Johnny English Strikes Again

Universal Pictures

Industry	Film production and distribution
Founded	1912
Headquarters	Universal City, California , United States
Products	Motion pictures, film distribution
Website	www.universalpictures.com

Johnny English Strikes Again is a 2018 spy action-comedy film helmed by director David Kerr. Serving as the third entry in the Johnny English franchise, it follows the 2011 release Johnny English Reborn. The movie features Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as the iconic MI7 agent Johnny English, alongside co-stars Ben Miller, Olga Kurylenko, Jake Lacy, and Emma Thompson. The storyline revolves around English being called back into service after a cyberattack reveals the identities of all undercover agents.

Released by Universal Pictures, the film debuted in Australia on 20 September 2018, then in the United Kingdom on 5 October, and later in the United States on 26 October. Although critical reception was mixed, it achieved commercial success, earning $159 million globally against a production budget of $25 million. Plans for a sequel are currently underway.

Plot

Set seven years after the previous installment, a cyberattack compromises MI7’s covert operatives, compelling the agency to reactivate retired agents, including Johnny English. Formerly a geography teacher covertly instructing students in espionage tactics, English inadvertently incapacitates his fellow reactivated agents and ends up as the sole operative for the mission. He insists on bringing along his longtime partner and MI7 clerk, Angus Bough. Armed with gadgets such as explosive jelly babies and a tracker cleverly disguised as a Sherbet Fountain candy, they travel to France in an old Aston Martin to conduct their investigation.

At the Hotel Magnifique in Antibes—the source of the cyberattack—they assume waiter disguises and manage to steal a phone revealing their next target: the Dot Calm yacht. After English accidentally ignites a fire in the restaurant, they infiltrate the yacht but are apprehended by Russian agent Ophelia Bhuletova. They manage to escape upon discovering numerous computer servers onboard.

Pursuing Bhuletova’s electric BMW through rural terrain, English and Bough run out of fuel. She arranges a rendezvous at the Hotel de Paris in Cagnes-sur-Mer. While English meets her at the bar, Bough uncovers her true identity as a spy; however, English dismisses these suspicions. Later, Bhuletova attempts to assassinate English during the night but fails when he unknowingly consumes energy pills and departs to attend a party.

Subsequent cyberattacks prompt the Prime Minister to finalize an agreement with Silicon Valley billionaire Jason Volta at an upcoming G12 summit.

Suspecting Volta—owner of the Dot Calm yacht—of orchestrating the attacks, English and Bough infiltrate his estate to collect evidence. During a virtual reality simulation of the mansion’s interior, English accidentally assaults several individuals while immersed in the simulation. Upon arrival at Volta’s residence, he confirms Bhuletova’s role as a spy and captures incriminating evidence using her iPhone but inadvertently reveals himself by playing music aloud. After escaping and commandeering a vehicle, he returns to MI7 while being pursued by Volta.

However, English mistakenly confuses iPhones with a driving student and fails to convince MI7 and the Prime Minister about Volta’s conspiracy. Due to past mishaps, both are dismissed prior to the G12 meeting in Scotland. Undaunted, Bough persuades English to thwart Volta’s plan, recruiting his wife Lydia—a Navy submarine captain—to provide support from HMS Vengeance stationed at Loch Nevis.

Bhuletova attempts to assassinate Volta but is thwarted as he is immune to her poison ring and has sabotaged her firearm. As she scales Garroch Castle wearing a powered exosuit, English intervenes; nonetheless, Volta escapes. His scheme involves blackmailing G12 leaders by threatening an internet blackout. English contacts MI7 but ignores Lydia’s caution about mobile phone use near submarines.

An MI7 secretary accidentally places two phones side-by-side—one belonging to English and one from Lydia confirming a launch code entered by English—resulting in Lydia mistakenly launching a ballistic missile. The missile redirects toward a Sherbet Fountain beacon left on Dot Calm, destroying both the yacht and Volta’s server. Clad in armor, English teams up with Bough and Bhuletova to pursue Volta as he attempts to reroute the attack via helicopter.

Bhuletova hands English a tablet designed to disable Volta’s glass Aerospatiale Gazelle helicopter. When Volta mocks English’s technological abilities, English hurls the tablet at him, knocking him unconscious before smashing his phone with a sword to halt the assault. The Prime Minister commends and pardons English despite his unconventional tactics; however, he embarrasses himself by accidentally disrobing before press and G12 dignitaries while removing his armor.

