During their Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2017, 20th Century Fox debuted three exclusive clips from this fall's Kingsman: The Golden Circle, including one that sheds some light on how demented Julianne Moore's villain, Poppy, really is. The Golden Circle is the sequel to 2015's surprise hit Kingsman: The Secret Service, which was praised by critics and fans alike for its over-the-top, stylized action and glorious sendup of the spy genre. In the followup, the likes of Eggsy and Merlin will join forces with the Statesmen, who are basically America's version of the Kingsman.
Despite the hopes of fans, Fox did not highlight any of their upcoming X-Men projects set to hit theaters next year at the presentation, but lovers of Kingsmen definitely did not leave disappointed. A new trailer for the movie went live earlier today, so the exclusive footage shown consisted of a trio of clips from the film (which director Matthew Vaughn is finishing up now). The scenes caught viewers up with some old friends, while also introducing two of the key new characters.
First up was the opening sequence of The Golden Circle, where Eggsy has an encounter with Charlie, a failed Kingsman applicant from the original movie. Here, audiences see some of the Kingsman tech in action, such as glasses that serve as a HUD providing information on whoever one is looking at. Eggsy is taken at gunpoint by Charlie as the two enter Eggsy's Kingsman taxi. This is the set piece seen in the first trailer, with Eggsy fighting Charlie in the back seat during a high-speed car chase. During the struggle, Eggsy's driver is killed and the taxi crashes, ejecting Charlie and making him lose his metal arm. The chase continues with Eggsy on the run by himself. He eliminates his pursuers by firing a rocket that blows up three cars and makes his escape in the water (his car turns into a submarine). It was a fun, fast-paced action sequence to fully immerse people back in the world of Kingsman.
Channing Tatum's Agent Tequila was the focus of the next clip, which started with Eggsy and Merlin sneaking around a distillery trying to find the Statesman base. Tequila discovers Eggsy and Merlin snooping about, and a fight ensues. The American makes quick work of his British counterparts, with Eggsy exclaiming "Who the f*** are you?!" as he's knocked out. A funnier bit from this segment was Merlin cracking a barrel of 1963 whiskey in search of the Statesman base and blocking it with his hand suspiciously as Tequila approached them. This scene illustrated the Statesman are not to be trifled with and would be valuable allies in a fight, despite their alcohol-based code names.
The last clip was arguably the most memorable (and disturbing), as attendees got a taste of how vicious Julianne Moore's villain is. Her character Poppy, as previously reported, has a monopoly on the world's drug trade, operating in the middle of nowhere to maintain secrecy. She lives in "Poppy Town," a 1950s-inspired safe haven she created due to her fondness for '50s nostalgia. In the scene, she's meeting in a cafe with an associate and someone interested in joining Poppy's Golden Circle. In order to become a member, one must show absolute loyalty to Poppy, and her methods are twisted. She tells the would-be cartel member to grind his friend's body in a meat mincer, turning his body into chopped meat. With robot dogs on guard in case anything goes wrong, the Golden Circle hopeful reluctantly goes along with the plan. Afterwards, he heads to Poppy's Salon to be branded with the Golden Circle symbol. He returns to the restaurant and is welcomed with a Poppy Burger, consisting of human meet. To complete his membership process, he has to take a bite of the burger, showing he'll do anything for Poppy.
From what was shown, it was clear The Golden Circle is going to be another wild ride from Vaughn, full of insane action and gloriously cruel evildoers. The only question that remains is whether or not it will be able to capture lightning in a bottle again after its predecessor surprised many a couple years back. All signs are pointing to a fun espionage adventure, so hopefully the next Kingsman can keep the momentum going and prove The Secret Service was no fluke.
MORE: Watch the New Kingsman 2 Trailer
Source: San Diego Comic-Con
