“The King’s Man,” a prequel in the “Kingsman” spy series, has pushed back its theatrical debut. The movie was expected to hit theaters on Sept. 18, and will now be unveiled five months later on Feb. 26, 2021.
Though Disney is still moving ahead with big-screen releases for other titles, such as “The New Mutants” and “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” the decision to delay “The King’s Man” is not entirely surprising considering the studio had done little to no promotion for the movie. Given the rapidly changing nature of the pandemic, the studio plans to assess new releases on a case-by-case basis.
Along with Thursday’s news, Disney announced that Searchlight drama “Nomadland” — directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Frances McDormand — is now scheduled for Dec. 4 and Pixar’s animated adventure “Luca” will bow on June 18, 2021.
Disney has shifted around nearly its entire slate amid the coronavirus crisis, shelving some movies until 2021 or later, and putting others on Disney Plus, the company’s streaming service. “Mulan,” the studio’s live-action remake of the animated classic, is among the most high-profile titles to forgo its planned theatrical debut in the U.S. and will instead launch on Disney Plus in September. In parts of the world where the streaming service isn’t available, “Mulan” will play in cinemas.
“The King’s Man” has been postponed numerous times since it was first slated to premiere in November 2019. The film, originally set up at 20th Century Fox, serves as an origin story for the private British intelligence service that’s portrayed in 2014’s “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and 2017’s “Kingsman: The Golden Circle.” Those films, both directed by Matthew Vaughn, were both box office hits, grossing more than $800 million worldwide cumulatively.
Vaughn is back to direct the latest pic, based on a screenplay he wrote with Karl Gajdusek. The prequel, set in the early 1900s, depicts historical tyrants and criminal masterminds as they devise a war that could wipe out millions. The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Djimon Hounsou, Gemma Arterton and Daniel Brühl.