflected in the real-life jobs of a spy organization. Let’s see what critics have to say, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Argylle. Our own Mike Reyes rates the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, writing that it’s a great option for newcomers to the spy movie genre, although it’s more complicated than expected, and not all of the twists land successfully. Reyes writes: 

Molly Freeman of ScreenRant gives the movie 3 out of 5 stars, saying it’s a fun spoof on the spy genre but has too many twists and turns for its largely one-dimensional characters. Still, the action is sure to keep audiences entertained, Freeman says, writing:  

Kevin Harley of GamesRadar rates Argylle just 2 out of 5 stars, suggesting that the film is never as fast or funny as it thinks it is, as it clumsily walks the line between self-awareness and self-satisfaction. Sometimes too slow and other times too silly, Argylle is full of half-baked ideas and no focus, according to the critic, who says: 

David Fear of Rolling Stone addresses the film’s gimmick that suggests moviegoers are in for a huge twist, and without spoiling anything, this critic suggests what Matthew Vaughn doesn’t want people to know is that this is a “stunningly bad movie.” Fear continues: 

Leslie Felperin of THR seems to agree with the above assessment, calling the spectacular cast’s performances “mirthless” and “shouty,” with terrible-looking CGI and random plot twists. In Felperin’s words: 

While the critics all seem to agree the plot is overcomplicated with possibly too many twists, they’re mixed on how entertaining the project is overall. If you want to get to the bottom of the Elly Conway mystery, you can do so starting Friday, February 2, when Argylle hits the big screen. Be sure to also check out our 2024 movie calendar to see what else is coming to theaters soon. 

The world of big screen espionage adventures has the usual tentpoles – most notably the James Bond and Mission: Impossible movies – that stand as time-tested examples of what the genre does best. And then there are the newer kids, like director Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman franchise, that try to put a bold and bawdy spin on that sort of picture in R-rated fashion. 

There aren't a number of films that register at the center of those two ends, which is something that Vaughn and writer Jason Fuchs seem to be trying to correct with Argylle. Starting a fresh theatrical canon in the world of cinematic dead drops, encoded messages, and blown covers, Vaughn and Fuchs open the door for newcomers to walk right through and enjoy with their collaboration. 

A meta-humorous romp that’s “inspired” by mysterious author Elly Conway’s first novel, Argylle stars Bryce Dallas Howard as a fictional representation of this supposedly very real person who becomes entangled in her own stories. With danger closing in due to Elly’s apparent gift of predicting geopolitical events, she’s not sure who to trust – especially when seeing her own fictional creation (Henry Cavill) appearing in her waking life.

Reality and fantasy dance together as closely as Cavill and Dua Lipa do in the film’s marketing. Taking it all in might be a bit confusing for some, but even with its ambitious twists and turns not always landing, Matthew Vaughn's film is a fantastic foundation that can easily welcome younger generations into spy movie fandom.

The Kingsman director’s deft touch with espionage shines throughout Argylle, creating a fantastic espionage romp for beginners.

On the whole, Matthew Vaughn movies tend to have a special exuberant energy to them. Bright colors, insane over the top action, and a killer soundtrack tend to be the hallmarks that make titles like Kingsman: The Secret Service favorites that stick out in the landscape usually dominated by 007. However, the downside is that Vaugh's work tends to be rated R, which leaves out a significant audience that could be waiting for the right title to come along and introduce them to the joys of cloak and dagger antics. 

Argylle definitely fits that bill, as it features PG-13 shenanigans that still retain most of the filmmaker's trademark anarchic energy and color. There’s not one but two original songs that Vaughn has co-written to keep the beat turning in this exhilarating adventure, keeping in line with the man’s signature style. The Stardust director set out crafting this movie with his young daughters in mind, which means a change in tactics was in order. 

You can feel that Matthew Vaughn is holding back. When compared to the sorts of mischief the Kingsman universe trades in, watching Argylle might feel like a step back for more experienced genre fans. Nowhere is that highlighted more than in the complicated plot of the film, which seems to make up for the lack of raunchy humor by engaging its audience with a head spinning puzzle box plot. 

For better or worse, Argylle’s meta-mystery is a bit more complicated than expected.

A good portion of Argylle’s maketing has centered around the mystery of the “real” Elly Conway: the person who wrote the novel that apparently inspired the movie/character of the same name. Elaborate theories of who they could be have suggested everyone from Taylor Swift to Matthew Vaughn himself as being the person who created the fictional world, and so far there hasn’t been a straight answer or reveal. 

There's up to three potential layers of reality that are at work throughout the adventure this movie walks its audience through. On one level, Henry Cavill and John Cena's antics in the field make up Elly's literary narrative. Meanwhile, in the "reality" of Argylle, Conway's whirlwind adventure with real spy Aidan (Sam Rockwell) pits her against Director Ritter (Bryan Cranston) and the nefarious Division. The third and final level is perhaps the most perplexing, as it's where both of those worlds overlap, forming what's supposed to be "the truth." 

Get used to that sort of thinking, as that's the basic language of Argylle’s plot. Even in the face of huge reveals, there are quite a few questions unanswered by the end. Thus is meta in its own way, as one of the film’s trailers has Elly’s mother (Catherine O’Hara) putting her own daughter on notice for a “cop out” ending. Without any spoilers, I wouldn’t label this movie’s ending with such a harsh descriptor, as this is supposed to be the beginnings of a new saga in spydom.

With that firmly in mind, the potential for Argylle to confuse its audience with this bleeding edge of reality/fiction is absolutely a valid concern. There are so many twists to this story that while I didn’t expect a totally pat resolution, I was still hoping for more answers than what we got. Walking a line between effectively teasing you to ask about what happens next, but also being a little too coy for its own good, there is one huge net positive one can walk away with: the mystique of Elly Conway isn’t going away any time soon.

Argylle is a cleverly twisted ride that could be the start of something we’ll be talking about for some time.

I love that I could both predict some aspects of Argylle’s mysteries but can still ponder aspects and facets of this exceedingly meta story. And for the Matthew Vaughn charm to still scale rather nicely into a PG-13 context without being a cop out is a pleasant success to report. With an insane roster of actors that see John Cena and Ariana De Bose mixing it up with Bryan Cranston and Catherine O’Hara, the skill sets on display are as varied as the espionage classics that Vaughn and Jason Fuchs crib from for inspiration.

It’s admirable that Vaughn is opening his storytelling tent to moviegoers that might not be predisposed to enjoy his more risqué efforts, as well as those who might not consider themselves fans of spy thrillers. As a veteran fan of these sorts of stories, I get that Argylle may not have worked as well for me if I were a moviegoer with a relatively clean slate. But even with that noted, you’ll be hard pressed not to have fun while experiencing it all for yourself. 

Always engaging, even when it leaves you scratching your head, Argylle is as cleverly twisted as it is fast moving. Offering a solid foundation for a future that could take so many directions, this could be the start of a continuing brand that endures for some time. The questions it leaves in the air are tantalizing, as there are still a lot of answers left to be uncovered and at least three more novels for Elly Conway to deliver to the world. 

On the surface, this is a great place to start an education in Spycraft 101. However, I think that more experienced agents might get more out of Argylle over time, as there's plenty to chew over on – which, much like Henry Cavill's divisive flat top, will have audiences revisiting and arguing what's really going on as they make their way out of the theater.

The role of James Bond on the big screen is one of the most coveted in film. When the role is available, as it is now, the talk surrounding who it could be is nearly endless. Henry Cavill is one of the names that is being thrown around now as a potential successor for Daniel Craig, but Cavill competed with Craig for the role the last time it was up for grabs, and it sounds like he may have gotten closer to it than even he realized.

Cavill and his Argylle director Matthew Vaughn were interviewed by Sirius XM recently and asked about their respective Bond ambitions. Vaughn, like Cavill, has reportedly been considered to direct Bond films in the past, and possibly the future as well. Vaughn answered the question by revealing that he was working at Pinewood Studios around the time the Bond decision was being made, and the fact that Cavill was a finalist for the role led Vaughn to cast him in another movie. The director explained…

Henry Cavill’s role in Vaughn’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, isn’t too big, but it was the actor’s most prominent role to that point, so it probably is fair to say that Vaughn “discovered” Cavill. However, it sounds like Casino Royale director Martin Campbell was almost the one to do the discovering, as Vaughn claims Campbell actually preferred Cavill to Craig, but it was franchise producer Barbara Broccoli who made the final call. Vaughn continued…

The idea that Henry Cavill was too young for Bond at the time has been said before. Cavill himself was told that he got close, but that his age was a factor. However, the idea that Campbell actually preferred Cavill, if true, is a bit of new information. It’s clear from watching Cavill in the interview that this is news to him.

Vaughn throws himself on the Bond question, and potentially ends any chance he has of directing a Bond movie in the process, specifically so that Henry Cavill doesn’t answer it, as it is possible that any answer Cavill gives on his Bond aspirations could have an impact on those aspirations. Cavill has indicated that he is still interested in playing Bond and if he got that close to being James Bond last time, he must have a strong shot at it now. We’re still waiting on that answer, but perhaps we’ll learn who the new James Bond will be in 2024.

In the years since its inception, Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine that's constantly releasing both big screen movies and shows that are available with a Disney+ subscription. Without a doubt one of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is Shawn Levy's Deadpool 3, which will finally bring Ryan Reynolds' title character into the shared universe. And one previous X-Men director explained why the third Deadpool flick will "save" the MCU as a whole.

What we know about Deadpool 3 is pretty limited, resulting in constant chatter online about what Levy and Reynolds have up their sleeves. Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen a decline in box office performance lately, but filmmaker Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman, X-Men: First Class) thinks that the Deadpool threequel could change the course of the shared universe. As he told Bro Bible's Post Credit podcast: 

How delightfully cryptic. While he's not revealing any secrets, what information Vaughn knows about Deadpool 3 has clearly impressed him. And with that movie hitting theaters this summer, some information should come to us sooner rather than later.

The stakes definitely feel high for Marvel movies to succeed, especially following the dismal box office performance of The Marvels. Other titles like Ant-Man 3 have struggled as well, raising concerns about superhero fatigue. Later in his same podcast appearance, Vaughn explained why he thinks Deadpool 3 will shake things up, saying:

Honestly, that does sound about right. Ryan Reynolds' previous two Deadpool movies brought something wholly original to the superhero genre. The original film proved that R-Rated comic book movies could still make a ton of money at the box office, and the pair of blockbusters were also produced on much smaller of a budget than other superhero flicks. 

Of course, the most iconic aspect of the Deadpool series is its R-Rating, and the title character's penchant for breaking the fourth wall and poking fun at the genre. Now that Wade Wilson will finally be operating within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one can only imagine how he'll take aim at its various movies and TV shows.

Deadpool 3 is currently expected to hit theaters on July 26th. While we wait, check the 2024 movie release dates to plan your other trips to the theater this year.

The marketing hook for Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming spy thriller Argylle asks, “Who is Agent Argylle?” There’s more than enough star power in the film’s cast to fuel speculation that THEY might be Agent Argylle. The trailer makes you think it’s Henry Cavill, but might that be designed to throw us off the true scent? At the same time, there is a novel titled Argylle that comes from a ghost writer… and somehow, some way, Taylor Swift fans latched onto the theory that she wrote the book. 

Because obviously, Taylor Swift has so much free time in between touring the globe and attending NFL games, so writing a spy novel is easy enough. The rumor has fuelled months and months of online speculation, forcing Argylle director Matthew Vaughn to address the situation. And the gossip mongers got a fresh feeding of material when Argylle co-star John Cena posted an IG photo of Swift in a argyle dress, with no caption. 

That has to mean something, right? 

When we asked John Cena about the post during a recent Argylle press junket, though, he told CinemaBlend exclusively:

Yep. We fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker. John Cena admits that he places things on his social media accounts to lure people into the conversation. And then he asks us to “enjoy” the ride that comes with rampant speculation. And we did! Partly because we don’t fully understand all of the clues and references that point to Taylor Swift being the ghost writer of this existing Argylle book. And also because Cena knows that putting Swift on virtually anything is going to create chatter. 

If director Matthew Vaughn gets his way, we’ll continue to have this Argylle chat for years to come. The filmmaker found different ways to expand his Kingsmen franchise, even going back in time to the earliest days of The Kings Man. And if his wishes are granted, he might find a way to continue adapting books in the Argylle series. Let’s just say, this will become clearer after you have been able to see Argylle for yourself beginning on February 2.

And beyond Argylle, keep an eye out for all of the upcoming 2024 movies that will be reaching theaters this year. 

Although plans to make Kick-Ass 3 never ended up happening following Kick-Ass 2’s release in 2013, this ultra-violent superhero property isn’t done being cinematically adapted. Back in 2018, it was announced that Kick-Ass would be rebooted under the guidance of Matthew Vaughn, who directed the first movie. Six years later, Vaughn has revealed some particularly interesting details about the reboot’s progress, though now I’m perplexed by what he has planned for the movie.

Kick-Ass Will Be The Third Movie In A New Trilogy

Yes, you read that correctly. Rather than the Kick-Ass reboot simply launching a new era for the property that started out as a comic book series created by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., it will instead be the third movie in a trilogy preceded by two non-Kick-Ass movies. As Vaughn told Collider, the trilogy begins with an action movie that’s already been shot called School Fight, which he produced and was directed by stunt coordinator Damien Walters. The second movie in this trilogy, which Vaughn is simply referring to as Vram for the time being, is currently shooting, and then the Kick-Ass reboot will follow.

