Kingsman 3 Won't Bring Back Taron Egerton

Kingsman star Taron Egerton says he won't be returning for the third film. During an interview for his upcoming starring role in a new adaptation of Robin Hood, Egerton revealed he's out for the next picture in the franchise, but left the door open for returning sometime in the future.

"I don’t know how hot off the press this is, and I think I'm allowed to say it, but I'm not in the next Kingsman movie,” Egerton told Yahoo. "That doesn't mean I won't be in Kingsman ever again. I was with Matthew [Vaughn] as little as a few days ago, we're still very much in business together, but his next journey in that world doesn't involve me."

Egerton has been the central character Gary "Eggsy" Unwin in both Kingsman movies so far: 2014's Kingsman: The Secret Service and the sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle. The comic adaptation centers on a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who gets recruited into a high-tech gentlemen spy organization. Both have had their share of James Bond-like action, punctuated with moments of tongue-in-cheek satire toward the spy genre.

The third film is scheduled for November 9, 2019, and will focus on a new character named Conrad against the backdrop of World War 1. That may make it a prequel, which explains Egerton's absence. Ralph Fiennes is also said to be involved. Egerton says he's talked with Vaughn about the story for the upcoming film.

"His idea for the new one is incredibly exciting," Egerton said. "I'm sad that I won't be on that journey with him, but it's not the last you've seen of Eggsy."

Egerton's next starring role, as the title character in Robin Hood, will debut in theaters on November 21. The film also stars Jamie Foxx, Jamie Dornan, and Eve Hewson.