English returns to his school as a guest speaker greeted warmly by students—but notices the headmaster about to consume one of his explosive jelly babies.

Cast

• Rowan Atkinson portrays Johnny English, a former MI7 operative turned geography teacher who is called back into service for a new assignment.
• Ben Miller appears as Angus Bough, an MI7 agent and English’s previous assistant.
• Olga Kurylenko plays Ophelia Bhuletova, a Russian intelligence operative; she was also featured in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.
• Jake Lacy acts as Jason Volta, a tech billionaire from Silicon Valley advocating a data management platform; he is the franchise’s inaugural American villain.
• Emma Thompson takes on the role of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
• Adam James is cast as Pegasus, the codename for the MI7 chief.
• Amit Shah plays Samir, who serves as the Prime Minister’s aide.
• Matthew Beard appears as P, the weapons specialist at MI7.
• Michael Gambon features as Agent Five.
• Charles Dance portrays Agent Seven.
• Edward Fox returns as Agent Nine.
• Vicki Pepperdine plays Lydia, the spouse of Bough and an officer in the Royal Navy.
• Pippa Bennett-Warner acts as Lesley, secretary to Pegasus.
• Roger Barclay is Sebastian Lynch, a person of interest.
• Irena Tyshyna plays Viola Lynch, Sebastian’s wife.
• Pauline McLynn appears as Mrs. Trattner.
• Gus Brown portrays the school headmaster.
• Kevin Eldon acts as the MI7 Night Duty Agent.

Production

Rowan Atkinson’s return to his iconic character was confirmed in May 2017 for the sequel to Johnny English Reborn (2011). Filming commenced in August 2017 under director David Kerr, with Florian Hoffmeister serving as director of photography. Edward Fox reprised a minor role; both he and Atkinson had previously worked together on the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again.

Simon Bowles led the production design team and was honored with a 2019 British Film Designers Guild Award alongside set decorator Liz Griffiths and supervising art director Ben Collins. Principal photography took place in locations such as Welham Green and Gloucestershire in England, with additional scenes shot at Saint Aygulf beach in Var, France.

On 4 April 2018, the film’s title, Johnny English Strikes Again, was officially announced along with a teaser trailer.

Car

The vehicle driven by Johnny English is a Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977), owned personally by Rowan Atkinson, who also handled driving duties during filming. He acquired this car several months prior to production.

Theatrical

Initially planned for release on 12 October 2018 in both the UK and US by Universal Pictures, Johnny English Strikes Again experienced date changes in the US market—first moving to 20 September and later to 26 October 2018. The film debuted earlier in Portugal on 5 October 2018 through Cinemax Angola.

Home media

The digital release was scheduled for 4 February 2019, with physical formats including DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray following on 18 February. These releases included a complete trilogy box set. In Australia, digital availability was advanced to 19 December 2018; meanwhile, Blu-ray and DVD versions were released in the US and Canada on 22 January 2019.

Box office

Globally, Johnny English Strikes Again earned $4.4 million across North America and $154.5 million internationally—comprising $23.2 million from the UK—totaling $159 million worldwide.

In its North American debut, it competed with titles such as Hunter Killer, Indivisible, and an expanded release of Mid90s. Despite forecasts estimating approximately $2 million from 544 theaters, it opened to $1.6 million, placing twelfth. Analysts noted that the US launch was largely procedural since the film primarily targets overseas markets, reducing concerns regarding its modest domestic earnings.

Internationally, it opened with $5.5 million in the UK and increased to $14.1 million during its second week, eventually accumulating $66.5 million. By its third weekend internationally, it garnered an additional $9.8 million from 57 countries—including a $2.4 million opening in Germany—bringing its worldwide total to $96 million.

Critical reception

According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has an approval rating of based on critiques, with an average score of . The consensus among critics reads, "Johnny English Strikes Again may elicit some laughs from enthusiasts of slapstick comedy, yet overall, this sequel largely misses the mark." On Metacritic, it holds a weighted average of 39 out of 100 from 22 reviews, reflecting "generally unfavorable" opinions.

Future prospects

During an October 2018 Reddit AMA, Rowan Atkinson conveyed skepticism about continuing the Johnny English series but did not entirely rule it out: "I doubt it but... never say never." In February 2024, Screendaily announced that a fourth installment in the franchise is underway and planned to begin filming in 2024.