When the filmmaker was asked if the plan was for all three of these “connected” movies for be finished before any of them are released, he responded:

Now I’m wondering what the thought process was behind tying the Kick-Ass reboot to these two separate, presumably original action movies rather than try to launch a new Kick-Ass universe from scratch. That will surely become more apparent once plot details for School Fight and Vram are shared, but let’s also not forget that when the reboot was announced in 2018, it was also said that Hit-Girl would get her own movie. Has that project been scrapped in favor of this unusual trilogy, or will it be made after the new Kick-Ass comes out and wraps up the trilogy?

The Kick-Ass Reboot’s Script Is Pretty Far Along

Clearly there are a lot of questions that need to be answered regarding Kick-Ass’ cinematic future, including whether this will be a full-fledged reboot, i.e. set in a separate continuity from the previous movies, or if it will exist in the same continuity and be more of a relaunch. However, Matthew Vaughn also mentioned that the script is pretty far along, saying:

Since not even School Fight has a release date yet, naturally we’re a long ways off from seeing what the Kick-Ass reboot will have to offer, but it sounds like Matthew Vaughn is making an effort to ensure that audiences get something special with it. Once more concrete details come out about the project, we’ll pass them along.

In the meantime, Vaughn’s newest movie, Argylle, will be released in theaters on February 2 and later become available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription. Those of you who are now in the mood to stream the first Kick-Ass movie can do so with a Peacock subscription, and otherwise you can look through the 2024 release schedule to learn what other cinematic entertainment is arriving soon.

Will Matthew Vaughn's Argylle be the first big blockbuster of 2024 and get the green light to move forward with a sequel? The director certainly seems optimistic. The last three original movies that Vaughn has directed – 2010's Kick-Ass, 2011's X-Men: First Class, and 2014's Kingsman: The Secret Service – have all inspired follow-up features, so there certainly is precedent. There are certainly a lot of fingers crossed in the filmmaker's fanbase, and if things do work out as planned, he will be ready for the opportunity, as there is already a plan for the future in place.

Vaughn and Argylle star Henry Cavill discussed their vision for the future in a recent interview with our sister site Total Film. There is a big picture structure that is kick-started by the first film, which introduces audiences to author Elly Conway (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) and the protagonist of her books, the titular Argylle (Henry Cavill). While the feature coming out in February is a meta adventure that centers on Elly as a protagonist, Vaughn seemingly has a plan to make a second film that is based on Conway's book (which is now available for purchase). The filmmaker explains,

In the upcoming movie, Bryce Dallas Howard's Elly Conway is abruptly roped into real world espionage, as it turns out that her books are so accurate that they can essentially predict the future. Sam Rockwell plays Aidan, the spy by her side through the adventure, but Argylle features an outstanding ensemble cast that includes not only Henry Cavill, but also Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Catherine O'Hara, Rob Delaney, and Sofia Boutella.

As for the opportunity to reprise the role of the eponymous Argylle, it's something that Henry Cavill seems game to do. He speaks highly of his relationship with Matthew Vaughn, and if there is a good story to tell with the character, he is game to reprise the role:

Argylle is co-produced by Apple Original Films, and it will have a release similar to other recent, high-profile Apple features Killers Of The Flower Moon and Napoleon. The movie will be screened in theaters everywhere on February 2, and it will be made available to stream for Apple TV+ subscribers at a later, unannounced date. To learn about all of the films set to be released in the coming months, check out our 2024 Movie Release Schedule.

Next month brings the release of Matthew Vaughn’s next movie, Argylle, which has a stacked cast including Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell. Among the other things we know about Argylle is that it follows a novelist who’s sucked into the world of espionage after her novels inadvertently get too close to the very real schemes of a criminal organization. Weirdly though, there’s a rumor going around that Taylor Swift is the author behind Argylle’s source material, and while Vaughn has debunked said rumor, he did admit that the viral theory even convinced his daughter.

To provide some context, when Argylle was announced back in August 2021, it was said to be based off a then-unpublished book by Elly Conway. We’ve since learned that Elly Conway is also the name of Bryce Dallas Howard’s within the 2024 movie release, and the Argylle book itself was finally released on January 9. However, it turns out that “Elly Conway” is a pseudonym, and the author’s real identity remains a mystery. This is what prompted people on social media to guess that Taylor Swift is the woman behind “Elly Conway” and when Rolling Stone brought this up to Matthew Vaughn (via Variety), here’s what he had to say:

If you’re wondering why Taylor Swift was chosen out of so many celebrities, it boils down to three key reasons. First, she likes to wear argyle sweaters. Two, as seen in the Argylle trailer, Bryce Dallas Howard’s Elly Conway is accompanied by her Scottish Fold cat, and Swift owns two of those. Three, Howard’s hair in the movie is a similar shade of red to what Swift rocked in “All Too Well” short film. If this all felt like a stretch to you, well, you were right, but rest assured, there is someone behind the Elly Conway pen name out there. Vaughn continued:

With just a few weeks to go until Argylle’s release, it’s unclear if the real Elly Conway will stand up and reveal herself to the world once the movie’s out, or if she’ll continue to keep that curtain of secrecy surrounding her literary endeavors. It important to mention, though, that although she isn’t Elly, Taylor Swift did inspire the inclusion of the aforementioned Scottish Fold cat (which belongs to Matthew Vaughn and his wife Claudia Schiffer), because in addition to the ones she owned, she also included one of these felines in the Netflix documentary Miss Americana. So the popular singer’s influence will be felt on Argylle after all in a significant way.

Argylle opens in theaters on February 2, and it will eventually become available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription. Those of you looking to get your fill of Taylor Swift can buy or rent her 2023 concert film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which killed during its opening weekend at the box office.

The superhero genre has been dominating the film world for years now, and there are a number of shared universes currently duking it out for box office supremacy. And as such, moviegoers have theories and thoughts about which actors should join in on the fun. Case in point: Kingsman’s Taron Egerton is a popular fan choice for Wolverine. But that franchise’s director Matthew Vaughn thinks he’d be “amazing” as a major DC villain. 

Egerton has done plenty of wild fight scenes during his time in Kingsman, so he seems like a great choice to join a comic book property. Since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties, fans have been waiting for the X-Men to join the MCU, and have been debating who might play the members of that team. Matthew Vaughn recently appeared on the podcast Happy Sad Confused, where he spoke about the campaign for Egerton to play Logan. But he actually thinks the 33 year-old actor would be a great DC villain. In his words:

Honestly I’m in. While Taron Egerton seems like a great choice for Wolverine, especially as he’s a #ShortKing, Vaughn makes a good point. He’d rather see an even more comic book accurate actor take on the claws, and would instead give Egerton the villainous role of Lex Luthor. We don’t know who James Gunn is casting in the role for Superman: Legacy, so it doesn’t seem completely impossible. Are you listening, James?

There’s been a ton of discourse about who might play the X-Men in the MCU, and the chatter got so loud that Egerton addressed the Wolverine rumors directly. He’s not the only younger actor whose name has been thrown around by the fandom, with Daniel Radcliffe responding to rumors he got ripped to play Logan. We’ll just have to patiently wait for any information from the studio about how the mutants are being handled. Superman: Legacy’s cast is being assembled, but the role of Luthor is seemingly open.

Of course, the questions about who will be the next Wolverine is made more complicated by the fact that Hugh Jackman is returning as Logan in Deadpool 3. It’s unclear how that will work within the MCU, and if he’ll stay in that role. And with the Deadpool threequel recently delayed, we might have to wait longer for any answers about what comes next. 

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is The Marvels on November 10th. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Director and espionage fiction bad boy Matthew Vaughn is up to his old tricks again. As he’s using Harry Potter as an example of how meta Argylle will get with its spy antics, the director is once again poking fun at and paying homage to the capers that have helped build the genre. It’s certainly a strategy that’s worked for Matthew in the past, which was proven yet again through his recollection of how the James Bond movies influenced the development of his own Kingsman series.

Two Big Ways The James Bond Legacy Inspired The Birth Of Kingsman

As he appeared at this year’s New York Comic Con, Vaughn took to the annual convention to discuss the world of his next spy-fi creation. Keeping those Wizarding World influences firmly in mind, Argylle’s trailer showed the world a lot more about where it comes from than one would have expected. In remarks provided via CB, Matthew Vaughn’s co-creation of Kingsman with writer Mark Millar sounds roughly about the same. 

An idea popped into Vaughn and Millar’s collective heads, and inspiration struck. However, here are the specific catalysts from the 007 adventures that helped the process along in a big way: 

Just as Sean Connery’s nerves about becoming 007 required some liquid courage, Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn’s pints at the pub gave us the absurdly brilliant send-up of Commander Bond’s antics. Fittingly enough, that reticence to cast Connery planted the seed that blossomed into something pretty special. 

Apparently, that special brand of mocking and competing with James Bond may have come at a cost though. Despite often being rumored as a candidate to direct future installments in that world, Vaughn has pretty much written off stepping into the 00-director’s chair.

Why Matthew Vaughn Has Written Off His Chances To Direct A James Bond Movie

Despite how much fans may want Matthew Vaughn to direct Bond 26, or any other future entry for that matter, the Layer Cake director has pretty much taken himself out of the running. In a recent interview with Happy Sad Confused, Matthew chalked that disappointing outlook to the following:

“They” are, of course, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, the producers that oversee EON Productions as the family business. As the gatekeepers of all things 00, that feels like a firm and reasonable explanation as to why it’s not likely Kingsman’s co-creator will ever tackle James Bond. If Colin Firth’s monologue about spy movies didn’t take him out of the running, the exploding heads and risque humor probably sealed the deal. 

That wasn’t the full extent of Matthew Vaughn’s talks about what could have been. In that same interview, Argylle’s director also admitted to plotting an entire Superman trilogy with Millar, in hopes of working on the DCEU’s Man of Steel. Unfortunately, that stands as another intriguing “what if…” that lines the hallowed halls of comic book movies we almost saw. 

Matthew Vaughn certainly isn’t hurting for projects to work out his espionage adventure muscles. As The King’s Man ending left the door open for the continuation of that prequel series, Kingsman 3 is also a going concern for the ever-busy director to tackle. At the moment though, it’s full steam ahead Argylle, which will debut in theaters as part of the 2024 movie schedule on February 2nd.

Matthew Vaughn is no stranger to superhero movies, having entered the genre with 2010’s Kick-Ass, then delivered X-Men: First Class the year after (he was also once set to helm X-Men: The Last Stand, but walked away from it). However, the man who’s helmed all three movies in the Kingsman franchise (which is also inspired from comic book source material) has yet to leave his stamp on the DC Comics space, although it’s certainly not for a lack of trying. There was a time when Vaughn “plotted out” a Superman film trilogy, and had it moved forward, we would’ve seen the Man of Steel’s origin story changed in a major way.

During his visit to Happy Sad Confused to talk about his career, Vaughn was asked by host Josh Horowitz if it was true he’d once been lined up to direct Man of Steel 2, which was reported in March 2017. The filmmaker debunked this rumor, but did reveal that prior to Man of Steel being greenlit, he and comic book writer Mark Millar had crafted their own cinematic Superman saga. He started off by saying:

Warner Bros. Pictures started taking pitches from various talent for a Superman reboot in June 2008, two years after Superman Returns came out and failed to receive a sequel, and one month ahead of The Dark Knight’s monumental theatrical run. So at this point in his career, Layer Cake and Stardust were the only movies Vaughn had directed, though that was enough to get his foot in the door. Alas, his and Millar’s idea was one of many that WB would turn down before settling on Man of Steel, which starred Henry Cavill as the title protagonist and launched the DC Extended Universe. 

So how would Matthew Vaughn and Mark Millar have drastically shaken up the Superman mythology with this film trilogy. Well, the man known as both Kal-El and Clark Kent wouldn’t have left Krypton as an infant, but well into adulthood. As Vaughn explained after Josh Horowitz inquired about if his Superman vision would have been more similar to the Richard Donner-helmed movies:

Having Superman only arrive on Earth as an adult following Krypton’s delayed destruction definitely would have been a major change, as traditionally the Kryptonian powerhouse is raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent, and doesn’t learn about his alien heritage until well into his teens. Granted, going off this tidbit of information, it doesn’t sound quite as wild as what Darren Aronofsky planned for his film adaptation of Batman: Year One that also didn’t happen, but still, I’d be curious to see how Vaughn and Millar would have depicted Superman building a love and appreciation for Earth in such a short span of time rather than across his adolescence.

While Matthew Vaughn’s Superman trilogy never became a reality, moviegoers can look forward to another reboot of the popular DC Comics superhero in summer 2025: the James Gunn-written and directed Superman: Legacy, which will see David Corenswet putting on the red cape. Meanwhile, Vaughn’s next movie, Argylle, hits theaters on February 2, 2024, and will be released to Apple TV+ subscribers at a later date.

The veil of mystery surrounding director Matthew Vaughn’s contribution to the 2024 movie schedule has started to lift. Thanks to the Argylle trailer showing off Henry Cavill and Bryce Dallas Howard in action, fans know the meta-fictional adventure comedy is ready to lovingly celebrate and mock the world of espionage stories. And during an appearance at last weekend’s New York Comic Con, Vaughn highlighted the crux of this "meta" story by using Harry Potter to make his point.

During the panel, “Matthew Vaughn: From Kickass to Kingsman to Argylle,” THR was on hand to hear the famed director’s remarks on his next would-be franchise. Vaughn emphasized that the film would be somewhat quirky, which is evident throughout the trailer. Though I'm not sure anyone would've expected him to make a comparison to the Wizarding World: 

If Warner Bros. isn’t salivating over that idea themselves, give them time. Meanwhile, Universal Pictures gets to dig into this crazy-sounding romp themselves next February. Though Argylle was delayed, the studio partnered with Apple to release this previously intended streaming original as a silver screen blockbuster. 

