Director Matthew Vaughn says the upcoming Kingsman prequel movie isn't titled The Great Game. Vaughn first brought the world of Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons' comics to life with 2015's Kingsman: The Secret Service, introducing a world of covert spies that draws inspiration from the likes of James Bond. The Secret Service was a hit with critics and casual moviegoers alike for its new take on spy action-thrillers, with the film earning $414.4 million at the box office. It was such a success that 20th Century Fox released the sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, in 2017, though it wasn't quite as well received and took a slightly smaller box office haul.
Still, the Kingsman franchise soldiers on, with two movies currently in active development: Kingsman 3, which would reunite series stars Taron Egerton and Colin Firth for one last hurrah as Eggsy Unwin and Harry Hart, respectively, and the Kingsman prequel thought to be titled The Great Game. The Kingsman prequel will film before Kingsman 3, with it going before cameras this year ahead of its early 2020 release date. (The Disney-Fox deal hasn't affected the Kingsman franchise, which is continuing on.) Now, Vaughn reveals the official title of the Kingsman prequel won't be what many thought it was.
In an interview with Screen Rant to discuss the Elton John biopic Rocketman - on which he serves as a producer, with Kingsman star Egerton in the lead role - Vaughn revealed the official title of the Kingsman prequel ISN'T The Great Game as has been widely reported. Vaughn said, "It's not going to be called The Great Game. Everyone thinks... it makes me laugh." Vaughn didn't elaborate on what the actual title of the movie will be, but the Kingsman prequel's official name will no doubt be revealed in due time.
It appears that The Great Game has been the title attached to the movie since the Kingsman prequel, sequel and spinoff - Statesman - were initially reported last year. However, it would seem that neither Vaughn nor Fox (and now Disney) ever confirmed the prequel will be titled Kingsman: The Great Game. It's likely that The Great Game was an early working title for the project when Vaughn and screenwriter Karl Gajdusek were first developing it. But it seems the movie will get a new name before the Kingsman prequel's early 2020 release date - that is, of course, unless Disney shifts the release date of the former Fox movie on its own slate.
Little is known about the Kingsman prequel, and Vaughn's latest comment calls into question everything it seemed we actually did know, but it will reportedly be set during World War I. Further the cast of the Kingsman prequel is said to feature Harris Dickinson, Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Charles Dance, Daniel Brühl, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Djimon Hounsou, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Gemma Arterton and Tom Hollander among others. It remains to be seen how all these actors factor into the Kingsman prequel (and if they're all actually involved), but it's undoubtedly a talented cast. For now, fans will have to wait and see what the Kingsman prequel is officially called since it's not The Great Game, but more news should arrive as the movie progresses forward.