Uproxx: "Guy Ritchie Talks ‘King Arthur’ And Why He’s Surprised To Learn People Want A ‘Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ Sequel"

- May 11, 2017

SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT WRITER

A few weeks ago, Armie Hammer told the story about how he asked The Man from U.N.C.L.E. screenwriter Lionel Wigram to write a sequel to the 2015 film that underperformed at the box office, but has found a new life over the last few months thanks to cable and streaming. Now, when I brought this up to Guy Ritchie (who directed the 2015 film and is currently promoting King Arthur: Legend of the Sword), I expected him to have a fairly good idea of what was happening in that department. Instead, he looked genuinely confused and couldn’t understand why anyone would want to see a sequel to a movie that underperformed like The Man From U.N.C.L.E. did. What follows is me trying to explain to Ritche, who really did love The Man From U.N.C.L.E, that his movie has gained a lot of popularity over the last few months and has a dedicated fan base. And honestly, I’m not convinced he believed me. (...)

Your last few movies have taken dormant properties and given them fresh takes. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. has had a resurgence since it came out in 2015…

Has it? I didn’t know that.

I think a lot of people didn’t see it in theaters but discovered it on cable or streaming.

Well, it was a weird thing, because I am of the generation that knew who The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was, and a fart in the wind got more traction – because The Man from U.N.C.L.E. just didn’t seem to mean anything to anyone.

Unless you saw the television show in its first run, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. wasn’t something in heavy reruns in the U.S., like say Gilligan’s Island.

I’m glad you told me that, by the way, because I would have no idea.

Well, people are talking about a sequel now.

I know. They are talking about a sequel, but I wasn’t sure if that was just flattery.

Well, Armie Hammer’s been talking about it.

By the way, tremendously fun movie to make.

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