Matthew Vaughn certainly didn’t stop at the comparisons to the Harry Potter franchise, as he believes that his latest flick is the start of something special. While the details surrounding how real Elly Conway truly is are still in question, there’s no doubt that the book named after Henry Cavill’s hero actually exists. On top of giving a limited number of the advanced reading copies to NYCC’s audience, Vaughn put this fine little button on the matter himself: 

In promotional shots for the upcoming movie, there are four books on display, with Bryce Dallas Howard's protagonist looking to be in the middle of writing a fifth in the film’s first footage. So if this project takes off like the filmmaker hopes, these hopes of landing the next Potter-style hit just might come true. In which case, one could assume that unless some creative recasting is already built into the story, Henry Cavill’s tough luck with James Bond just might continue. Albeit for much better, and more job-securing reasons.

Argylle sets its sights on conquering two fronts of entertainment at the beginning of 2024, and there’s two different ways you’ll be able to enjoy the fun! Elly Conway’s debut novel hits shelves starting January 9th; and you can preorder it on Amazon, or wherever you shop for your literature-related needs. 

As for the movie that shares its name, and to a certain extent its universe, you’ll be able to see it exclusively in theaters starting February 2nd. Though keep your Apple TV+ subscription up to date, as that’s presumed to be the eventual streaming home for this explosive and satirical romp.

Matthew Vaughn is no stranger to the world of blockbuster filmmaking. After all, this is the man who helmed three installments in the Kingsman franchise as well as the 2010 comic book adaptation Kick-Ass. He also directed 2011’s X-Men: First Class, which kicked off the Marvel film series’ stretch of big-screen prequels. Some may not be aware, but he nearly tackled other flicks in that fan-favorite superhero saga, one of which was X3: The Last Stand. Vaughn dropped out only weeks before filming was set to commence. In the past, reasons for his exit were reported, but Vaughn himself just shared more insight into his decision to walk away from the production. And apparently, Halle Berry is involved.

Years ago, it was reported that the now-52-year-old director was forced to step away from the Fox-produced film due to family matters, and Brett Ratner succeeded him. He also told The Telegraph back in 2007 that with the studios’ deadlines in place, he didn’t have enough time to make the movie he wanted. It would now seem that there was another element played into his decision, though. The Tetris producer, while speaking at New York Comic Con (via THR) mentioned a script-related matter he encountered during pre-production:

So it sounds like Matthew Vaughn was faced with a draft of the Last Stand screenplay that was quite different from what he'd seen And based on his recollection, Storm – who was famously played by Halle Berry – was highlighted in a few specific sequences. Vaughn went on to admit that he found the idea to be “pretty cool.” However, what gave him pause was the studio heads’ plan for that particular iteration of the film, which he says execs referred to as “Berry’s script”: 

The implication here, of course, is that the powers that be only used that draft to get Halle Berry to sign. Based on his comments, the Layer Cake director became somewhat disillusioned with the production after learning of the alleged plans to dispose of that particular copy of the script. It honestly is wild to hear that the execs allegedly did that in order to get Berry to officially sign on the dotted line. But again, Hollywood can be an "interesting" place.

As mentioned, Matthew Vaughn signed on for First Class a few years later, and it received mostly positive reviews. Vaughn was also set to direct the sequel (eventually titled Days of Future Past) but later dropped out of that as well, leaving franchise vet Bryan Singer to take on his duties. 

These days, the filmmaker isn’t as consumed with the world of superheroes, though his productions are still ambitious in scale. His latest offering is the upcoming spy flick Argylle, and its recently released trailer revealed a wild haircut for Henry Cavill. It’s great that Matthew Vaughn is still working and making creative films. Though one still can’t help but wonder what X3 might’ve been like had he kept the reins and that scene for Halle Berry's Storm had remained.

Those who want to revisit the divisive film can stream it using a Disney+ subscription, and be on the lookout for Argylle which opens in theaters on February 2 as part of the 2024 movie schedule.

Though he may still be working in the world of his Kingman universe, director Matthew Vaughn just can’t pass up a good spy story. After reading a manuscript of mysterious author Elly Conway’s espionage thriller Argylle, Vaughn dedicated himself to shepherding this cinematic take on the project, and took Henry Cavill along for the ride. 

It wasn’t too long before a veritable who’s who of actors jumped on board, and before you knew it Bryce Dallas Howard and John Cena became a part Apple Original Films and Universal's picture, set to debut theatrically on the 2024 movie release schedule. As you’re about to see, the faces who are involved in this particular game are both familiar and intriguing. 

But before we go too far, let's take a look at Argylle's trailer. It's not only a lot of fun to watch, it will also serve as a primer for the dual pronged reality we're about to delve into.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s take a look at the cast for Argylle. Starting, of course, with the actor whose character lends the film its very name. 

Henry Cavill

After making some trips to the world of espionage himself, thanks to The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Mission: Impossible - Fallout, what we know about Argylle has Henry Cavill entering the spy game yet again. This time he’s a bit of a wild card, as our tale starts with this amnesiac protagonist being tricked into thinking he's merely an author of fiction. 

Or at least, that's what we were led to believe originally. Since the release of Argylle's trailer, the narrative seems to have changed. Henry Cavill's Aubrey Argylle is actually the fictional hero of the book that "inspired" Matthew Vaughn's film. Which only further complicates the intention to kick off a new trilogy of spy movies. Though the former star of The Witcher may have his ever busy hands full, Cavill hasn't ruled out James Bond for his potential future.

Dua Lipa

Playing agent Argylle's "elegant and lethal nemesis" Lagrange, we saw Dua Lipa's character pictured in the first official photo and footage of the film’s action. Co-star Henry Cavill hinting in a social media post that trouble was ahead, and the footage that later came along only confirmed as much. 

Everything from Dua Lipa trying to shoot Henry Cavill to being yanked off of a motorbike by John Cena was shown. And for the audience's sake, it appears that Dua's character is present in the fictional book narrative. One final note: while she was originally announced as writing the musical score and title song for Argylle, it seems that the score duties have now gone to Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One composer Lorne Balfe. 

Ariana DeBose

One of 2022's Academy Award winners, Ariana DeBose is also known for her credits in the cast of Hamilton and the Netflix original movie The Prom. Playing the role of "fearless field tech" Keira in Argylle; she seems to be another party present in the fictional Argylle narrative. At least her speeding away from an with Henry Cavill and John Cena in tow would seem to suggest that.

This also seems to indicate that Ariana DeBose looks to be someone we can trust. Which is more than we can say for her casting as supervillain Calypso Ezili in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe movie Kraven the Hunter. I hope we're not winding up for a potential double cross here. 

John Cena

Speaking of heel turns, John Cena is part of this amazing roster of talent as well! The wrestling veteran who became a blockbuster player, Cena has used The Suicide Squad to push his brand of chaos even further. Which leads to his part in Argylle, as Wyatt, a fellow agent (and best friend to) Henry Cavill's Argylle in the book world.

This combination looks to be one that takes full advantage of the Matthew Vaughn line of action-comedy and the Peacemaker star's talents in that realm. Seriously, that bike yank stunt is pretty impressive, as is his over it "man in the van" gag shown in Argylle's trailer.

Richard E. Grant

Rounding out the roster of characters in the Argylle books is celebrated actor Richard E. Grant. Inhabiting the role of Fowler, "a senior member of agent Argylle’s organization," there's a lot of potential for this character on either side of the moral fence. So his current implied alignment on the side of good shouldn't be taken too close to heart.

In terms of Richard E. Grant though, you can take his casting as a sign that Matthew Vaughn is really excited to pack both sides of Argylle's reality with top tier talent. Seen in everything from Withnail and I to Everyone's Talking About Jamie, Grant and his prolific talents have been spotted in blockbusters as of late; most notably as Allegiant General Pryde in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Bryce Dallas Howard

Here's where it all starts to get complicated, readers. Who's the author of Argylle in the reality of us moviegoers? Elly Conway. Who's the character that Jurassic World Dominion's Bryce Dallas Howard is playing in Matthew Vaughn's film, based on Ms. Conway's book? Elly Conway. Apparently, the Kick Ass director's approach to adapting that book he loved so much during those early pandemic days was to co-create a movie with writer Jason Fuchs that gave it a meta spin. 

In the world of Argylle the movie, Ms. Conway is so astute at writing her spy plots that she's predicted real life capers, and attracted the attention of her world's espionage community as a result. So for the purposes of Matthew Vaughn's movie, Elly's world is "reality." Which makes it all the more confusing when trying to figure out how real the still unseen Elly Conway is in our world.

Sam Rockwell

From here on out, we're presumably going to be talking about the people that exist in Elly Conway's world within Argylle. And that's where Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell comes in, as he's playing Aidan, a spy who's trying to protect Elly Conway from forces that are seeking out her supposed skills as an oracle.

A jack of all trades, Rockwell was more recently seen by audiences in the Searchlight Pictures whodunnit See How They Run. Seeing as that movie has its own very meta approach to reality bending, Argylle shouldn't be much of a stretch for his chops; especially after reading how Sam's dual train fight with Henry Cavill really put him through his paces.

Bryan Cranston

Returning to the world of movies for the first time since 2020’s The One and Only Ivan, Bryan Cranston has still been a busy man. Leading up to his casting in Argylle, Cranston has been on stage with productions of both Network and Power of Sail, as well as led the Showtime series Your Honor. 

In the part of Ritter, Cranston seems to have returned to full on villain territory as the head of something only known as "The Division." Think of it as a real life SPECTRE. A spy chief who's been watching Bryce Dallas Howard's Elly Conway, this Argylle figure seems to be the big bad in her reality. And it looks like he'll stop at nothing to get his woman.

Catherine O'Hara

Comedy legend Catherine O’Hara’s best movie and TV roles make her a prime addition to the Argylle cast. Originally, it was theorized that the Schitt's Creek vet would be playing the character of Frances Coffey,“the CIA's most legendary spymaster.” 

However, that was before the truth about Matthew Vaughn's movie revealed that character as a figure from Elly Conway's book. In actuality, Catherine will be playing Ruth, Elly's mother. And from what we've seen in Argylle's marketing, she's pretty frustrated with her daughter's latest installment in the series. 

Samuel L. Jackson

This isn’t the first time that Matthew Vaughn and Samuel L. Jackson have teamed up in the world of cinema. A legendary acting talent, Jackson was also Richmond Valentine, the central villain in Kingsman: The Secret Service. And it seems like these collaborators had so much fun playing together previously, they decided to use Argylle as their big reunion.

Playing Alfred Solomon, the retired CIA deputy director that's helped give Elly Conway stories to write in the Argylle world, Jackson's previous history as the MCU's Nick Fury will probably come into play. Only Alfred doesn't seem to be as uptight as Director Fury ever was. 

Sofia Boutella

No one knows who Saba Al-Badr is working for, so her title as Argylle's “Keeper of Secrets” is even more applicable under that reality. While we'll have to wait to figure out who Sofia Boutella's character is working for, we do know that she's reunited with her Kingsman: The Secret Service director for what looks like one hell of a ride.

Currently Boutella is the face of another would-be franchise of blockbusters. As the functional lead of Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon series of Netflix original films, she's continued to flex her action muscles in bad ass form.  

Rob Delaney

Closing out the currently known cast list is another veteran of the cinematic intelligence community, comedian Rob Delaney. Recently seen in a quick appearance via Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, the man has already proved himself to look good and authoritative in a uniform. 

Delaney’s comedy chops now find themselves put to the test among spies of different stripes, as Argylle marks yet another cinematic appearance by the man who made an impression as Peter in Deadpool 2. Per reporting by THR, Rob's role is "unknown, but it’s understood to be relatively small."

Thanks to Apple teaming with the folks at Universal Studios, this former streaming exclusive is now heading to the movies! Argylle is currently set to make its grand debut on the big screen, on February 2nd. Eventually, those with an Apple TV+ subscription will be rewarded for their patience, as that will be its streaming home.

However, we don't know exactly when that'll happen, as that information is classified. That said, if you want to start your mind bending journey into the world of Argylle, Elly Conway's first installment in the series is currently on shelves; and can be purchased on Amazon, or wherever fine books are sold.

The odds of Henry Cavill succeeding Daniel Craig as James Bond ebb and flow depending on what week it is, but even if the Man of Steel star doesn’t take over as the new 007, he has a bright future ahead of him in the spy genre. Cavill is leading Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming movie for Apple TV+ called Argylle, and one of his co-stars is singer/songwriter Due Lipa, who’s making her film debut here. Today brings our first look at Vaughn’s The King’s Man follow-up, and it has Cavill and Ms. Lipa paired together.

Argylle doesn’t have a specific release date set yet, but since the movie began principal photography last August, there’s naturally at least a little that Apple can now share what with the public. Here’s the first official image of Henry Cavill and Dua Lipa in Argylle that was presented earlier today as part of the Apple March event:

This certainly looks like a moment that could be plucked out of a James Bond movie, with Henry Cavill’s starring protagonist dancing with an attractive, yet potentially mysterious woman. Cavill also revealed in his Instagram post sharing the picture that Dua Lipa’s character is named Lagrange, but we don’t have any other context for how these two cross paths in Argylle. With Apple listing Argylle as not coming out until sometime in 2023, it may be a while before more light is shed on this particular moment.

Officially announced back in June 2021, Argylle sees Henry Cavill playing a world-class spy who suffers from amnesia and thinks he’s a best-selling novelist. Upon regaining his original memories and his lethal skillset, the movie’s eponymous character embarks on a revenge mission against the Division, the mysterious organization that used to employ him. Argylle is based on the same-named, yet-to-be-published novel by Ellie Conway, with Matthew Vaughn directing and producing, and Pan’s Jason Fuchs writing the screenplay.

