8 Years Ago, A Promising Comic Book Franchise Went Off the Rails, And It May Never Recover

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With so many superhero movies and shows already available, it’s exciting when something new manages to stand out. However, launching a new franchise is always a risk. Even successful brands like the Marvel Cinematic Universe have seen projects like *Thunderbolts* and *Eternals* (both good movies, actually) not perform as well as expected. That’s why it’s so impressive when a new story *does* connect with audiences, and particularly disappointing when it doesn’t live up to its initial promise.

The 2014 film *Kingsman: The Secret Service*, based on the comic book *The Secret Service* by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, was a huge success. It was packed with exciting, over-the-top action, witty humor, a talented team behind the scenes, and introduced audiences to new stars like Taron Egerton. The film earned over $414 million worldwide on an $81 million budget, making a sequel and potentially a series like *John Wick* seem very likely. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out as planned.

Where the Kingsman Franchise Went Wrong

Three years after the first film, *Kingsman: The Golden Circle* arrived with a similar approach – the same writers and director aimed to recapture the original’s edgy humor, packed in plenty of action, and featured a big-name cast. However, the sequel didn’t perform as well at the box office, and critics and audiences generally liked it much less. The first *Kingsman* earned positive reviews and an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while *The Golden Circle* received a score 20 points lower from both groups. This was surprising, considering Matt Vaughn, known for films like *Kick-Ass* and *X-Men: First Class*, directed both movies, and he and Jane Goldman co-wrote both scripts.

As a huge fan of the first *Kingsman* film, I have to admit *The Golden Circle* just didn’t quite hit the same mark. The original, *The Secret Service*, was such a blast because it introduced us to Eggsy, a really cool but lost guy who unexpectedly finds his place in the world of espionage. It felt fresh and exciting! *The Golden Circle* definitely throws a lot at Eggsy right away – he loses his mentor and everything Kingsman stands for in a really shocking opening. That’s what leads him and Merlin, the tech guy, to team up with the American equivalent of Kingsman, called Statesmen, for help. It just didn’t recapture that initial spark for me, though.

Despite a charming performance from Pedro Pascal and Channing Tatum as agents Whisky and Tequila, and Julianne Moore’s efforts to replace Samuel L. Jackson’s memorable villain in *Kingsman*, the sequel didn’t develop the characters or relationships from the first film. Instead, it introduced a new cast without capturing the original’s spark.

As a big fan of the first *Kingsman: The Secret Service*, I really loved the dynamic between Eggsy and Harry. It was the heart of that movie! But *The Golden Circle* kind of dropped that, and honestly, it felt like something was missing. They built a whole plotline around Eggsy’s fling with the Swedish princess, which felt… weird. I would have much preferred seeing what happened with Roxy, you know? They spent so much time developing her in the first film, and her friendship with Eggsy felt like a more natural story to explore in the sequel.

Kingsman‘s Future Doesn’t Look Bright

Since the release of *Kingsman: The Golden Circle*, Taron Egerton’s star power has grown, highlighted by his Golden Globe win for *Rocketman*. Meanwhile, director Matthew Vaughn and writer Jane Goldman are no longer working together. This might explain why, instead of continuing Eggsy’s story, Vaughn chose to explore the origins of the Kingsman agency with the 2021 prequel, *The King’s Man*. He once again brought together a promising lead actor – Harris Dickinson, this time instead of Egerton – along with energetic action and a strong ensemble cast of British character actors.

Despite being part of the popular *Kingsman* series, *The King’s Man* received the worst reviews so far and earned only $125 million worldwide. While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly impacted its performance, the film’s disappointing results suggest the *Kingsman* franchise might not be as strong as previously believed. The recent box office failure of Matthew Vaughn’s *Argylle* further highlighted these concerns.

Talk about a third *Kingsman* movie has been circulating, with both Taron Egerton and Matthew Vaughn confirming it’s happening. IMDB lists the title as *Kingsman: The Blue Blood* and says pre-production began earlier this year. However, after such a long wait, it’s an open question whether they can recapture the audience from the first film, or if this next installment will revitalize the series or ultimately signal its end.

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2025-09-21 17:41