Kingsman 2 Official Poster & Synopsis

Kingsman: The Secret Service was one of the most pleasant cinematic surprises of 2015. Featuring Taron Egerton as English troublemaker Eggsy and Colin Firth as suave secret agent Harry Hart - pitched somewhere between James Bond and Austin Powers - the movie was a critical and commercial success in a multitude of territories. Hence, the announcement of a follow up in the form of Kingsman: The Golden Circle, did not come as a surprise.

The Golden Circle sees the return of primary protagonists Egerton and Firth, as well as the first movie's key behind the scenes duo, director Matthew Vaughn and writer Jane Goldman. Added to the cast this time around are such A-List names as Julianne Moore, Elton John, Halle Berry and Channing Tatum among others.

20th Century Fox have now released an official poster and synopsis for the forthcoming sequel and it seems as if fans of the original film can expect more comedy-tinged espionage this time around. The poster features what can perhaps be presumed to be Egerton and another character seemingly ready for business, against whatever threats may be approaching to jeopardize the safety of the free world. The synopsis reads:

'Kingsman: The Secret Service' introduced the world to Kingsman - an independent, international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion, whose ultimate goal is to keep the world safe. In 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle', our heroes face a new challenge. When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman, dating back to the day they were both founded. In a new adventure that tests their agents' strength and wits to the limit, these two elite secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy, in order to save the world, something that's becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy...

The synopsis demonstrates a significant escalation from the threat in the original film and the reveal of the new 'Statesmen' organization is sure to open new narrative doors and introduce a host of intriguing fresh characters. Whilst the poster doesn't too give much away, Fox have been known for slipping subtle clues into Kingsman promotional material and whatever the figure on the right seems to be holding is adorned with an 'S' symbol, suggesting they are a member of the Statesmen.

With the glut of movie sequels - some very much unwarranted - currently in production, it might be tempting to write off Kingsman: The Golden Circle as a studio money-spinner or a cynical attempt to create a franchise out of a movie that was absolutely fine as a standalone venture. Some may also be annoyed that after Firth's character sadly died in the first film, his return is being spoiled before the release of the actual movie.

With that said, it's understandable that 20th Century Fox would want to capitalize on their A-List cast and even if it is somewhat of a spoiler, it would be a marketing misstep to have Colin Firth in your movie and not promote that fact. Moreover, with the core original team and cast from the first film returning, there's no reason to believe that Kingsman: The Golden Circle can't recapture the exciting tone and sharp wit of the original movie. It could also be said that the franchise's rich and detailed fictional universe warrants further exploration and the introduction of the Statesmen is arguably proof of that.