Along with Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill is joined in Argylle by Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine Ohara, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson, Ariana DeBose and Rob Delaney. This is Matthew Vaughn’s fourth spy-related movie, as he’s helmed all of the Kingsman installments thus far and intends to do the same with the upcoming fourth movie, which is wrapping up the original Kingsman trilogy. Argylle is one of several movies Cavill has lined up for the future, with others include Enola Holmes 2 and the Highlander reboot, as well as continuing to play Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s The Witcher.

Keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for more news about what we can expect from Argylle. For now, there are a lot of Apple TV movies available to watch now, or you can see what’s dated for late this year by looking through the selection of upcoming 2022 movies.

Star Wars has a pretty huge effect on the fans who grew up with the franchise, and some of them have even grown up to become moviemakers themselves. So when Matthew Vaughn, lifelong devotee to George Lucas’ sci-fi creation, got to direct Mark Hamill himself, he absolutely felt starstruck. To be honest, no one could blame him, as The King’s Man co-writer/director had feelings that pretty much mirrored what you’d expect from meeting the man who helped bring Luke Skywalker to life. 

As Matthew Vaughn sat down to an exclusive roundtable of journalists to promote his latest project, CinemaBlend was on hand to ask and listen to other questions that covered pretty much every aspect of his career. When asked if he’d love to make a Star Wars movie, Matthew Vaughn was absolutely excited about the possibility, though he was honest in saying he didn’t think he’d be considered. Describing his love and fandom for the legendary series of films, Mr. Vaughn then told the following story about directing Hamill in 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service:  

With Mark Hamill cast as Professor James Arnold, a key figure in deciphering the plans of Samuel L. Jackson’s villainous Valentine, Kingsman: The Secret Service put Matthew Vaughn face to face with his childhood idol. That sort of opportunity would melt anyone’s mind down to the most basic of chemistry sets, and for the most part, Vaughn lived up to his pledge to play it cool. Eventually his inner fanboy would come out to play thanks to a very special announcement being made while filming his 2014 sleeper hit. Here’s how the game changed when Star Wars: The Force Awakens was confirmed as going into production: 

Just as Mark Hamill is an expert in fan-based interrogations, Matthew Vaughn is enough of a professional to be able to film two pivotal scenes with his boyhood idol and get the job done. Whether or not he’ll be approached for a Star Wars gig in the future remains to be seen. In all honesty, with the plans he has for the Kingsman and King’s Man films, Mr. Vaughn’s schedule will probably be swamped. So perhaps a journey to a galaxy far, far away isn’t exactly in the cards at the moment. 

The latest chapter in the Kingsman Cinematic Universe is currently in theaters, with The King’s Man ready to delight fans of gentlemanly combat and ribald comedy. Should you want to get a jump on taking a look into the future of moviegoing, the 2022 release schedule is available for your viewing pleasure as well. Either way, your holidays are set to carry on with whatever movie magic you choose to indulge in.

Over the last eight years, the DC Extended Universe has inspired quite a lot of divisive opinions. The franchise was controversial from the get-go, with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel ending with Henry Cavill's Superman snapping the neck of Michael Shannon's Zod, and the discourse hasn't only heightened since then. This includes not only conversation among fans, but also filmmakers, like veteran comic book movie director Matthew Vaughn.

There has been chatter for years about Matthew Vaughn possibly directing the next Superman movie, and in addition to noting his continued interest in doing that during a recent interview with The Wrap, he also shared some candid opinions about what the DC Extended Universe did with the superhero in the aftermath of Man of Steel. Specifically, he doesn't love that the next move for the character on the big screen was to have him cross paths with Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

In the interview, Matthew Vaughn talks about having previously been "desperate" to make his own version of a Superman for the big screen – putting emphasis on the idea that it would be a "colorful, fun Superman movie. Not a dark one." It was this line of thought that seemingly led him to discuss the path that was taken by Zack Snyder in the construction of the DC Extended Universe. Said Vaughn of Batman v Superman,

Obviously Batman and Superman have "physically" long existed in the same world, as they first teamed up in World's Finest Comics #71 back in 1954 – but that's not the point that Matthew Vaughn is making. The two characters have specific and opposing tones that the DC Extended Universe never let develop independently, and putting them together in the second film of the franchise caused the "vibes" to clash. And as anyone who has seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice can attest, the darkness of the Caped Crusader very much envelopes the light of the Man of Tomorrow in that blockbuster.

Matthew Vaughn just recently had the opportunity to work with Man of Steel star Henry Cavill on the upcoming spy thriller Argylle, but he also admitted to the trade that his favored version of Superman on the big screen is the one played by Christopher Reeve in Richard Donner's classic Superman: The Movie. What's more, he notes the oddness that the spirit of that 1978 film is present in the DCEU, but it's in Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman rather than any of the titles featuring the last son of Krypton. Said the filmmaker,

As of right now we don't know what the future actually holds for Henry Cavill's Superman, and it's unclear if he will ever get the opportunity to star in a brighter, more hope-filled solo film like the one that Matthew Vaughn describes. The project that seems to have the most steam right now is a film being developed by writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and produced by J.J. Abrams – a project that will reportedly feature a Black actor in the lead role. 

We haven't heard about developments for a few months know, but you can keep track of it and everything else in the DC Films pipeline by checking out our Upcoming DC Movies guide.

Looking back on the recent history of Hollywood war movies, World War II tended to be the conflict favored by the marketplace. It made sense, as not only did you have Hollywood creatives and actors partaking in that war first hand, but in the ensuing decades, it was the major world conflict freshest in the minds of the populace. That trend started to change in the past couple of years, with World War I making a sort of comeback at the movies. 

Strangely enough, while co-writer/director Matthew Vaughn had the idea to go back to that era in The King’s Man before most of his competitors, scheduling shuffles and world events led to an unexpected impact from films like Wonder Woman and 1917 seemingly influencing the film’s profile.

How Wonder Woman And 1917 Unexpectedly Impacted The Release Of The King’s Man

Speaking on behalf of CinemaBlend during the press day for The King’s Man, I mentioned how this moment in combat history has been kind of popular as of late. That naturally led to the subject of how the prequel to the Kingsman saga found itself bridging an interesting gap when it came to basing its story around World War I. As an unfortunate side-effect of the several pre and mid-pandemic delays, Matthew Vaughn shared the following feelings while chatting with me: 

It’s a unique pair of problems to have when talking about the same movie. Originally slated as a 2019 release, The King’s Man would have found itself sandwiched between 2017’s Wonder Woman and the competition of Sam Mendes’ 1917, which was released in December 2019. Audiences’ literacy pertaining to the conflict would have been better than before, with Ralph Fiennes’ Duke of Oxford fitting in with Diana of Themyscira and Lance Corporal Will Schofield, respectively. Had that plan stayed in place, it probably would have kept Matthew Vaughn closer to the head of the line; especially since all three movies have pivotal action sequences in No Man's Land.

Why Did The King’s Man Fall To “The Back Of The Line”?

Two huge events would push The King’s Man into that proverbial “back of the line,” and the first was the closure of the Disney/Fox merger. A huge scheduling reshuffle had to be executed because of these two corporate entities becoming one, which is presumably why the movie was shifted throughout the board into 2020 release dates. That fate put the third entry in the overall Kingsman Cinematic Universe into the path of world events, which saw the COVID-19 pandemic dictating several shifts through 2021’s calendar as well.

By this point, audiences at large could mistake The King’s Man for following the trends set by the movies that came before it. However, there’s one more piece of information that helps boost Matthew Vaughn’s claims of being ahead of the curve. Without going into too much detail, the lore laid out in 2015’s Kingsman: The Secret Service ensured that a World War I prequel was a necessity, should Vaughn or any involved party want to move backwards in the story of that universe. That timing also lines up with Vaughn’s five year figure, as it’s been six years since the Kingsman franchise has been a fixture in theaters. 

Fulfilled in the story of The King’s Man, the origins of the Kingsman Agency are now cemented, ready to laid down the path between the past and the future of the overall story. Just as before, Matthew Vaughn has a plan for where he wants things to go, with the will of the fans deciding whether it happens or not. Should this prequel experiment work out, the history of espionage between World War II and the modern era will be the foundation for a parallel franchise that can run alongside the adventures of Harry and Eggsy. 

The King’s Man is almost upon us, with opening day starting on Wednesday, December 22. Though that’s not the only post-Spider-Man: No Way Home option that you’ll have to enjoy in theaters, which you can see if you research the final month of 2021’s release schedule. So line up your holiday viewing schedule accordingly, and remember: manners maketh moviegoing. 

“Busy” is a word that definitely describes the atmosphere on the backlot of Walt Disney Studios and its various subsidiaries. The merger between the company and what’s now known as 20th Century Studios only contributes to that image, as the slate of projects inherited after the fact has led to movies either being cancelled, sold off or put on the backburner. As The King’s Man gears up for release, perhaps now’s the best time to ask, is Kingsman 3 still on Disney’s radar? Luckily enough, we do have an answer, and Matthew Vaughn has provided some keen insight into that very subject. 

What’s Going On With Kingsman 3 At Disney?

During his select roundtable interview promoting The King’s Man, Mr. Vaughn wasn’t shy at all about his plans to expand the universe, should the fans want that to happen. That’s all well and good, but there’s just one potential problem: will Disney be just as interested in going forward, regardless of how well this new prequel does? As it stands, not only is Kingsman 3 definitely on Disney’s radar, but in Matthew’s update on the project’s standing, he gave a firm timeline as to when the next steps are going to be taken:

The short, but sweet truth is that Disney definitely has its eyes on The King’s Man and Kingsman franchises. With a sit-down set to take place in about a month, that’s more than likely been set up as a period of evaluating the box office performance of the entertaining Ralph Fiennes-led ensemble piece. If these numbers aren’t to the liking of the top brass, the future may fall squarely in Matthew Vaughn’s hands, which isn’t by accident at all.

How Matthew Vaughn And Marv Studios Retained The Rights To Kingsman

Through his production company MARV, Vaughn has been able to attack the projects he’s most passionate about, and not have to worry about studio backers in the process. Rather than letting a studio finance a movie like Kingsman: The Secret Service in exchange for the rights, Matthew and his company finance their own movies and use the studio as a distribution partner. The fierce independence in that methodology shines through as he describes how that approach has basically built his entire career: 

Ultimately, it sounds like Matthew Vaughn and MARV's playbook involves leaving it all on the line one movie at a time, and deciding whether or not to press forward one the results are in. Again, that highlights the point that Vaughn has made throughout the press tour for The King’s Man, which is that the fans need to show up, and vote with their wallets. Though that’s not the only movie on the books that needs to perform in the world of MARV’s sprawling ambitions.

Could Kingsman 3 Move Ahead Without 20th Century Studios/Disney’s Involvement?

Leaving it all out on the field is a way that Matthew Vaughn’s style of moviemaking is more unique than most. Every project feels like a passion to him, but in turn, the investment in those movies does tend to hold up future projects past the planning stages. While he could very well could move onto Kingman 3 in time for its planned September 2022 start date, with or without Disney’s backing, here’s the next hurdle Vaughn will have to clear to do so: 

No clear date is set out for Argylle’s debut, both in the printed word or as a cinematic property. Still, this already seems to lay out a timeline for what’s to come. After the meeting with Disney takes place in the post-King’s Man aftermath, the only question that’ll remain is how well Bryce Dallas Howard and Henry Cavill’s spy caper performs with its audience. A number of possibilities could arise from this scenario, but the key takeaway is that even without 20th Century Studios distributing Kingman 3, the show could very well go on.

If you’re a fan of the Kingsman legacy, then you should make your way to theaters to see The King’s Man; which opens on December 22nd. Also, keep an eye on the 2022 release schedule, as there’s no telling when the release date for Argylle will be made available to the public. Much like the adventures of Mr. Vaughn’s espionage franchises, intelligence and a proper game plan are key to the future. 

For the Kingsman series to go from two films in the modern era to the World War I throwback that is The King’s Man may have felt like a bit of a jolt for some fans. For co-writer/director Matthew Vaughn however, this decision was a part of several ideas that make up the fabric of where he wants to take the cinematic franchise. He recently revealed his plans for the Kingsman cinematic universe to CinemaBlend, and one thing became abundantly clear about Mr. Vaughn and his vision: it’s absolutely massive.

Where Could The Kingsman Cinematic Universe Branch Out To Next?

On behalf of the upcoming release of The King’s Man, I was invited to partake in a limited roundtable with Matthew Vaughn himself. With the conversation ranging from his work on the Apple TV+ original film Argylle to the potential for a Rocketman sequel, nothing was out of bounds. Yet after the experience myself and my fellow journalists had with his big prequel, the future of the Kingsman universe itself has been very much on everyone’s minds. When asked about that very subject, Mr. Vaughn gave the following rundown: 

As he spoke from his home office during this hour-long conversation, Matthew Vaughn referenced the walls that were strategically out of frame. Even better, there were a couple other projects mentioned that the general public hasn't even heard about yet; like a reboot to another franchise that Vaughn had collaborated on with Mark Millar, Kick Ass. Between the various lockdowns that kept him cooped up, and a general creative energy that keeps him moving a mile a minute, the man has a lot of plans on his mind.

