“I’d love to make another one, we’ve got it planned”: Henry Cavill’s Disastrous Spy Film ‘Argylle’ Could Soon Lead to an Actual Disaster on the Director’s Part
Henry Cavill’s action-comedy, Argylle, was supposed to be a big hit that could have launched a new spy franchise. However, critics were harsh, and the movie only made a small amount of money at the box office. It grossed over $96.2 million worldwide against a $200 million budget.
Argylle was compared to James Bond before its release. But the filmmakers behind the film have said that they aimed to create a fresh take on the spy genre — not a direct copy of Bond. Nevertheless, it nowhere near touched the success of the Bond franchise.
Matthew Vaughn’s Big Movie Dreams Hit Rock Bottom
Movie director Matthew Vaughn, famous for the action-packed Kingsman films, had a big idea brewing. He wanted to create a connected universe of spy stories. This world would feature adventures for both a real-life spy played by Sam Rockwell and a fictional one played by Henry Cavill.
Bryce Dallas Howard would play a writer whose stories keep coming true in real life. The idea came to fruition, and the movie was made. However, it didn’t quite hit the mark with fans and critics alike, much to the director’s shock.
“I started drinking the Kool-Aid,” he said, admitting he got too confident after good test screenings. Vaughn, confused by the critics’ dislike, told Empire:
We didn’t make Citizen Kane, but f*cking hell, then the reviews came out, and I’m like, ‘Wait, what have I done to offend these people?’ They were vitriolic. I’m not saying the movie’s perfect by any means, but I didn’t think it was offensive. That took me by surprise.
The English filmmaker meant that he became too sure of himself, believing everything was great without thinking about possible criticisms.
Matthew Vaughn Found a Silver Lining Amid Potential Failure Ahead
Despite bad reviews from critics, Matthew Vaughn told Empire that his new spy movie, Argylle, is finding fans on streaming services. He stated people are enjoying the film, and he’s even getting messages from fans who think the critics were too tough on it. This positive response online makes him hopeful for a sequel. “I’d love to make another one,” the 53-year-old said, “we’ve got it planned.”
Those ideas include a prequel focused on a young Argylle, which hints at a potential spy franchise for the director. So even though the critics didn’t like his spy action comedy, the Paddington native isn’t ready to give up on his spy dreams. Now, the question is: Would fans still love to keep up with the Argylle franchise after an entry that already flopped? That remains to be seen.
Till then, watch Argylle on Apple TV+!
