The spy genre was too serious, so they made a 'fun one'
In short: In 2012, creators Mark Millar and Matthew Vaughn sat in a bar and decided to subvert the spy genre. They were tired of the brooding, heavy atmosphere of traditional espionage and wanted to create something different. The result was a high-octane, stylish reimagining of the secret service.
The Kingsman franchise began as a comic book series in 2012, originally titled The Secret Service. The concept was born from a conversation between Millar and Vaughn, who lamented that spy movies had become overly serious. Their goal was to inject fun into the genre, leading to a multimedia franchise that includes films, video games, and comics. The first film, Kingsman: The Secret Service, premiered in 2015 and established the core dynamic between veteran spy Harry Hart and his recruit, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin.
The production of the franchise has been marked by significant logistical hurdles and creative pivots. To ensure the first film had enough time for production, director Matthew Vaughn famously opted out of directing X-Men: Days of Future Past, calling it a "really tough decision." The sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, faced complex scheduling conflicts, particularly regarding lead actor Taron Egerton's commitments to the Robin Hood: Origins franchise. Additionally, the prequel The King's Man faced eight separate delays between 2019 and 2021 due to production issues and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The franchise has expanded into a shared universe known as the "Millarworld." This includes crossovers with other properties like Kick-Ass and Wanted, as well as a 2017 animated short featuring the character Sterling Archer. While the films have explored different eras—from the early 1900s in the prequel to a modern-day alliance with the American "Statesman" organization—the series continues to focus on the "Harry Hart-Eggsy relationship" trilogy, with future projects aiming to cap off their narrative arc.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Kingsman (franchise)
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