Movies

‘Kingsman 3’ Recruits Ralph Fiennes and Harris Dickinson

Colin Firth and Taron Egerton appear to be out, but their replacements can fill their fancy leather shoes.
Ralph Fiennes
Fox Searchlight
By  · Published on October 2nd, 2018

What a difference a few days make. Last week we shared the news that Kingsman 3 will be released next year with Taron Egerton and Colin Firth expected to return and reprise their roles as Eggsy and Harry, respectively. As far as we knew then, the plan was for Matthew Vaughn and co. to make a sequel followed by a period-set prequel and a spin-off TV show. Well, those plans have changed, as we have now learned that part three will be the prequel.

According to the Daily Mail, Kingsman 3 will be set during World War I and will explore the Kingsman organization’s origin story through a healthy mix of real-world history and the franchise’s own mythology. Plot details are being kept close to the vest for now, but it is believed that a fictional story about the real-life Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and how it birthed Kingsman will be the base of it all.

Now on to the exciting part. While it sounds like Egerton and Firth won’t feature this time around, they will be replaced by another exciting teacher/student pairing. Ralph Fiennes is on board to play the experienced agent, and Harris Dickinson will play his younger understudy. The formula that made the previous two installments so successful hasn’t been altered too much, but some fresh faces and new heroes is a welcome change of pace.

If Egerton and Firth do return as was previously expected, maybe they’ll feature in scenes set in the present or play new characters altogether. That said, until we hear otherwise, we can probably assume that they’re out. I hope Egerton returns and plays someone else. If the Rocketman trailer proves anything, it’s that he’s capable of unexpected transformations.

It’s always exciting to see Fiennes in a comedy. He’s capable of nailing any type of role, but he’s especially good when he’s making us laugh. His performance in The Grand Budapest Hotel speaks for itself, but a franchise like Kingsman — with its violence and edgy sense of humor — will showcase a side of him that we haven’t seen since In Bruges. Will he get his own church scene moment? Let’s hope so. Fiennes deserves a chance to go full badass action hero.

Dickinson is on the way to big things as well. In addition to this, he’ll also be playing Prince Charming in 2020’s Maleficent sequel. He recently appeared in The Darkest Minds (not his best moment, to be fair), and led the BBC series Trust, co-starring with Donald Sutherland and Hilary Swank. Kingsman 3, however, is the type of movie that could make him a bona fide leading man going forward. Just look at Egerton’s career now following his breakout role in these movies.

It’s sad that we won’t see one final adventure centered around Egerton and Firth, but their replacements are capable of filling their fancy leather shoes. This also opens up some new possibilities for the franchise. If the movie is a success and the new leads have chemistry together, they could potentially return for a sequel. Make it happen, Vaughn.

Kingsman 3 will hit theaters on November 8, 2019.

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Kieran is a Contributor to the website you're currently reading. He also loves the movie Varsity Blues.