Director Matthew Vaughn is eyeing a trio of actors for the young lead opposite Colin Firth in his graphic novel adaptation The Secret Service.  The story is about a veteran secret agent who takes his ruffian nephew from the streets of London and into a British spy school that molds its students into suave 007-types.  Colin Firth is onboard to play the uncle, and Vaughn is reportedly testing John Boyega (Attack the Block), Jack O’Connell (300: Rise of an Empire), and Christian Cooke (Magic City) for the role of the young nephew.  It’s a potentially star-making role, as Vaughn chose Secret Service as his follow-up to X-Men: First Class after dropping out of X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Fox is apparently very high on the adaptation.

Hit the jump for more, including the prospect of Vaughn reteaming with his Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson on the project.

Per Variety, Boyega, O’Connell, and Cooke have or are expected to test for the role in the next week.  O’Connell apparently has the edge at this point, but he’s also being eyed for the lead in Angelina Jolie’s next directorial project, the true story adaptation Unbroken.  That’s another major role with star-making potential, and he would likely choose to do Unbroken instead of Secret Service if Jolie offers him the part.

The report notes that at one point there was talk of Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson taking on the nephew role in Secret Service, but scheduling proved to be an issue and Fox was worried that Taylor-Johnson would ask for a higher salary than they’re hoping to pay.  There’s still a possibility that talk could turn back to Taylor-Johnson, but Fox and Vaughn want to see how the screen tests for Boyega, O’Connell, and Cooke play out first.  With production set to get underway this fall, the cast should start to fill up on the film soon.  The Secret Service is set for release on November 14, 2014.