Before the release of “Argylle,” there was a lot of discussion about Matthew Vaughn’s spy film. First, it was purchased by Apple for a reported sum of $200 million. That’s a huge number, obviously. Then, the discussion went on about the all-star cast– Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, and even pop star Dua Lipa. It was expected to be a massive film for all involved. But then the reviews came out and the film was destroyed by critics. The box office was also dismal at only $96 million worldwide. And this was felt by Vaughn.
Speaking to Empire, Matthew Vaughn was asked about the negative reviews that “Argylle” received. He’s no stranger to negative reviews (as are most filmmakers), but these hit him a bit different.
“We had done test screenings that had gone fantastically well,” said Vaughn. “The premiere was a really fun night, and it was like going back to the ‘Snatch’ days where there was such excitement. And I started drinking the Kool-Aid. It’s a fun, feel-good movie, or I thought it was a fun, feel-good movie. We didn’t make ‘Citizen Kane,’ but fucking 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 negative reviews didn’t hammer hard on only one point. The action scenes, the tone, the filmmaking as a whole were all victims of the negativity. For those unaware, “Argylle” is a spy film about an author who finds out that her books are seemingly predicting real world things. So, she goes on the run after being threatened by bad guys who seemingly want her dead. The film has a twist about two-thirds through the film, where we learn who the real Argylle spy is. People, generally, just didn’t like the film.
READ MORE: ‘Argylle’ Review: This Silly, Simple Spy Tale Shows Matthew Vaughn Is Out Of Ideas
He added, “It did rattle me. I’m genuinely scratching my head about that, because you can’t ignore it. It wasn’t like [just] a few bad reviews. It is what it is. You learn from these things.”
Vaughn had gone into the release of “Argylle” hinting that the film would perhaps crossover with the “Kingsman” franchise. He also talked about how the film would also be the first of a new spy franchise. However, with the reviews and the incredibly bad box office run, those plans seem to be unlikely.
“Argylle” is now streaming on Apple TV+.