Matthew Vaughn’s new film “Argylle” is hitting theaters with high hopes but facing some tough odds. Despite a star-studded cast led by Henry Cavill and Bryce Dallas Howard, the movie’s Thursday previews only brought in $1.7 million. Critics haven’t been kind, and with a massive $200 million budget, there’s pressure for it to perform well.
Universal is distributing “Argylle” for Apple Original Films and MARV, and it’s being released in various formats worldwide, including Imax screens. The film follows a bestselling spy novelist (played by Howard) who gets pulled into a real-life spy adventure when her fictional plots start coming true. Teaming up with a spy allergic to her cat (played by Sam Rockwell), they race against killers around the globe.
The movie boasts an ensemble cast including John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Dua Lipa, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Sofia Boutella, and Samuel L. Jackson, along with a special appearance by Chip, supermodel Claudia Vaughn’s real-life cat.
Directed by Vaughn and written by Jason Fuchs, “Argylle” is part of Apple’s push into theatrical releases alongside other big-budget films like Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of The Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.” While Apple isn’t judged by traditional box office metrics due to its deep pockets, the industry will still be watching closely to see how “Argylle” fares amidst ongoing challenges facing theaters and film releases.