Matthew Vaughn On The Balance That Needs To Be Struck With Any Potential Kingsman Spinoffs

Which leads to the possibility of other Kingsman like organizations throughout the world; as we saw with the American based outfit Statesman in 2018’s Kingsman: The Golden Circle. When prompted, Matthew Vaughn mentioned that some of those local language spin-offs could be set in countries like Spain and France, complete with uniquely fitting titles that would be love letters to their respective regions. It’s all in the name of experimenting with the franchise, but even Vaughn admits that there’s a balance that needs to be struck between ambition and the demands of the market: 

For the purpose of keeping score, let’s take a quick tally at what’s on the field for this cinematic universe thus far. Obviously, Kingsman 3 and a potential fourth follow-up are in the cards. We knew that much was at stake when it was announced that production is supposed to begin next September, and that the film would close out the relationship between Colin Firth and Taron Egerton’s franchise leads. Plus, Statesman was also a going concern, as the story for The Golden Circle was so massive it was almost split into two films, and spin-off plans had been mentioned early on. 

Now, there’s a potential for a second mainline story branch with The King’s Man, as this is only the beginning of the story that sees Orlando, the Duke of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes) founding the intelligence operation during the early days of World War I. Should that particular endeavor be a success, Vaughn also has plans for where the more historically-minded side of the house could venture should this first movie resonate with fans. For any potential expansion to work, two factors need to be in place. 

Why The Kingsman Cinematic Universe Works

If the Kingsman Cinematic Universe is to have a core, then it’s the exploits of British intelligence fighting off one tyrant at a time. This fits perfectly with the other aspect that Matthew Vaughn ultimately feels is the key to any potential Kingsman project working. Crediting the 2014 film’s success to the following key ingredient, here’s the other magic component to any project in this potentially massive world: 

Matthew Vaughn and his team seem to always be thinking of where things could go next, while also being mindful not to wear out the series’ welcome. Whatever happens next, this next chapter in line is a key component, and it is drawing ever closer to its theatrical release. Should this latest experiment pay off, we might get to see Vaughn take a page out of Netflix’s book, and introduce us all to further enclaves of espionage and villainy. One can only hope. 

The King's Man requests your presence, only in theaters, starting December 22nd. Yes, it’s a crowded time at the movies, but you needn’t let the options get to your head too quickly. Relax, pour yourself a liquid refreshment of some sort, and head over to the 2021 release schedule to evaluate your options this holiday season. 

You can get a real good feeling as to what type of movies the Kingsman series is trying to make, even with only two entries in the modern day half of the franchise. That formula would only grow stronger, both in signature and expectations, if we were approaching the third entry of co-writer/director Matthew Vaughn’s adventures with Harry Hart and Eggsy Unwin – but now is the perfect time for a curveball if there ever were one, and The King’s Man provides a slightly different spin on the espionage outfit at the heart of this saga. The World War I-set prequel dares to get a bit more serious when it comes to the roots of the spy ring from which it derives its name, but the film still remembers to keep the R-rated antics up, providing a bloody and bawdy good time for all.

Jumping back to tell us about the Kingsman Agency’s origins, The King's Man introduces us to Orlando, the Duke of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes): a man who wants nothing to do combat after a very personal loss. His son Conrad (Harris Dickinson) couldn’t be further from his father’s ideals, though, ready to serve after a life of being sheltered by his family’s influence. This gap of opinions only grows as a madman named The Shepherd wants to trigger a great war in the name of upsetting the balance of power on the world stage.

Matthew Vaughn’s latest Kingsman film is a slightly toned down prequel that knows when to properly use the cheeky charm of its parent franchise.

Right in its plotting The King’s Man is already differentiating itself from the films that preceded it. Matthew Vaughn and co-writer Karl Gajdusek dial back the more outrageous tone of the modern adventures of the Kingsman Agency in the name of showing this fictitious body’s formation in a very real era. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t time to cut loose, as the trademark cheeky charm that made Kingsman such a popular series is still very much in play. 

Furthering the themes of duty in the name of family ties, The King's Man starts with a more intelligence-minded agenda. It's only because of events breaking as they do throughout the film that Orlando, Conrad, and their cohorts are able to break personal codes in the name of the mission. When that happens, all bets are off, and the fun that Kingsman fans have come to enjoy in the previous films really begins.

With a story that includes everything from a sword fight set to a Tchikovsky mixtape, humor at the expense of the very real lusts of Grigori Rasputin (Rhys Ifans), and even the inclusion of what’s best described as goat parkour, The King’s Man doesn’t take itself too seriously. Balancing its tone even handedly, this prequel goes a long way towards forming the Kingsman universe that Matthew Vaughn and his co-conspirators first introduced to audiences in 2014.

A cross between world building, and world history, The King’s Man uses real events and people to build a bridge to the franchise’s more outrageous future.

Another huge difference between The King’s Man and its thematic successors is that there are some very real figures acting as part of the central conflict. Rather than just including celebrities as hostages, there are actual military figures and events present during Orlando and Conrad’s journey to form the best independent intelligence agency they can. Figures on all sides, like Rasputin, Erik Jan Hanussen (Daniel Brühl), and Herbert Kitchener (Charles Dance) contribute to moving things along, without sparing the historical details. 

There's plenty of room to get those sorts of things wrong too, as World War I is the focus, providing firm boundaries as to where these clandestine adventures can touch. Humor does find its way quite conveniently into the reality of these events, as seen in Tom Hollander's triple casting in the roles of warring cousins King George V, Tsar Nicolas II, and Kaiser Wilhelm II. Playing the fact of their royal likenesses straight, it allows Hollander to stretch his acting and comedy muscles as very different world leaders, each with their own sidekicks to fuel the laughs and warfare.

Grounding the story in reality only makes the further additions to the Kingsman ranks more intriguing. Particularly, Shola (Djimon Hounsou) and Polly (Gemma Arterton) provide some thrilling contrast to the characters who can’t really go all out in The King’s Man – though there’s definitely a thin line, as Rhys Ifans’ Rasputin is just as outrageous as Shola, Polly, or Orlando when it comes time to battle. Fiction and history are evenly matched, and it only enriches the playing field for future outings.

The King’s Man delivers a smashing good time for anyone who likes their holiday with a naughty twist of well-tailored action, adventure, and comedy.

Matthew Vaughn hopes to do two things with The King’s Man: please the fans, and convert previous detractors. Tweaking the formula of this still-growing franchise only where needed is a great example of how the world of prequels can continue to shed the tarnished reputation established over the years. Backfilling historical gaps alluded to in the Kingsman series, this isn’t just a clear cut puzzle piece that snaps into place with what we know from before, and there’s plenty of room for surprises in what’s to come.

Blockbusters are certainly no stranger to the December box office, as seen with the direct competition that’s flanking The King’s Man in its opening weekend. The film’s greatest asset is only highlighted by this fact, as it’s an R-rated spectacle that delivers a smashing good time for anyone who likes their holiday with a naughty twist of well-tailored action, adventure, and comedy.  In a market where most of the thrills are either meant for the whole family, or a more maturely adjacent segment of the audience, a very adult experience sets Matthew Vaughn's latest efforts apart from the crowd. 

Offering a new flavor of adventure for the more serious but still comedically open minded viewer, the film may find those who dismissed the previous movies crossing the aisle.  In light of The King's Man's strong, innovative continuation of the Kingsman brand, that's not an alien possibility. Should it succeed, it would be a victory not only for the franchise, but also for those looking for something both a little more off-beat and familiar on the big screen. 

The world is finally ready to meet the World War I prequel The King’s Man, the film which sets up the origins of the organization that makes up the heroic exploits of the Kingsman franchise. As it fills in the gap of events that have up until now been hinted at in the more modern piece of the puzzle, there’s still plenty of room for Harry and Eggsy’s story to progress in the future. Which is fantastic, because co-writer/director Matthew Vaughn has revealed when Kingman 3 is going to start filming; and it’s in a little under a year. 

Speaking with Comicbook.com ahead of the release of the Ralph Fiennes-led ensemble adventure, Matthew Vaughn provided some updates on when that third chapter in modern Kingsman history will go before cameras. Though the director is currently at work on his next espionage thriller, Apple TV+’s Argylle, he’s already got his sights on the future of his other smash espionage franchise. Here’s when to expect the third installment to start rolling cameras: 

It’s way too early to even guess when this next movie will be released, as the plan is to start filming next September. Should the course of events continue without interruption, that could hint at a 2023 debut for the next installment, which is supposed to close out the Harry/Eggsy relationship. As The King’s Man saw everything from standard release shifts to pandemic-related housekeeping push the film a little over two years out of its original window, even if that production schedule goes off without a hitch, releasing is another story. 

Another question that seems to be circling Kingsman 3 is whether or not Mark Strong’s Merlin could be resurrected for the threequel. Death certainly didn’t stop Colin Firth’s Harry from making a grand entrance in The Golden Circle, but a bullet to the head seems a bit more fungible than a landmine explosion; even in this reality. Time will eventually reveal the answers to these questions and more, so we’ll all have to sit tight. 

The best news to come out of this whole discussion is that the film is still in the works. As the Disney/Fox merger may have made some hesitant to count on a new entry being considered, even with The King’s Man completed and ready for release, Matthew Vaughn’s updates are pretty confident. Now, all that has to be determined is the future of this new prequel series, which is about to make its debut in a very crowded window.

The King’s Man will arrive in theaters on December 22nd, with Kingsman 3 not being dated for release at this time. Meanwhile, the 2022 release schedule is available for viewing, providing a view into the future of movie going for the year to come. Which is probably a good thing, because Argylle doesn’t have a release date as well; though that’s definitely aiming for a 2022 debut. 

Booking up streaming releases is becoming more routine for the biggest names in Hollywood as the industry focuses more on the number of successful services that are part of the streaming war. The latest massive streaming deal involves Kingsman filmmaker Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming spy thriller Argylle, which will star Henry Cavill and Jurassic World’s Bryce Dallas Howard.

Apple Original Films is the studio behind a $200 million deal for Argylle, which will introduce “the world’s greatest spy” in a globe-trotting adventure. Deadline has learned that the major streaming deal that is close to being wrapped up was made in the hopes of Argylle becoming a major franchise for Apple TV+.

For years, Henry Cavill has been one major actor fans have named as their favorite for the next James Bond. And even the Man of Steel star shared he would “jump at the opportunity” to be part of the 007 legacy. These days, it looks like Cavill will be part of his own version of a suave spy hero, and the cast is absolutely loaded.

Alongside Bryce Dallas Howard being named up top with Henry Cavill, Argylle also stars Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine O’Hara and John Cena. The movie will also feature Grammy-winning singer Dua Lipa in her first acting project, along with the artist providing the music for the spy film. All the way around, it sounds like it could be a big hit, and here’s what Matthew Vaughn thinks about the big deal:

Argylle is based on a spy novel of the same name by Ellie Conway, which has yet to be released to bookshelves, and from a script by Jason Fuchs, who previously wrote the story for 2017’s Wonder Woman. Matthew Vaughn has launched a number of action franchises in the past, including the X-Men prequels, Kick-Ass and the Kingsman films.

The movie seems like one that could also fare well on the big screen given its scale and price, but it’s unclear whether Apple will send Argylle to theaters or take it straight to its streaming service. Apple Original Films has been doing big business with a few major filmmakers as of late, including Martin Scorsese for his next Leonardo DiCaprio collaboration Killers of the Flower Moon, and Ridley Scott’s movie about Napoleon Bonaparte starring Joaquin Phoenix, Kitbag.

Henry Cavill is continuing to move on from his role as Superman in the DCEU with Argylle and other exciting roles such as Highlander, playing Sherlock Holmes in the Enola Holmes sequel and appearing in an upcoming rom-com. We’ll keep you posted here on CinemaBlend about his turn to play a spy for Apple TV+.

Recently, in-between her directing gigs on shows like The Mandolorian and The Book of Boba Fett, Bryce Dallas Howard has of course been fighting dinosaurs yet again in the Jurassic World franchise. As Jurassic World: Dominion is in the works for its big 2022 release date, Howard has been hyping fans up every step of the way. Though there’s a new announcement that’s hype worthy outside of this franchise, as Bryce Dallas Howard seems to have found her Jurassic World: Dominion follow-up, which sounds like it’ll have her continuing to ditch heels in the name of action.

Per a report from sources who spoke with Observer, Kingsman franchise creator Matthew Vaughn is allegedly writing and directing an untitled spy thriller. Bryce Dallas Howard is speculated to be the lead, an author who writes spy thrillers, but has forgotten that she’s also a spy herself. This amnesia is soon cleared, when a fellow former agent and a rogue faction both threaten the organization she previously worked for. Rumored to be up for those roles is Sam Rockwell and Samuel L. Jackson, respectively.

Based on these early details, Bryce Dallas Howard’s potential spy thriller sounds pretty amazing. And besides the potential participation of Sam Rockwell and Samuel L. Jackson, there’s allegedly talks for even more “big names” being invited to play along. Which sounds about right, as Matthew Vaughn’s familiarity with global espionage and all-star casts fits in with the work he’s done with the Kingsman movies.

Vaughn, who’s already been through two Kingsman films and has the prequel The King’s Man set to release in December, also has some huge plans for his other spy-fi universe as well. A third entry into the Kingsman mythos underway, which would act as the final chapter of Taron Egerton and Colin Firth’s spy duo story, has always been in the cards. But the larger plans for the Kingsman universe have us thinking there might be a deeper connection between this world and the one Bryce Dallas Howard is said to be circling.

Towards the end of 2020, Zygi Kamasa, the CEO of Marv Group, had mentioned that in addition to additional Kingsman film and TV projects, a couple of other franchises were being developed as well. We know that Kingsman and even a spin-off for the US based organization The Statesman are both in play; but could The Division, the group that Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, and Samuel L. Jackson all were a part of at one point, be another player in the overarching universe?

