In a year packed full of superhero movies, don’t overlookMatthew Vaughn’s upcoming comic book adaptation,Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The follow-up film, opening this fall, is a sequel to his violent, kinetic, and rollicking 2014 flick,Kingsman: The Secret Service, which starredTaron Egertonas a wanna be super spy recruited by the title organization’s elite member, played byColin Firth. Expect both to return–against all odds–in the new film.
But asEWreports, Vaughn aims to avoid the sins of sequels: “Just doing a sequel, you’re kind of violating that promise of originality. Sequelitis is a plague I have no interest in contracting.” In addition to new images from the sequel that show off returning stars Egerton andMark Strong, newcomersChanning Tatum,Jeff Bridges, andHalle Berryalso appear. And though we don’t get a look at Firth just yet–orJulianne Moore,Elton John, andPedro Pascal, for that matter–wedohave some new information as to their characters.
Though the sequel focuses on the continuing adventures of Egerton’s Gary “Eggsy” Unwin, it’ll also introduce the U.S. team, the Statesman, as played by Tatum, Bridges, Berry, and Pascal. Here’s how Egerton describes the sequelized team-up:
“If the firstKingsmanwasCaptain America, then this is very muchThe Avengersnow."
He also reflected on how his thoughts have changed since the first film:
“For the first one, I felt like if I wasn’t really good then it wouldn’t work. This time, the story still unfolds through my eyes but this is still a true ensemble piece. And also, I’ve had a bit more experience. I’m not asking the crew what every piece of camera equipment does.”
Egerton also remarked on the amazing cast and the opportunity to act opposite them. Other new arrivals include Moore’s Poppy, a Martha Stewart-like global entrepreneur, and a “Vaughn-ized” version of Elton John, played by the legendary musician himself.
Returning star Strong, who plays Merlin the senior Kingsman, had this to say about the new cast members:
“You can’t underestimate the draw of the new actors in this cast. I’ve had people say to me, ‘Wait, you’re kidding me with those names, right?”
Strong might be biased since it seems like he’ll get to cozy up with one of his new co-stars:
“I quite like playing the tech nerd who can handle himself in a conflict situation. But what I really like about this second film is that Merlin meets Halle Berry’s character, who plays his equivalent role in the Statesmen. And she had her clipboard and her glasses, just like Merlin. And what happens when two tech nerds come together?” Strong teases, “Might there be some geeky love?”
And since fans have been wondering how Firth’s character would be handled since the events of the original film, he’s still staying mum, despite giving the following quote while in full costume and on the sequel’s set:
“I’ve read the rumors, but I can’t reveal if I’m even in this film. I got in the firstKingsmanby virtue of my improbability. An actor known for chick flicks as a fighting badass. So given that irony, I’d say anything is possible.”
Look forKingsman: The Golden Circleto crash into theaters on September 29th.
