Disney acquired Fox last month once its historic buyout went through and naturally, this has meant that the Mouse House has shaken up Fox’s upcoming release slate, with many projects dumped as they’ve been deemed non-viable. Spy-fi fans will be pleased to know that Disney apparently has faith in Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman movies, though, as they’re said to be moving ahead with the upcoming prequel, Kingsman: The Great Game.
The Hollywood Reporter has revealed a few of the movies that are destined to never make it to production, but the WWI- set spy caper starring Ralph Fiennes isn’t one of them. THR says its survival is due to the fact that former Fox film president Emma Watts has found a new home at Disney and is protecting the projects she greenlit in December and early January this year.
The studio’s likely also backing her decision because of how profitable the Kingsman franchise has proven to be, with both 2014’s The Secret Service and 2017’s The Golden Circle earning around $400 million at the box office. That said, it’s surprising that Disney would want to have their name attached to a series that’s known for its racy content and near-the-knuckle sense of humor. Especially as THR reports that the studio is set to tamper with Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story to remove the depiction of teens smoking.
Of course, Vaughn has previously announced his big plans for the Kingsman franchise which he hopes will cross various forms of media. After The Great Game establishes the origins of the organization, Kingsman 3 will wrap up Eggsy and Harry Hart’s storyline. Following that, he wants to do a Statesman spinoff and a TV show set in the same universe. Whether Disney lets him do all this, though, will presumably depend on how well Kingsman: The Great Game is received.