Much like the status of this untitled project, it’s all speculative at this point. But for now, the prospect of Matthew Vaughn developing a new spy thriller, with Bryce Dallas Howard in the lead, sounds fantastic. Hopefully we’ll hear more about this project sooner than later, but if you’re looking for some more Vaughn-crafted spy action, The King’s Man is set to deliver just that on December 22nd. Meanwhile, Bryce Dallas Howard can next be seen in Jurassic World: Dominion, when it opens on June 10th, 2022.

Rather than keep things going in the present day, the Kingsman film series is taking a detour with its next movie and winding the clock back to chronicle how the eponymous spy organization was formed. However, that’s not to say The King’s Man won’t have any connections to the in-development Kingsman 3.

Matthew Vaughn recently revealed that The King’s Man will lay groundwork for what’s to come in Kingsman 3, saying:

Considering that The King’s Man is set approximately a century before Kingsman: The Secret Service, I’m curious about how this prequel can plant seeds for events happening in contemporary times. Right off the bat though, we can reasonably rule out any of The King’s Man characters popping up in Kingsman 3, unless there’s technology introduced in this universe that allows someone who was alive during World War I to still be around today. I doubt it.

No specific plot details for Kingsman 3 have been revealed yet, other than that it will serve as the conclusion to Taron Egerton’s Eggsy and Colin Firth’s Harry’s relationship. The events of Kingsman: The Golden Circle saw the Kingsman organization being destroyed by Julianne Moore’s Poppy, but some much needed financial assistance from the U.S.-based Statesman allowed for Kingsman to start rebuilding.

Perhaps something that happened when the original Kingsman formed, be it a specific event, a message left behind, etc, will factor into Kingsman 2.0’s full establishment. For now, we’re in the dark, but for those of you planning to see The King’s Man, pay close attention for these seeds that Matthew Vaughn teased.

During his interview with Empire, Matthew Vaughn also mentioned how he’s interested in directing Kingsman 3 after previously thinking about passing off helming reins on the threequel to someone else. He also indicated we could see an extended cut of The King’s Man following its theatrical release, saying:

Rest assured, when any plot-related information concerning Kingsman 3 comes in, we here at CinemaBlend will let you know. For now, Kingsman fans can look forward to The King’s Man following Ralph Fiennes’ Duke of Oxford and Harris Dickinson’s Conrad teaming up with a select group of allies to prevent some of history’s worst tyrants from wiping out millions. The prequel’s cast also includes Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Brühl and Djimon Hounsou.

The King’s Man is set to come out on September 18, having previously been dated for November 15, 2019 and February 14 of this year. Look through our 2020 release schedule to learn what other movies are supposed to hit theaters later this year.

Moviegoers have been anxiously awaiting the release of The King’s Man, the prequel to the fan-favorite Kingsman franchise, though the trailers have given them a glimpse of what to expect in the film. Now, a trailer has been released and it’s teasing even more action, the film’s mysterious antagonist and of course, some killer suits.

The King’s Man is directed and co-written by Kingsman veteran Matthew Vaughn, and the period drama will focus on the Duke of Oxford, young protégé and their guild of allies, who attempt to prevent history’s most infamous criminals from wiping out millions around the world. This trailer gives a better look at the team and provides more insight into the what the baddies have planned:

Fans of the Kingsman franchise undoubtedly know that it revolves around a secret spy organization that was formed during World War I and is named after the tailor shop that clothes its agents. The origins of the organization are all expected to be revealed in this prequel film, and it would appear that the club members may end up being the founding members of the storied group.

Action is something that’s been emphasized in all of the trailers so far, but this one puts a lot of focus on the villains, specifically Daniel Brühl’s Felix Yusupov and Rhys Ifans’ Grigori Rasputin. Rasputin especially appears to be a formidable foe when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. And that scene in which he scowls at the table also shows just how much fun Ifans is having.

One of the most intriguing elements of the organization’s origins is how crucial a role Harris Dickinson’s Conrad will play in its formation. At this point, it’s obvious that he shares a number of similarities to Taron Egerton’s Eggsy, though Conrad seems to have much more discipline from the jump than Eggsy did. However, Egerton’s character had a bit of an edge when he first started out, whereas Conrad appears to need training.

With this, one can also see the similar qualities that Ralph Fiennes’ Duke of Oxford shares with Colin Firth’s Harry. Like that character, the Duke definitely appears to have a fatherly bond with Conrad, which will likely become one of the focal points of the film.

In addition to the new trailer, a new poster has also been unveiled, and it puts Ralph Fiennes’ Duke of Oxford and Dickinson’s Conrad front and center, while also highlighting the rest of the cast. Check it out below:

All in all, fans should definitely get excited when seeing this new poster and footage. Not only does the action (and fashion) look great, but the story appears to be adding on to the Kingsman mythology in some unique ways.

The King’s Man is slated to hit theaters on September 18.

Over the years there have been a lot of Superman movies in the works that just didn’t happen. Nicolas Cage could have played Kal-El in Kevin Smith and Tim Burton’s unmade Superman Lives and D.J. Cotrona almost played the Kryptonian alongside Armie Hammer’s Batman in George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal. It looks like star of Netflix’s Daredevil series Charlie Cox was being eyed for Superman at one point too.

Back in 2008 Warner Bros was looking at a number of directors for another Superman movie before Zack Synder’s Man of Steel placed Henry Cavill in the suit. Kingsman’s Matthew Vaughn was reportedly one of them. He had teamed up with his frequent collaborator Mark Millar, who is also a comic book writer well-known for Superman: Red Son. When discussing the scraped Superman movie the pair almost made, Millar talked about the actor they were thinking for Clark Kent. In his words:

In an alternate universe, the Daredevil actor could have been Superman. It’s not uncommon for actors to be sought out to play more than one comic book role. After all, Ryan Reynolds was Green Lantern before Deadpool and Henry Cavill almost played Sups in Superman Returns instead of Brandon Routh before he was cast for Man of Steel. Mark Millar explained the reasoning behind the pick to the The Aspiring Kryptonian:

Charlie Cox’s Superman would have been very different from the bulky hero we’ve grown accustomed to thanks to Cavill. He would have been the shortest big-screen Superman to date – no actor who has taken on the role has stood less than six feet tall. But as Millar explained, Cox had just impressed Matthew Vaughn in Stardust (funny enough Henry Cavill was in that movie too).

The writer/director of Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class and the Kingsman movies was looking for a less intimidating approach to the character that was inspired by the hero’s Golden Age. Matthew Vaughn has previously described his Superman as a “massive, uplifting, hopeful thing.” He was also attached to the sequel to Man of Steel 2 back in 2017 until plans later fell through.

The future of Superman at Warner Bros is currently unknown but last we heard Henry Cavill isn’t ready to give up on the role just yet. Daredevil star Charlie Cox also faced a startling halt for his comic book character when the Netflix series was cancelled after three seasons back in 2018. Rumors have recently swirled that he will return in Spider-Man 3 with Tom Holland which he recently addressed.

Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more news about the future of Warner Bros’ DCEU.

Matthew Vaughn is no stranger to comic book adaptations, having directed and/or written Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class and the Kingsman franchise. He was even a producer on the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot, and while that take was critically maligned and commercially bombed, now that Marvel’s First Family is available to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Vaughn is interested in overseeing their next cinematic adventure directly. As the filmmaker put it:

Matthew Vaughn expressed a similar sentiment back in 2017, saying that making a Fantastic Four film would be his way of apologizing for how the last film turned out. It’s no secret that the FF haven’t had the greatest film run, but following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing, The Human Torch and their lineup of allies and enemies can finally be incorporated into the MCU, and many fans have their fingers crossed that the foursome will finally be given their proper big screen due.

Besides having a solid track record with comic book movies, and filmmaking in general, it’s a welcome bonus that Matthew Vaughn grew up as a fan of the Fantastic Four, as he mentioned during his interview with Comicbook.com. A director with his sensibilities might be just the person to reverse the superhero team’s big screen luck, though if he’s sticking around the Kingsman franchise, who knows if he’d have time to tackle this project.

Maybe if Matthew Vaughn were to pass on directing duties for Kingsman 3 (the final chapter of the Harry and Eggsy story) to someone else, he and Marvel Studios could work out a deal to helm the next Fantastic Four movie. That said, Vaughn might not be the only filmmaker gunning for the job. Peyton Reed, who already has MCU cred with the Ant-Man movies, pitched a ‘60s-set Fantastic Four movie in the early 2000s, and he’s expressed interest in the past about taking a second crack at the team.

At last summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Feige indicated that an MCU-set Fantastic Four movie is in the works which will bring the team “up to the sort of platform and level they deserve.” There’s still no word on when that will drop in theaters, though it’s possible it could be part of the Phase Five slate.

It’s also worth mentioning that before the Disney/Fox merger went through, Legion showrunner Noah Hawley was working on a Doctor Doom movie. However, now it looks like that project won’t move forward, which allows for Victor von Doom to once again be used as the team’s arch-nemesis. That said, don’t discount the possibility that villains like Diablo, Puppet Master or Mole Man could be introduced before Doom.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the Fantastic Four’s film future, but for now, you can keep track of what else the MCU has coming down the pipeline with our comprehensive guide.

While the movies are certainly built as action-adventure blockbusters, the Kingsman franchise has also never been particularly subtle when it comes to commentary about modern politics. Hot button issues like global warming and drug legalization have been deeply embedded in the plots of both Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle, though the movies definitely do spin things in their own heightened way.

With this in mind, a question is generated about The King’s Man – the upcoming prequel movie that is set during the early years of the 20th century. Given that it’s a period film, one might wonder if there will still be a particular effort made to explore topical issues and be relevant to today’s society.

As we learned while on a visit to the set of the movie when it was in production earlier this year, the answer to that question is, “Yes.” CinemaBlend's own Gabe Kovacs observed filming and participated in interviews with actors and filmmakers, and it was in conversation with director Matthew Vaughn that the movie’s political commentary was raised. Discussing the subject, the filmmaker said,

Those who know their history know that Matthew Vaughn is entirely right in his depiction of the world in the run-up to World War I, which could be metaphorically described as a pot ready to boil over. It was famously the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand that lit the powder keg for what would wind up being a global conflict, but the powder keg was able to be lit because of ramping militarism and nationalism, as well as the formation of extreme political alliances in Europe, and peaking imperialism.

The end result was one of the bloodiest, most devastating wars that the Earth has ever seen… and Matthew Vaughn also mentioned feeling that he's seeing similar elements as a part of our world today. He more expressly pointed out:

The King's Man, inspired by the comics created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, is written by Jane Goodman, Karl Gajdusek, and Matthew Vaughn, and introduces audiences to a new pair of heroes: Ralph Fiennes' Duke of Oxford, and Harris Dickinson's Conrad. While telling the origin story of the franchise’s eponymous group, the film follows the veteran and his protégé as their work together to stop a plot connived by a group of some of the history’s greatest tyrants and criminal geniuses.

While it’s not explicitly clear just yet how The King’s Man will be aiming its political commentary, or how it will be molded into the story being told, Ralph Fiennes is of the opinion that you won’t exactly be able to miss it when you see the finished film. Discussing the subject during his time with the journalists visiting set, he noted that the film doesn’t go as far as to beat you over the head with its messaging, but at the same time it is very clear in what it is trying to say. Said the Oscar-nominated star,

Also starring Daniel Bruhl, Rhys Ifans, Gemma Arterton, Charles Dance, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Djimon Hounsou, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Stanley Tucci, and more, The King's Man will be arriving in theaters as one of the first blockbusters of next year – specifically on February 14, 2020 (which is actually one day after the five year anniversary of Kingsman: The Secret Service).

Between now and then, be sure to be on the lookout for more of our coverage here on CinemaBlend, as this is one of a number of interesting things that we learned on the set of the upcoming sequel.

Possibly the greatest challenge that writer/director Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman prequel The King’s Man will have to face, besides figuring out where Elton John could possibly sneak in a cameo, is coming up with something to replace the series’ usual litany of gadgets. Which is why it’s probably a good thing that rather than try to come up with some sort of World War I-era tchotchkes that could ruin a person’s day, this new film will have more of a human factor, as evidenced by actor Gemma Arterton’s Polly and a network of “cleaners."

While some of these operatives do indeed have skills that could straighten your closet and keep your study straight, Gemma Arterton explained to CinemaBlend and a group of journalists who visited the set of The King's Man that these “cleaners” are more of the Michael Clayton/Ray Donovan type:

Gemma Artherton’s Polly and Djimon Hounsou’s Shola seem to have quite the group of busy bees that can get them any information they need from even the most fortified corners of power. Considering they’ll be helping Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson fight a war against Grigori Rasputin himself, it’s a good thing too, as they’ll need all the information they can get.

We learned about this development firsthand, as CinemaBlend’s own Gabe Kovacs was able to observing the magic being crafted to bring to life the first point of history in the Kingsman universe. In the new movie, the foundation for the series and its titular warriors is being laid out to potentially tell other stories in the past history of Mark Millar’s graphic novel universe.

It’ll also be interesting to see how both Polly and Shola’s characters are eventually tied into the more modern era of the Kingsman franchise, as the third and final film in the Harry/Eggsy relationship is the next order of business. With each film, the series has expanded quite adeptly to the new factors thrown in each time.

As The King’s Man is set to throw it all back to World War I, Matthew Vaughn’s hyperkinetic style of action is going to make an interesting contrast to the style and weapons used in combat at that moment. With Gemma Artherton’s Polly employing her network of cleaners in the name of intelligence gathering, that’s just another exciting difference that will make the movie as different as Vaughn has promised in previous interviews.

