San Diego Comic-Con 2017
Author: Stefanie Bautista
Thursday, July 20, 2017, showcased none other than Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle, the first movie panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. This sequel brings a fresh take on the British spy movie Kingsman: The Secret Service. The premise of this sequel trails the Kingsman as they head to the United States and team up with the Statesman to defeat The Golden Circle, a secret new-world-order organization. Both films star Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong.
Panel attendees quickly learned, however, that this follow-up comes with an even larger star-studded cast. Present for the panel were Egerton, Firth, and Strong, but new and familiar faces at the panel featured Channing Tatum as Tequila, Halle Berry as Ginger Ale, Jeff Bridges as Champagne, and Pedro Pascal as Whiskey. The panel was rounded out with the creator of “The Secret Service” comic that inspired the movie, Dave Gibbons, and screenwriter Jane Goldman. Throughout the experience, Gibbons worked on an original sketch that would be given to the fan with the “best” question during the Q&A segment of the panel.
Upon entering Hall H, we were given a Kingsman shirt and a black fidget spinner as giveaways for the new movie. The famed BBC One radio host Jonathan Ross helmed the panel as its moderator. The table talk opened with a message from director Matthew Vaughn, as he could not be there to contribute. Also absent was Julianne Moore, portraying Poppy, the Head of The Golden Circle. In her absence, an exclusive clip of the movie featured a great scene that highlighted the savagery of her character.
If we were to give this panel a theme, it would be “roast.” The crew seemed to have effortless chemistry, transitioning between topics about the movie to each other. When Goldman discussed the stereotypes she used when considering her American counterparts, she jokingly apologized for the abundance of cowboy hats and alcohol. The entire room laughed at the notion while Pascal reminisced about how the bullwhip was his favorite weapon in the movie, mentioning that he’s “very good at it.”
Ross commented on Egerton’s physique, noting that he has gotten more muscular since the first movie. Egerton naturally diverted the attention to Tatum’s physique by name-dropping a certain Magic Mike, which drew the largest laughs. He warned the crowd to “never get into a fight with Tatum.”
In the most memorable moment of the panel, Goldman refers to Kentucky Bourbon making as the American equivalent of British tailoring in the upcoming flick. This prompted glasses of bourbon to be poured for every panel member. Tatum later decides to pour his remaining bourbon into Halle Berry’s glass. She downs the entire glass in sheer badassery and collapses on Bridges’ lap comedically.
Thanks to the cast and Ross, the Kingsman panel was full of amusement and smart quips, one after another. The special scenes during the panel were incredible, showcasing the elevation of comedy and action from the first movie. Not giving away any spoilers, the “untasteful” scene of Moore’s character inspired an offsite experience at the Hard Rock Cafe in the Gaslamp District that featured a Comic-Con special titled “The Poppy Burger.”
The panel concluded with a huge selfie with the cast and all the Hall H attendees wearing their orange Kingsman shirts, modeled after the special new jacket that the character Eggsy gets in the movie. Be sure to catch Kingsman: The Golden Circle in the US and UK theaters on September 22, 2017.