ADDING to the burgeoning Kingsman cinematic universe, Matthew Vaughn’s The King’s Man has dropped its first trailer. Given that the film still sits in the comedy category on IMDb no one should jump to conclusions but, it is hard to ignore the substantial tonal shift from the last two films and this trailer. Still strapped with the series’s signature swagger, The King’s Man leans into a grittier and more grounded tone. Whether that carries over to the full film or not remains to be seen.

Expounding the notion nobility secured their positions through theft and subterfuge comes across more seriously than previously presented concepts. With a certain Rasputin featured prominently and a WWI setting, The King’s Man has an excellent opportunity to insert its secret organization into history while making a striking political point. Witnessing the birth of the organization intertwined with the spark of war would make for an excellent film.

Hopefully the inevitable injection of humor does not overpower the great thematic potential presented in this first trailer. The much more grounded battle scenes indicate that Vaughn may at least attempt to balance the two. If he manages to do each aspect justice, we may have a nice return to form (more The Secret Service less The Golden Circle) on our hands.

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