The King’s Man defends king and country in theaters on February 14, 2020; and there’s plenty more where that came from in terms of box office action for next year! If you want to see what else is headed our way, take a look at the 2020 release schedule to get a glimpse of the future.

Similar to the James Bond franchise, among the highlights of the Kingsman film series are the crazy gadgets its characters have at their disposal, from bulletproof umbrellas to electrified whips. However, with the upcoming prequel, The King’s Man, set to explore the origin of the Kingsman organization, you won’t be seeing quite as many gadgets due to the filmmakers wanting to stay true to the historical nature of the World War I setting. As director Matthew Vaughn put it:

It would have been easy enough to imagine a Kingsman prequel taking an anachronistic approach with technology, akin to what past projects like The League of Extraordinary Gentleman have done. Certain gadgets, weapons and vehicles could be on display that look out of place and fanciful during World War I, but the Kingsman folks had created years or even decades before being made available to the public.

Rather than going that route, Matthew Vaughn informed CinemaBlend and other outlets at the The King’s Man set visit that he and his team opted to keep things much more grounded in this prequel story. So, while there may still be a few examples of characters relying on something unusual to carry out their missions of espionage, otherwise the technology that’s available to them would be commonplace in the 1910s.

‘High tech’ certainly had a much different meaning in the early 20th century than it does now, and since The King’s Man is showing how this spy agency was formed, it makes sense that those in charge haven’t devoted any resources to making cool gadgets. I’m guessing after World War II is when the organization begins churning out the kind of technology that Eggsy, Harry Hart and the agents of the modern era will come to rely on.

Originally known as Kingsman: The Great Game, The King’s Man sees Ralph Fiennes’ Duke of Oxford and his protégé, Harris Dickinson’s Conrad, coming together to stop a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds from unleashing a war to kill millions. The prequel’s cast also includes Daniel Brühl as Felix Yusupov, Rhys Ifans as Grigori Rasputin, Gemma Arterton as Mata Hari, Charles Dance as Field Marshal Haig, Matthew Goode as Tristan and Djimon Honsou as Shola, among many others.

After the Kingsman franchise is finished winding back the clock for this adventure, it’ll return to the present day for Kingsman 3, which will serve as the conclusion of the Harry Hart-Eggsy relationship. A Statesman spinoff and an eight-episode Kingsman TV series are also in the works.

The King’s Man opens in theaters on February 14, 2020. Don’t forget to look through our 2019 release schedule to plan your theatrical visits for the rest of this year, as well as our 2020 release schedule to learn what else arrives next year.

Thus far, the Kingman franchise has established a very clear aesthetic, namely by crafting hyper-modern James Bond-esque espionage thrillers filled with all kinds of heightened and stylized action sequences. For the upcoming prequel The King's Man, however, things are changing quite a bit. While Matthew Vaughn is still at the helm to complete what is his first trilogy as a director, this story takes us back to the years of World War I, and as you can see in the brand new trailer below, things are quite a bit different for the original class of agent:

This time around the big bad of the story isn't a savvy tech entrepreneur with a lisp, or a criminal mastermind with her own amusement-park themed lair. No, this time around the foe is a more familiar face: Grigori Rasputin, as portrayed by Amazing Spider-Man actor Rhys Ifans. In The King's Man he will be working alongside some of the most evil individuals of the early 20th century on a plan that will devastate humanity, and it will be up to the Kingsmen to ensure that he is not successful.

Given that this story is set about 100 years prior to the events of both Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle, it probably shouldn't be too surprising that the characters played by Taron Egerton and Colin Firth, Eggsy and Harry Hart a.k.a. Galahad, aren't at the center of this story - but Matthew Vaughn still has gone out of his way to fill the screen with recognizable faces. This time around you'll note that Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson are playing the new veteran/protege protagonist duo, named the Duke of Oxford and Conrad, but they are surrounded by an outstanding supporting cast that includes Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Harris Dickinson, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou, and Charles Dance (most of whom you probably spotted in the above trailer).

While the circumstances of the story and the setting of The King's Man are wildly different, it is interesting to note that certain recognizable elements are still present - such as the heightened and stylized action sequences. Not only does this film look like it is going to feature some genuinely intense scenes of battle during World War I, but it looks like there is going to be plenty of badass and fun hand-to-hand and shootout action scenes featured as well - captured with unique and experimental camera angles in regular Matthew Vaughn fashion. It looks really cool, and it would wind up being an early 2020 highlight.

On that subject, we still have a little while to wait before this movie comes out, but hopefully this new trailer will satiate your appetite for a spell. The King's Man is set to be released on February 14, 2020 - and if has caught your attention be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend in the coming days, weeks, and months, as we have some special coverage coming your way!

Spy franchises are a dime a dozen. There are the top dogs in James Bond and the Mission: Impossible series. There are the ones that poke their heads up every couple of years, like the Bourne series. But few of them are anything like the Kingsman series that was created by graphic artist Mark Millar (who wrote the comic The Secret Service) and Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn.

Vaughn started working early on with Guy Ritchie, producing both Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels before beginning to direct his own films. He helmed a killer X-Men movie, produced a brilliant fantasy epic in Stardust, and has been busy lately producing Rocketman for his frequent collaborator, Taron Egerton.

At the same time, Matthew Vaughn has been dedicated to developing his Kingsman series, which has two chapters so far and will likely cap off its trilogy with \ between Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Harry (Colin Firth). Before that happens, Vaughn is making a Kingsmen prequel set during World War I, and while appearing on the ReelBlend podcast, Vaughn talked about how different this new one will be from The Secret Service and The Golden Circle. Vaughn said:

The Kingsmen movies amplify what is expected from a James Bond movie, ratcheting up the sexual innuendos, the high-tech weaponry, and the comical villains. They do it all with a tongue planted firmly in a cheek, to the point where The Golden Circle concluded with robotic dogs programmed to kill Elton John. Yeah, it got kind of nuts.

So far, we know that the Kingsman prequel stars Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes as early versions of the legendary spies. They will be joined by an incredible ensemble, from Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Gemma Arterton to Charles Dance, Daniel Bruhl, Matthew Goode and Djimon Hounsou (to name just a few).

Because it’s set during World War I, that automatically makes this movie different from the two existing Kingsmen movies. When we pushed him for more details, he just emphasized how “different” this is going to be.

From there, Matthew Vaughn expects to head back to his existing Kingsmen timeline with Taron Egerton and Colin Firth, because as he tells CinemaBlend:

That’s a great tease. You can listen to our entire conversation with Matthew Vaughn about Rocketman, the X-Men, the Kingsmen franchise, and more on the latest ReelBlend episode:

Rocketman is in theaters as we speak, while Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman prequel is expected to reach multiplexes on February 14.

Although the DC Extended Universe franchise is moving forward with numerous movies, including The Batman, The Suicide Squad and Aquaman 2, one character who’s still languishing in limbo is Superman. While he was resurrected in Justice League and looked to have a bright future ahead of him, other than making a neck-down cameo appearance in Shazam!, there’s been no movement on Kal-El’s cinematic future.

Naturally one way he could return is in Man of Steel 2, and at one point Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn was reportedly in talks to helm that sequel. However, Vaughn has now said that the movie is “officially” no longer happening.

That doesn’t bode well for Henry Cavill’s future as Superman, as it was reported (but not officially confirmed) last year that he was hanging up the red cape. However, Vaughn did provide some details on what his Man of Steel 2 would have looked like, and it borrowed elements from the Superman movie he pitched in 2008.

As Matthew Vaughn explained to Polygon, Matthew Vaughn and comic book heavyweight Mark Millar came to Warner Bros in 2008 with an idea for a cinematic Superman story that would launch a trilogy which would have been, as Millar once called it, “a massive, uplifting, hopeful thing.” But Vaughn’s Superman movie also would have been incredibly different than what’s come before, as it sees Kal-El growing up on Krypton.

The first movie of this proposed trilogy would have taken place almost entirely on Krypton and focused on Jor-El and Krypton’s impending destruction. However, these events would have happened later in the timeline, allowing Kal-El to reach adulthood on Krypton, learn about Earth there and then have to reckon with his loyalty to both planets.

Given how Man of Steel began with the more traditional Superman origin story, with Kal-El being sent off Krypton as an infant and the planet exploding soon after, then obviously a Matthew Vaughn-directed Man of Steel 2 couldn’t have been a direct adaptation of his Superman pitch from last decade and still fit within DCEU continuity. So unless the plan was for this movie to be set outside that franchise, I’m curious about what ideas Vaughn would have carried over.

Perhaps Man of Steel 2 would have seen Superman departing Earth and going on an adventure elsewhere in the galaxy, as the DCEU has yet to deeply delve into its cosmic roots yet. Henry Cavill had expressed interest in having Brainiac be Man of Steel 2’s main villain, and in the modern era, he’s usually connected to Krypton’s history. That said, perhaps taking that kind of creative approach would have resulted in Man of Steel 2 feeling too similar to the Syfy series Krypton.

In any case, Matthew Vaughn directing Man of Steel 2 didn’t work out, although he’s not opposed to the idea of still working in the DC Comics realm, saying “it’d be hard to say no” if he was given the opportunity to direct a new Superman movie. At one point Mission: Impossible - Fallout director Christopher McQuarrie was also in consideration to helm Man of Steel 2, but that also fell through.

So for now, Superman is still sitting on the proverbial shelf, and we’ll have to wait and see if Henry Cavill ever gets to play him again or if a new actor will don the ’S’ shield, whether it be in a DCEU-set movie or a standalone story. For now, you can keep up to date with what the DCEU has coming down the pipeline with our handy guide.

Matthew Vaughn’s filmmaking resume is packed with comic book adaptations. He kicked off this part of his career with 2010’s Kick-Ass, and in recent years he’s been the driving force behind the Kingsman film series. But Vaughn also has some experience working in the Marvel realm by directing X-Men: First Class and producing the Fantastic Four reboot.

Thanks to Disney’s purchase of 21st Century Fox, both properties now reside under Marvel Studios and are expected to be incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at some point. With that in mind, Matthew Vaughn suggested that Marvel bring the Fantastic Four into the MCU as soon as possible, but not to rush featuring the X-Men in this franchise. He explained:

Matthew Vaughn has a point. Critically speaking, the Fantastic Four movies have never been hits, with the 2015 reboot being almost universally panned and bombing at the box office, which resulted in the sequel being scrapped. The X-Men franchise, on the other hand, has been going steadily since 2000, with next month’s Dark Phoenix wrapping up the main film series and The New Mutants finally arriving next year.

The Fantastic Four haven’t had the opportunity to shine like the X-Men have, so if one must be prioritized over the other, Matthew Vaughn's call of introducing the Fantastic Four first seems reasonable. It’s only a matter of time before the X-Men are brought in too, but considering that the Fox era of X-Men movies is will soon finish, it’s not a bad idea to let that property sit on the proverbial shelf for a bit before reintroducing these characters to the public.

During his appearance on the ReelBlend podcast, Matthew Vaughn also talked about how well making a period piece Fantastic Four movie would work, specifically one set in the 1960s, as Marvel’s First Family and many of the comic book company’s most famous characters were introduced that decade. In Vaughn’s words:

The MCU has dabbled in period pieces with the 1940s-set Captain America: The First Avenger and the 1990s-set Captain Marvel, plus various flashbacks, so it’s not like a 1960-set Fantastic Four movie would be dismissed right out the gate. That being said, obviously whatever creative team is working on such a story would need to find a way to bring Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing and The Human Torch to the present day so they can interact with all the other MCU heroes.

You can listen to Matthew Vaughn’s full ReelBlend appearance below:

As things stand now, there are no official plans for an MCU-set Fantastic Four or X-Men movie, but rest assured, when a concrete announcement about either of the two is made, we here at CinemaBlend will let you know about it. For now, there are plenty of other upcoming MCU movies to look forward to, from Black Widow and The Eternals to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Black Panther 2, as well as the various Disney+ series in development.

Matthew Vaughn’s next directorial effort, Kingsman: The Great Game, will be released on February 14, 2020, but he also produced the Elton John-focused musical Rocketman, which hits theaters tomorrow, May 31.

Another episode, another week where ReelBlend co-host Jake Hamilton is in England.

This time, Jake’s on his own, covering the new Danny Boyle film Yesterday, but he still found time to join Sean for episode #70 of the ReelBlend podcast.

It’s just two of the guys this week, as Kevin’s on vacation on a remote island somewhere. So Sean and Jake dove into the news of the week, starting with that trailer for Terminator: Dark Fate. Have you seen it yet? It looks like this:

Staying on the theme of old sci-fi properties getting resuscitated, Jake and Sean shift to the story of Sir Ridley Scott entertaining the notion of continuing his Alien franchise now that Fox is over at Disney. Jake’s all for it, while Sean is done with that saga, completely.

Sean saw Aladdin over the Memorial Day weekend, and gives his review of Guy Ritchie’s live-action musical. The guys both saw Netflix’s The Perfection, and they weigh in on that, as well.

But the big get for Episode #70 was a candid conversation with Rocketman producer Matthew Vaughn, who helped get Taron Egerton cast as Elton John and also kind of helped seal the movie’s deal because of the friendship he made with Sir Elton while collaborating with him on Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The prolific producer opens up with ReelBlend about the making of Rocketman, the future of his own Kingsmen universe, and his thoughts on Marvel now owning X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

Give this week’s episode a listen right now!

ReelBlend is a weekly podcast that we do on CinemaBlend. You can download the latest episode (and all of our past episodes) for FREE on our iTunes page! Visit. Subscribe. Like and comment. Review! Apple loves when you have star ratings and reviews, so if you listened, and you liked it (or even if you didn't), let us know. We also are on Spotify. And Google Play. And basically everywhere that you download podcasts. So download us.

