It’s been a long time coming, but over two years behind schedule The King’s Man will finally come to theaters on December 22, where it faces a tough task putting any sort of noticeable dent in the box office.
Not only does the third installment in the franchise and first prequel follow hot on the heels of Spider-Man: No Way Home, but it lands on the exact same day as The Matrix Resurrections, another R-rated action blockbuster that’s aiming for an identical demographic.
As a result, Matthew Vaughn’s latest is tracking for a disappointing opening weekend that could struggle to reach $15 million, and matters may not be helped by the early reactions. As you can see below, it appears as though The King’s Man has its moments, but the jarring tonal shifts and overall chaotic nature of the movie have it pegged already as the weakest installment in the series yet.
Vaughn has been adamant that Taron Egerton’s third outing as Eggsy remains on the cards, but the fate of Kingsman: The Blue Blood will be in part determined by how The King’s Man fares critically and commercially, especially when Disney are now in control of the property and R-rated content has never been high on the Mouse House’s list of priorities.