'The King's Man' May Be A Prequel, But It Sets Up 'Kingsman 3,' Matthew Vaughn Teases

The King's Man takes place decades before the events of the Kingsman series, and yet director Matthew Vaughn has found ways for the upcoming Ralph Fiennes-led prequel film to set up the events of a potential Kingsman 3.

In an interview with Empire, the director of the upcoming period spy action film The King's Man confirmed that the prequel to the Kingsman film series will be setting up events that will happen in the potential Kingsman 3:

"We've put seeds for what's going to happen in Kingsman 3 all the way back into this. And it's going to be very different."

Kingsman 3 is not yet in the works, nor has the cast of the first two Kingsman films confirmed their returns. However, Kingsman star Taron Egerton has confirmed that a script had been written for the film as recently as last year and that he would be glad to return for a third and final film in the series, saying, "I think it'd be great to finish the story off because I've loved playing the character." At the end of Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Egerton's Eggsy married a Crown Princess of Sweden, while Harry (Colin Firth) was back in the field and Tequila (Channing Tatum) had joined the Kingsman. It's unclear whether all three will return for a sequel, or if The Golden Circle newcomers like Ginger Ale (Halle Berry) and Champ (Jeff Bridges) will make appearances as well.

Vaughn's statement gives us a hint at what Vaughn plans to do with this sequel, should he direct it. Vaughn previously planned to hand the baton to a new director, but told Empire that he would consider getting back in the director's chair himself.

"I actually don't know what I want to do," he said. "There is an opportunity for a director to really change it up, but I'm considering it."

Ralph Fiennes stars in The King's Man as one of the founding members of the Kingsman espionage organization while up-and-comer Harris Dickinson plays a fresh-faced recruit. Rhys Ifans dons gaunt eyes and scraggly hair to play Rasputin, and the impressive supporting cast is rounded out by Gemma Arterton, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Daniel Brühl, with Djimon Hounsou, and Charles Dance. The film is directed by Matthew Vaughn, who wrote the screenplay with Karl Gajdusek.

The King's Man arrives in theaters on September 18, 2020.

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.