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Even if you haven't seen Justice League yet, it's no secret that after perishing in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman was resurrected in last month's DC Extended Universe team-up flick. With the world saved yet again and Kal-El/Clark Kent resuming both his heroic and civilian lives, the stage is set for the benevolent Kryptonian to be revisited in the near future. One of the ways that might happen is in Man of Steel 2. Back in March, it was reported that Kingsman: The Golden Circle director Matthew Vaughn was being eyed to helm the sequel, and it was later confirmed that he's talked with Warner Bros about the project. As things stand now, according to comic book writer and Vaughn's collaborator, Mark Millar, Vaughn currently isn't lined up to direct Man of Steel 2 yet, but that doesn't mean that the opportunity is entirely off the table either. Millar recently explained:

Mark Millar's years of comic book writing experience (including numerous Superman stories, like Superman: Red Son) combined with Matthew Vaughn's own time working on superhero movies (like X-Men: First Class and Kick-Ass) would have made for an interesting combination when putting together Man of Steel 2. However, as Millar noted while appearing on the El Fanboy Podcast, Netflix's acquisition of Millarworld means that Millar is tied exclusively to the streaming service in the coming years, leaving him unable to make any DC movie contributions. Since then, Vaughn has been keeping busy keeping himself busy with other projects, but he hasn't discounted working on Superman's next live action standalone adventure or any kind of DC movie... assuming the amount written on the paycheck is satisfying.

During the week of Justice League's release, producer Charles Roven noted that there is currently isn't a Man of Steel 2 script, although various story ideas have been floated. Now following Justice League's mixed critical reception and underwhelming box office performance, DC Films is going through a restructuring, and while movies like Aquaman, Shazam and Wonder Woman 2 will come out as planned, it remains to be seen if Man of Steel 2 and other select movies will continue to be developed or if they'll be set aside.

You can see Superman back in action in Justice League, which is still playing in theaters. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on Man of Steel 2, and don't forget to look through our DC movies guide to learn what other projects this franchise has in development.

The competition between DC and Marvel continues to be a hot topic of conversation in comments sections and forums all across the internet. A rising tide lifts all boats, so while the studios don't play into it, the directors of comic book films are occasionally dragged into the discussion. While fans of both franchises may love his work, for director Matthew Vaughn, he would prefer tackling a DC movie at the moment rather than take on a film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since in the DC world, the expectations would be lower. As he explained:

Given that Matthew Vaughn is rumored to be Warner Bros. top choice to direct Man of Steel 2, it's not too shocking to hear he loves the world of DC and would rather helm a film in that universe. He even admits that they are talking about working together. What is surprising is the honesty of his reasoning. In his mind, there is such a low bar to hurdle at DC makes it easier to create a relatively better film, whereas Marvel is riding high. If he were to direct a Marvel film, even if it's great, it could just disappear among all their other successes. When you rescue a franchise that's having problems, you become a hero to the studio and fans alike. This is why Patty Jenkins gets so much love for Wonder Woman. Regardless of what fans might like to think, the DC film universe is dealing with a lot of issues. While once the DCEu's entries were hit with mixed-to-negative reactions, now there's financial setback, too. If Man of Steel 2 is still on schedule for Warner Bros, and Matthew Vaughn gets the gig and knocks it out of a the park, he can write his own check.

Matthew Vaughn's comments to IGN also make me think that he sees it as more fun to get involved with a troubled franchise. It could be a bit of a challenge and something that he feels he could really excel at. Matthew Vaughn is no stranger to comic book fare, having directed both Kingsman films and Kick-Ass. He has also proved adept at more traditional superhero fare. When he semi-rebooted Fox's X-Men film universe with the well-received X-Men: First Class, he took a troubled franchise and returned it to its former glory. This man knows how to craft a great film and doesn't shy away from the more comic-booky aspects of these stories. WB and DC would be lucky to have such a filmmaker on board for Man of Steel 2.

For fans who want to see Matthew Vaughn bring his style into the MCU, this is hardly reason to think he'll never direct a Marvel film. As Joss Whedon has shown, skilled comic book film directors are in high demand. Perhaps one day he'll tackle the X-Men again, only this time in the MCU. Matthew Vaughn's latest film, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, is now available on home video. For all the latest in the high cost of low expectations, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Spoilers ahead for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. If you haven't seen the movie or don't want some of the ending spoiled, get out now!

It's been an interesting few weeks for movies, as IT and Darren Aronofsky's mother! have made major headlines. But this weekend brought yet another new release, and this time it wasn't a horror movie. Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman: The Golden Circle once again brought audiences back to the franchise filled with over the top action and awesome gadgets. But one cast member was barely in the film: Channing Tatum. And the ending saw his character Tequila join the Kingman, presumably setting up a threequel in the process. But is it safe to say he'll return for another film? Here's what director/writer Matthew Vaughn told me in our conversation about The Golden Circle.

Now this is puzzling. While Matthew Vaughn would no doubt like to see Channing Tatum return for his planned third Kingsman film, it doesn't look like the actor has actually committed to the next project. This makes his role in The Golden Circle even more confusing, so let's break it all down.

While Channing Tatum is a major figure in the marketing and trailers for Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the truth is he was barely in the film. He was the first Statesman that Eggsy interacted with, but he quickly procured Poppy's virus due to his recreational drug use. In order to save him from possibly dying, he was promptly put on ice and absent for the majority of the film's action.

This seemed like a strange choice, as Channing Tatum's presence in the sequel felt like a throwaway role. But things got even more interesting in the film's final moments. After Eggsy gets married, we see Tequila dressed in full Kingsman garb, presumably indicating the two organizations will still be working together. This felt like a clear set up for a sequel or potential spinoff, but now it looks like Tatum isn't committed to a third film, if it gets greenlighted.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle was certainly a fun and wild ride at the movies, despite the strange size of Channing Tatum's role. While it was fun to see Tequila kicking ass and throwing shade, the film probably would have benefited from cutting Tequila out and focusing its Statesman energy on Pedro Pascal's Whiskey. Considering he ended up being the surprise third act villain, more attention could have been paid earlier in the film.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is in theaters now, complete with Channing Tatum's mysteriously small role. Be sure to check out our 2017 release list to plan your final trips to the movies before the New Year.

With reboots and remakes more commonplace than ever in Hollywood, it wasn't terribly surprising to learn years ago that Flash Gordon would once again be brought to the big screen. While the 1980 movie starring Sam Jones, Melody Anderson and Max von Sydow remains a cult classic (just watch Ted if you don't believe me), it could certainly use a refresh after nearly 40 years. However, the reason that this new Flash Gordon movie hasn't gotten off the ground yet is because Guardians of the Galaxy's release interfered with what director Matthew Vaughn had planned for the remake. When asked if the project is still happening, he answered:

The original Flash Gordon movie and Guardians of the Galaxy are indeed remarkably similar in that they're goofy action pieces set in outer space. But with James Gunn having now delivered two successful Guardians of the Galaxy movies (with a third one on the way), Matthew Vaughn now faces the dilemma of having to deliver a Flash Gordon remake that doesn't feel like a Guardians of the Galaxy ripoff and can stand out from the juggernaut that is the Star Wars franchise, all while still staying true to the source material. That's a tough nut to crack, so it's no wonder that there's barely been any progress.

Matthew Vaughn has been attached to the new Flash Gordon movie since 2015, but he also mentioned in his interview with Collider that he'll only move forward with the remake if he's 100% committed to bringing it to life. He continued:

As it stands now, Matthew Vaughn will be keeping himself busy for the foreseeable future even without Flash Gordon. Kingsman: The Golden Circle is now playing in theaters, and if it's commercially successful, that improves the chance that Vaughn will get to make Kingsman 3. He is also primed to direct I Am Pilgrim, and there's been renewed speculation that he might also be the one who's tapped to helm Man of Steel 2 for the DCEU. So even if Flash Gordon does end up moving forward, there's a distinct possibility that Vaughn won't end up being the one behind the camera for it.

If there are any more updates regarding the new Flash Gordon movie, we here at CinemaBlend will be sure to let you know about them.

Spoilers ahead for Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The sequel is currently in theaters, so be sure to check it out if you don't want to be spoiled.

Since the inception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, shared universes and major franchises are seemingly everywhere. While sequels used to signify a single addition, trilogies and shared universes are being planned way ahead of time. So what's next for the Kingsman franchise? I recently had the chance to speak with director/writer Matthew Vaughn about his sequel, and plans for the future of the franchise. When I asked what a possible third film would entail, he told me:

Well, this certainly sounds exciting. Matthew Vaughn is planning a trilogy of films to chronicle Eggsy's journey, and it looks like the eventual third Kingsman film will flip the script in regards to the characters' appearance in The Golden Circle.

And there were certainly some major changes by the time Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman trilogy ended. The film closed with Eggsy seemingly leaving Kingsman behind so he could focus on his nuptials with the newly rescued Princess Tilde. As such, Channing Tatum's Tequila (who was largely absent in the film), starts to work at Kingsman and presumably becomes the next Galahad (unless Harry Hart took that role back) following Eggsy's departure. There are also plenty of changes happening over at Statesman, with Halle Berry's Ginger Ale finally becoming a field agent and replacing Pedro Pascal's villainous Whiskey.

But this ending is seemingly only the tip of the iceberg, as the characters will reportedly change quite a bit with the planned third Kingsman film. Of course, there will have to be some sort of emergency that inspires Eggsy to once again pop on the glasses and kick more ass. There will no doubt be another quirky villain involved, since both Valentine and Poppy are presumably staying dead through the end of the trilogy. Although Colin Firth's Harry Hart came back from the dead, so I guess resurrection is on the table.

Of course, there is the possibility that 20th Century Fox won't green light a third Kingsman film. The critical reception has been a bit more icy than the first film, so it'll likely depend largely on box office performance. Luckily, The Golden Circle's biggest competition is currently the weeks old IT.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle is currently in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2017 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Crafting a truly great movie villain isn't the easiest job- just ask Marvel studios. For major franchises, it's easy for villains to all follow the same relatively predictable model. They make an evil plan, you maybe get some exposition explaining what made them bad, and then they die at the end of the film and are quickly forgotten. But Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman franchise does things a bit more interesting. His villains are equal parts devious and quirky, as seen with Samuel L. Jackson's lipsing portrayal in The Secret Service. Julianne Moore has taken over the reins in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and Vaughn recently told CinemaBlend which figures helped him develop the villainous and forever perky Poppy for the sequel.

Well, that is a motley crew of characters to combine for Julianne Moore's Poppy. But the mixture of both evil and traditionally "good" characters is what makes Moore's peppy performance in The Golden Circle so fascinating. And Matthew Vaughn's comments to me about the character Poppy only makes the role seem even more exciting.

In all of the Kingsman: The Golden Circle footage and trailers, you see that Poppy is a villain with a surprisingly charming attitude. The influence of Mrs. Cunningham from Happy Days can be felt, who always had dinner on the table with a smile. But Poppy is also the head of a major drug cartel, so there are hints at more insidious and leadership elements from Martha Stewart and the always controversial Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher.

But Matthew Vaughn also threw in Hannibal Lector, who is one of the most terrifying figures in literature and film history. And aside from being a villain capable of mass murder and a plot that will endanger the entire world, there are certainly specific Lecter-esque moves that Poppy will pull off when The Golden Circle arrives in theaters. The comic con footage from the sequel saw Poppy (spoiler alert) order one of her underlings killed and stuck into a meat grinder for questioning her authority. She then creates a patty from the meat, and forces another underling to eat it. All she's missing is some fava beans and a nice chianti.

You can catch all of Poppy's horrifying and delightful antics when Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman: The Golden Circle arrives in theaters tomorrow. In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2017 release list to plan your final trips to the movies before the New Year.

The DC Extended Universe is a funny place. While still very much in its infancy, the studio has announced a ton of upcoming projects, most of which don't have a release date or concrete plan on when production could start. But that hasn't stopped plenty of fantastic directors to sign on to films, and Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn may be the next one. Vaughn is currently in talks to helm the Man of Steel sequel, possibly taking over the reins from Zack Snyder, who started the entire DCEU with the first film. And now comic book writer Dave Gibbons has voiced his support for Vaughn as a director, saying:

Dave Gibbons makes a seriously legitimate point, and I think I've officially become a supporter of Matthew Vaughn possibly directing Man of Steel 2. Because like Gibbons said to Comic Book, Vaughn is able to keep both superhero movies and exciting action flicks light and fun, making for a more enjoyable moviegoing experience. And that's exactly what the DCEU, and Superman specifically, need.

Indeed, Zack Snyder's morose tone and colorless world has garnered a ton of criticism from comic book fans. While the source material is vibrant and full of hopeful characters (especially Superman), Snyder crafted characters who were miserable, and a world that was relatively void of color. But Matthew Vaughn can change this if he ends up signing on for the second Man of Steel movie.

Part of what makes Kingsman such a fun ride for audiences is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. The franchise both pays homage and pokes fun at classic spy movies like James Bond, and always has a villain that is equally evil as they are quirky. This sensibility could allow Superman's second solo movie to more closely resemble his comic book adventures, and finally introduce a Man of Steel who is hopeful and happy with his role in protecting the planet.

And Dave Gibbons is certainly spot on in assessing what type of superhero movies are doing the best at the box office. Comedy-focused movies like the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and Spider-Man: Homecoming provide equal laughs and thrills, and the DCEU should begin following suit- especially considering how successful Wonder Woman was.

You can catch Matthew Vaughn's Kingsman: The Golden Circle in theaters tomorrow. In the meantime, check out our 2017 release list and plan your final trips to the movies this year.