When I saw the film you came in and did a brief introduction.
You described it then as the film youre most proud of doing to date.
Given some of the films youve made in the past, what made this one so special to you?
Because it was a culmination of everything Ive learned from all the films Ive done.
FromLock Stockall the way to now.
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Without sounding arrogant, its the first film that I felt Id properly directed.
All my other movies, it felt like I was at film school, trying to figure it out.
To execute it and have fun.
And its turned out frame for frame exactly what I wanted.
Im proud of it.
Was there a time element built in, too?
Was it important to this that you gave yourself breathing room?
It was that, and having control, and having no studio committees telling me what to do.
It was just me and my mates going off and making a film.
Obviously youve had your Marv production umbrella for a long time, but is that your way forward?
I think Im lucky enough that Ive made enough money that I dont need money.
Look, Ive had the luckiest career anyone can have.
But thats how I feel.
I just want to make great films.
The judgement for me is would I sit in the cinema and think I got my moneys worth.
And I wonder if this is the other side of the studio coin.
Yeah, it was.
We didnt have the money!
And to make it look like a proper big budget movie.
Well do it when we can, and thats that.
And I get it.
Ive got a business.
Presumably thats where coming from a producer background helps enormously?
You just know ultimately that youll get there.
Ive done movies… when we started shootingLock, Stock,wed only raised enough money to film it.
Not to do post-production.
That was the old Palace Pictures model…!
They always figured they could find the rest of the money from somewhere.
Youve got to get on with it.
If you build it, they will come [laughs].
Was it important here that you also got back to your core team?
It feels more of your ensemble behind the camera.
We know how to jam together, and its much easier.
One thing you also said withX-Men: First Classwas that it scratched two itches for you.
Ive made the itch worse!
Well, I was about to say!
Its like a mosquito bite, those fuckers, where it itches too hard!
Ive always loved Bond.
There were two franchise that I would always have dropped everything to do as a director.
Bond was one,Star Warswas other.
And neither of them came my way, so…
Didnt both come close, though?
Well…Star Warsnever happened.
I dont know where that rumor started from, but I wish it was true.
And Bond: I came very close to directingCasino Royale.MGM wanted me, but the Broccolis didnt.
I think I read in Empire that you were attached toCasino Royalefor 24 hours, and that was it?
I was attached as far as MGM was concerned, but not as far as the Broccolis were concerned.
And theyre the power behind that throne!
So when you sat down to putKingsmantogether, what were you aiming for then?
It does stuff a 007 movie couldnt begin to think of getting away with.
I wasnt trying to make a Bond movie.
Very much likeKick-Ass, that was a love letter to all the superhero films I love.
This was the same thing.
But I couldnt just remake those.
So he said Ill go and do Indiana Jones.
Indiana Jones was him reinventing all the 30s pulp movies he grew up on and loved.
Im doing the same thing, but with spies!
But was it quite liberating to doKingsmanvery much not for a PG-13/12A audience?
There was a moment where I thought should I do the PG-13 version ofKingsman.
Because you could do it.
There were a couple of reasons I decided not to.
One, we didnt have the budget to do massive action sequences, so I couldnt compete.
The next Bond is what, $280-300m?
You cant compete with that.
We cant have that scope.
So I have to give it an identity.
And then I watchedStormbreaker, and it just didnt work.
So I was analyzing it, going why is it not working?
And I thought the only way I could pullKingsmanoff was to do the R-rated version.
Thats the only way.
I should ask you just to clarify the certification of the film in the UK…
I havent changed a fucking frame!
The BBFC posted that certain changes were made prior to submission to get a 15 certificate in the UK?
I didnt see evidence of anything being cut out!
I half expected an 18 certificate, but I dont fully know hw the BBFC works.
Theyre pretty intelligent people, the BBFC.
And I think they get it right most of the time.
They watched it, and I sat down with them.
The violence is fun.
You dont see people grimacing.
Theyre laughing with it.
Its likeTom & Jerry.Its over the top and colourful and playful.
You look at some of the stuff on television!
How do you feel the movie press, then, pigeon-holes films such asKingsman?
Do you think the movie press us included misrepresents films such asKingsman?
I just think that ultimately its a weird human nature to pigeonhole things.
Im like, fuck off its not a spoof!
I think weve got that same thing.
Its more like you have to see it to believe it, and have your own opinion.
Was part of the appeal ofKingsmanthat it takes you a part step towards that?
To do a lead character based film?
I think I am leaning towards that soon!
I think Im getting ready for it.
I think when you have one lead character, you have nowhere to hide.
Ive got lots of ways to distract and dazzle the audience.
When you have one character, youre on that ride, and itd better be good.
Do you see it as distracting and dazzling?
But it just gives me options.
But I had that choice.
Well spent time training now, then this plot… there were three plots, we cut another out.
It gave me freedom.
Is this a one-off then?
Youve been slightly sequel-averse to date.X-Men,even, I never really thought of as a sequel.
No, not really.
Is there are a temptation to go back to this or any of your other characters?
There are two movies I always wanted to do a sequel on.
I had a really crazy fun idea for aStardust2.
The opening scene was Charlie Coxs character, being the king and throwing out the necklace.
All on the quest for the stone.
That was a shame.
Because I was so gung-ho about doing a sequel toStardust, and it didnt happen.
I need people to go and buy tickets forKingsmanif Im going to make the sequel.
Audiences are the bosses when it comes to that!
I never got the sense that you were tempted to go back to something likeX-Menthough?
That that was an itch that again had been scratched?
I was tempted to and I nearly did, and thenKingsmancame into my head.
I was terrified withKingsman.
I wanted to be the first person to do it.
Now if you look at it, theresSpycoming out, with Melissa McCarthy.
Thats glorious counter-programming…
Fuck knows!
But Im hoping we both survive and get our core audiences.
Which I cant imagine being too crossed.
I cant imagine there are too many young men going to seeFifty Shades, but who knows!
Theres a big mountain to be shared, so plenty for both of us!
Have you worked out where youre heading next?
No idea, no idea.
For me, Im not Spielberg.
I cant edit while filming another film.
Ive only just finished, I need to go on a long holiday and see what happens.
Its a clean break between each?
Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels!
I had a funny feeling you may say that!
Matthew Vaughn, thank you very much.
