English filmmaker Matthew Vaughn has long consolidated himself as one of the top spy/action genre filmmakers in modern Hollywood. His love for the genre has seen him direct several box-office hits throughout his career. Born Matthew Allard Robert Vaughn in Paddington, London, England, on March 7, 1971, Vaughn has worked as a filmmaker for two decades, with eight films to his credit as a director.
Besides releasing two feature films in consecutive years, in 2010 and 2011, Matthew Vaughn has a reputation for working on and releasing his films every three years. Vaughn’s latest feature film is the 2024 spy action comedy, Argylle, with its eclectic, star-studded cast. With fingers crossed on a successful theatrical run of the $200 million budget Argylle, released on February 2, 2024, in the United States, here are Matthew Vaughn’s top 5 highest-grossing movies.
The King’s Man (2021) – $126 Million
Falling short of making the list is Matthew Vaughn’s critically acclaimed black comedy superhero film Kick-Ass (2010). Although critic’s favourite and commercially successful, it fell short of the $100 million Box Office mark, hauling $96.2 million in earnings. The 2021 The King’s Man is the third installment in the Kingsman franchise. It was also the first time Matthew was releasing a movie four years after his last release, which was in 2017. The delays were partially because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The King’s Man grossed $126 million at the Box Office from a $95–$100 million production budget. This made it the lowest-grossing film in the Kingsman franchise. The King’s Man (2021) also packed an ensemble cast with notable names in British and American cinema. It starred Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Djimon Hounsou, Rhys Ifans, Daniel Brühl, Matthew Goode, Tom Hollander, Charles Dance, and Harris Dickinson.
Stardust (2007) – $137 Million
Stardust (2007) was Matthew Vaughn’s sophomore directorial work on the big screen. Three years earlier, he made his directorial debut with Layer Cake (2004). Stardust (2007) was a romantic fantasy adventure adapted from Neil Gaiman’s 1999 fantasy novel. Produced on a $70–88.5 million budget, Stardust (2007) grossed $137 million at the Box Office. It was the first time Matthew Vaughn worked with an ensemble cast starring some of the top names in Hollywood. These include Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Sienna Miller, Ricky Gervais, Peter O’Toole, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Robert De Niro.
X-Men: First Class (2011) – $353.6 Million
When X-Men: First Class was released in June 2011, many film audiences considered it a reboot of the franchise. However, its 2014 sequel, X-Men: Days of Future Past (Matthew Vaughn worked on the story and was credited as a producer), quickly made it clear First Class was a prequel to the mainline X-Men film series. X-Men: First Class introduced film audiences to the superhero ensemble cast that included Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, Kevin Bacon, Oliver Platt, and January Jones. Released to positive reviews from critics, X-Men: First Class (2011) grossed $353.6 million at the Box Office from a production budget of $140–160 million.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) – $410.9 Million
Matthew Vaughn’s second installment film in the Kingsman franchise, Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), was received with commercial success. It was consolidated proof that the spy action comedy resonated positively with audiences. Although its sequel and third installment failed to impress, The Golden Circle’s earnings helped boost Matthew Vaughn’s profile in Hollywood. With a slightly higher production budget of $104 million, Kingsman: The Golden Circle earned $410.9 million during its theatrical run at the Box Office. Several star actors joined the ensemble cast in The Golden Circle. These included Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Julianne Moore, Pedro Pascal, Jeff Bridges, and Elton John.
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) – $414.4 Million
Matthew Vaughn introduced film audiences to the Kingsman franchise with the release of the 2014 Kingsman: The Secret Service. Vaughn directed a screenplay he had co-written with Jane Goldman based on the American comic book series The Secret Service. Kingsman: The Secret Service was produced on a $81–94 million budget and introduced a star-packed ensemble cast. The Secret Service‘s top cast included Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Taron Egerton, Michael Caine, and Mark Strong. Critical reviews were mixed to positive, with Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) grossing $414.4 million at the Box Office. Since the release of Matthew Vaughn’s last film (before Argylle), Kingsman: The Secret Service remains the director’s highest-grossing film at the Box Office. Just as Matthew Vaughn has made his mark as a filmmaker in modern Hollywood, here are the 10 highest-grossing movies by a solo female director.
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