When Argylle hit theaters at the beginning of 2024, it was greeted with largely negative reviews. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, the movie stars Bryce Dallas Howard as Elly Conway, an espionage author who stumbles into a real-life spy adventure. This new tone of action-adventure seemed to miss the mark for many critics, and the film only managed to gross $96.2 million at the box office before moving to Apple TV+.
In an eye-opening interview with Empire, Vaughn opened up about the adverse reception. When asked if he was disappointed by the backlash, he didn’t mince words: Fuck yeah
. He elaborated on how unexpected the critical reception was after positive test screenings and a lively premiere. My guard came down on Argylle,
he confessed. I started drinking the Kool-Aid.
The shift was particularly jarring given the film’s lighthearted nature. It’s a fun, feel-good movie, or I thought it was a fun, feel-good movie
, Vaughn pondered. He also reflected on how surprising it was that reviewers found the film offensive: We didn’t make Citizen Kane…
Sam Rockwell plays Aidan Wilde, a character navigating a complex and frenetic spy plot. In an unusual casting choice compared to his previous roles, Rockwell’s performance has been described as stealing every scene he’s in. If only the movie were a star vehicle for him like Hitchcock’s North by Northwest was for Cary Grant, some viewers wistfully commented.
After seeing the critiques, Vaughn went as far as visiting cinemas to better understand what went wrong. I genuinely started scratching my head because you can’t ignore it. It wasn’t like just a few bad reviews,
he noted.
Despite these challenges, Vaughn remains philosophical. You learn from these things
, he mused. He also expressed optimism about the future of the franchise: We’re doing very well on streaming… Nothing would make me happier than making another one.
The director hinted at potential additional adventures, including a prequel focusing on a Young Argylle. It’ll make a good little movie. We’ll see
, teased Vaughn.
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