Stan & Ollie director Jon S. Baird has been hired to co-write and direct a currently-untitled Marv Films movie. Matthew Vaughn‘s UK studio is known for its Kingsman and Kick-Ass franchises, and Baird’s hiring has led to speculation that the untitled film is Kingsman 3. Vaughn himself helmed the previous films in the franchise. The studio is remaining tight-lipped for now.
This news means that Baird is no longer directing the recently announced Mel Gibson/Shia LaBeouf project, Rothchild. The film was a hot project at Cannes a few months ago, although Gibson’s involvement in a film whose title evokes a wealthy Jewish family caused some controversy, considering his past. That reportedly had no bearing on Baird leaving the project.
Vaughn has previously stated that he’d like to make the Kingsman prequel The King’s Man and Kingsman 3 back-to-back. Considering the prequel is currently in post-production, and with Baird leaving another project for this one, the likelihood that he is indeed helming Kingsman 3 seems pretty high.
Baird’s last film was the aforementioned Stan & Ollie, about iconic comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. He also previously directed the James McAvoy-led Filth. Anyone who’s seen that film knows that its style would fit in well with the Kingsman franchise.
We’ll wait and see whether this untitled film is indeed Kingsman 3. The King’s Man, which explores the origins of the spy organisation, will be released by Fox/Disney in early 2020. Ralph Fiennes, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Gemma Arterton, and Stanley Tucci star.
#Peace.Love.Kingsman
