Matthew Vaughn, the brains behind the Kingsman films, hopes to turn its prequel — The King’s Man — into a spy franchise to rival the James Bond pictures.
Vaughn’s terrific new movie, set during the start of World War I and starring Ralph Fiennes and Gemma Arterton, is due to open in cinemas on September 18.
But he is still deciding whether to continue it as a big-screen series — or to turn it into a television drama.
Both options have their merits. ‘If we go down the TV route we can explore the rise of Hitler, then go into World War II. Or go back in time and look at the original Great Game,’ Vaughn explained, referring to the intense, decades long stand-off between Great Britain and Russia regarding Afghanistan and India in the 19th century.
‘For me, it would be amazing to finally get to the Cold War,’ he continued, warming to his theme.
Matthew Vaughn, the brains behind the Kingsman films, hopes to turn its prequel — The King’s Man — into a spy franchise to rival the James Bond pictures. (Above, Gemma Arterton as Polly Watkins in the film)
Vaughn’s terrific new movie The King’s Man is set during the start of World War I and also stars Ralph Fiennes (above). It is due to open in cinemas on September 18
Vaughn is still deciding whether to continue it as a big-screen series — or to turn it into a television drama
‘If we go down the TV route we can explore the rise of Hitler, then go into World War II. Or go back in time and look at the original Great Game,’ Vaughn explained, referring to the intense, decades long stand-off between Great Britain and Russia regarding Afghanistan and India in the 19th century. (Above, Rhys Ifans as Rasputin in The King’s Man)
Though by the time the show reached that point, Fiennes’s character Orlando, the Duke of Oxford, would be well into his dotage. Or dead.
Arterton’s quick-witted espionage agent Polly Watkins might, possibly, still be around, but probably too old for active duty.
The King’s Man film is an origin story for the two Kingsman movies — 2014’s The Secret Service and 2017’s The Golden Circle — which starred Colin Firth and Taron Egerton as, respectively, Kingsman secret service operative Harry Hart and Eggsy, the cheeky-chappie Cockney recruited to infuse the agency with new blood.
The King’s Man film is an origin story for the two Kingsman movies — 2014’s The Secret Service and 2017’s The Golden Circle — which starred Colin Firth and Taron Egerton as, respectively, Kingsman secret service operative Harry Hart and Eggsy, the cheeky-chappie Cockney (above in the 2014 film) recruited to infuse the agency with new blood
A third Kingsman film has been written and could start shooting, with Firth and Egerton, late next year or in 2022. (Above, Egerton in Kingsman: The Golden Circle)
Returning to The King’s Man, the producer-director told me that if it does become a TV production, he wants it to have the most diverse cast imaginable. (Above, Daniel Bruhl in The King’s Man)
A third Kingsman film has been written and could start shooting, with Firth and Egerton, late next year or in 2022.
‘It would bring to a conclusion the Harry and Eggsy relationship,’ Vaughn said.
Returning to The King’s Man, the producer-director told me that if it does become a TV production, he wants it to have the most diverse cast imaginable.
‘I want black dukes and duchesses and lords and ladies. Let’s shake up the Establishment!’ he declared. ‘Even if it’s fiction.’
Gemma Arterton and Daniel Craig in 2008’s Bond spectacular The Quantum of Solace
Sorkin takes a radical view of the Sixties
Along with Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods film, which echoes the spectre of the Vietnam War, Aaron Sorkin’s new film The Trial Of The Chicago 7 is likely to resonate in a world roiled by the turmoil of the Covid-19 virus and social unrest.
The court case, which started in the autumn of 1969 and lasted for five months, sprang out of the 1968 demonstrations at the Democratic Party convention in Chicago.
Initially, eight people were charged with conspiring to incite the riots.
The Chicago Seven and their lawyers outside the courthouse where they were on trial for conspiracy and inciting a riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in 1969. From left, lawyer Leonard Weinglass, Rennie Davis, Abbie Hoffman, Lee Weiner, David Dellinger, John Froines, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and lawyer William Kunstler
Sacha Baron Cohen (above, on set) stars as social activist Abbie Hoffman in Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming drama, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Along with Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods film, which echoes the spectre of the Vietnam War, Aaron Sorkin’s new film The Trial Of The Chicago 7 is likely to resonate in a world roiled by the turmoil of the Covid-19 virus and social unrest. Above, one of the seven – Abbie Hoffman, in 1972
They included right-on hippie leaders Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin — portrayed in Sorkin’s film by Sacha Baron Cohen and Succession star Jeremy Strong; Black Panther chief Bobby Seale (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II); and political activists Tom Hayden (who became Mr Jane Fonda; played by Eddie Redmayne) and Rennie Davis (Alex Sharp).
John Carroll Lynch plays oldie liberal David Dellinger, while Noah Robbins and Danny Flaherty round out the defendants’ line-up as Lee Weiner and John Froines respectively.
The radicalism of the era crept into the courts. Seale disrupted the trial to such an extent that Judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella) had him bound and gagged. He was sent for a separate trial, which is when the Chicago 8 became the Chicago 7.
The group were first named the Chicago 8, but Black Panther founder Bobby Seale (above) had his trial severed during the proceedings
Abbie Hoffman called Judge Hoffman ‘Julie’ and mocked him by wearing judicial robes, which he then removed and stamped on. Sorkin cast Mark Rylance and Ben Shenkman as defence lawyers William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays Richard Schultz, one of the two prosecuting attorneys. ‘I was arguing a case that I would never feel ethical arguing — but it makes for a very interesting acting job,’ Gordon-Levitt told me.
He added that with hindsight, the trial was ‘deeply un-American and not about justice and equality at all but rather about a political agenda’. The actor called the film, which will air on Netflix before the U.S. Presidential election in November, ‘incredibly relevant’.