As a great man once asked, "War, huh, what is it good for?" Well, the answer, is quite a lot of great stories, if absolutely nothing else.
There's been a whole lot of great movies set during the World Wars but Matthew Vaughn is upping the ante with The King's Man, a prequel to the hugely popular Kingsman film series. The movie has been directed by Vaughn and is based on a screenplay by Vaughn and Karl Gajdusek. The period spy drama features a massive ensemble cast led by Ralph Fiennes and tells the story of how the Kingsman organization was formed, set against the backdrop of World War I.
In case you've been living under a rock, the Kingsman franchise chronicles the history of an independent intelligence agency that takes on the jobs that government secret services are often too slow or too compromised to deal with. Based on the graphic novel The Secret Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, the Kingsman series is one of the most popular action movie franchises of the past decade. The first movie, Kingsman: The Secret Service, was released in 2015 and followed by a sequel titled Kingsman: The Golden Circle two years later, in 2017. Both films were directed by Matthew Vaughn and he's currently also working on a threequel. But before that comes out, we've got the prequel movie to look forward to.
It might not be Kingsman 3 but The King's Man is sure to hit the sweet spot for all the fans who have been eagerly waiting for more of the franchise. And Kingsman fans have been waiting a long, long time for the prequel's release. But despite a long string of delays, it now looks like the movie's release is finally happening. So we've put together this handy guide that collects everything that has been revealed so far about The King's Man, from release date and trailers to plot and cast information. So suit up, agents, and remember: manners maketh man!
Watch The King's Man'sTrailer
The first teaser trailer for The King's Man was released on July 15, 2019. The brief clip features a montage of some brilliant scenes and a voiceover from Ralph Fiennes' character. This was followed by the first official trailer, released on September 30, 2020, which briefly introduces the protagonists. A second trailer (which you can check out above) was released on June 21, 2020, with a better look at the shadowy villains of the movie. The Red Band trailer for the movie was released on August 26, 2021, with an extended look at the movie's take on Rasputin, one of the key villains.
Apart from these trailers, two other promotional videos have also been released. The first, a special look, came out on July 6, 2021, with a focus on the legacy of the Kingsman franchise. The video mashes together clips from the previous Kingsman movies with sequences from the prequel and is interspersed with interviews with the key cast and crew members.
The second, a video titled "Rogues", was released on October 22, 2021, with a greater focus on the protagonists. That video reveals the names of our heroes and declares that "It's time for the Oxfords to become rogues", referencing the "oxfords, not brogues" line from Kingsman: The Secret Service.
When Is The King's Man's Release Date?
The King's Man is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 22, 2021, just in time for Christmas. That's more than two years after the movie's original release date.
The film was initially set to premiere on November 15, 2019. It was then postponed, first to February 14, 2020, and then to September 18, 2020. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the movie was postponed again to February 26, 2021. Since then, the movie has been moved around on the release schedule a number of times before finally being set on the current date. With any luck, this one might just stick.
For those of you who prefer watching movies at home, The King's Man is set to have its digital release after a 45-day exclusive theatrical window. So if you're up for waiting for that much longer, you can catch the movie from the comfort of your couch.
Who Is In The The King's Man Cast?
The King's Man has a pretty expansive and star-studded cast list. Since the movie is a prequel, we won't be seeing Taron Egerton and Colin Firth in their extremely popular roles from the earlier movies. Instead, Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson lead the cast in the main roles.
Other important cast members include Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Brühl, Djimon Hounsou, Charles Dance, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Aaron Vodovoz, Todd Boyce, Branka Katic, Valerie Pachner, Olivier Richters, Stanley Tucci, Neil Jackson, Joel Basman, Ross Anderson, Alison Steadman, Robert Aramayo, Alexandra Maria Lara, and Tiago Martins.
Who Are the Key Characters in The King's Man?
The King's Man features a whole host of new characters from all sorts of backgrounds. First, let's take a look at our heroes:
Ralph Fiennes stars as Orlando, Duke of Oxford. The founder of the Kingsman organization, the Duke is a formidable fighter and strategist.
Harris Dickinson plays Conrad, a young man injured in Europe who is recruited into the organization. Like Taron Egerton's Eggsy, Conrad is the newbie through whose eyes we are introduced to the movie's world. Alexander Shaw plays a young version of Conrad.
Gemma Arterton appears as Polly, one of the Kingsman agents. She's a no-nonsense person with a sharp sense of humor.
Djimon Hounsou plays Shola, another Kingsman agent who works in the Duke's service.
Besides these characters, the movie also features Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Lee Unwin. Lee was Eggsy's father but it's unclear if this is the same character or an earlier ancestor of the Unwins. There have also been reports that Taylor-Johnson will be playing a completely new character called Archie Reid so there's still a bit of confusion about his role.
The main villain of the movie is a shadowy figure known only by his thick Scottish accent and the title "The Shepherd". There are some theories that the Shepherd will be the secret identity of Captain Morton, a character played by Matthew Goode. Morton has also been referred to as Tristan, indicating that he may at least start out as a Kingsman agent.
The other villains confirmed for the movie include a number of historical figures. The most prominent among these is Grigori Rasputin (played by Rhys Ifans) and Mata Hari (Valerie Pachner). Rasputin was a Russian mystic and self-declared "holy man" who held considerable influence over the Tsar. Mata Hari was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for the Germans during World War I.
Other historical figures revealed to be appearing in the movie (villainous and otherwise) include Daniel Brühl as Austrian mentalist and publicist Erik Jan Hanussen, Charles Dance as senior British Army officer and Secretary of State for War Herbert Kitchener, Aaron Vodovoz as Russian aristocrat Felix Yusupov, Todd Boyce as American industrialist and financier Mr. Alfred DuPont, Branka Katic as Tsarina Alix, wife of Tsar Nicholas II, and Joel Basman as Gavrilo Princip, the Bosnian Serb student who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and kicked off WWI.
Additionally, Tom Hollander is reportedly pulling triple duty, playing King George V, Kaiser Wilhelm II, and Tsar Nicholas II, the then-monarchs of the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia respectively.
When Did The King's Man Filming Take Place?
Principal photography on The King's Man began on January 22, 2019, in the United Kingdom. The movie has also been filmed in Italy. At least some scenes were shot in Turin and Venaria Reale starting on April 24, 2019.
When and Where Is The King's Man Set?
The King's Man is going to be set during the First World War, specifically sometime in the 1910s. WWI is both the backdrop and the key driving force of the story, with both heroes and villains attempting to influence the course of the war. Judging by the trailer, there's going to be a lot of moving around, so we can expect the film to feature multiple locations around the continent.
What Is the Plot of The King's Man?
The King's Man serves as an origin story for the Kingsman organization, revealing how the secret service was born amidst the horrors of World War I. Brought together by Orlando, Duke of Oxford, the first generation of Kingman agents work against the machinations of a secret cabal of villains, who are hellbent on using the war to make a profit. Matthew Vaughn has also hinted at some connections between The King's Man and the upcoming Kingsman 3.
Here's the official synopsis, courtesy of 20th Century Studios:
"As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in The King's Man."
It looks like the movie will maintain the classic Kingsman flavor with evil masterminds and plots of world domination, while also weaving an intriguing tale of historical fiction. Fans have waited a long time for this exciting prequel and here's hoping it delivers on its promise.