Matthew Vaughn, director of the spy comedy “Argylle,” says he was more upset by the film’s scathing reviews than its poor box office performance.
In an interview with Empire magazine, Vaughn expressed shock at how negatively critics received “Argylle,” which he intended as 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,” Vaughn said. “I’m not saying the movie’s perfect by any means, but I didn’t think it was offensive. That took me by surprise.”
Vaughn recalled the film, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa and John Cena, receiving fantastic reactions at test screenings before its January 2024 release. He compared the premiere’s excitement to his earlier hit “Snatch.”
But after the brutal reviews rolled in, Vaughn even went to theaters to witness audience reactions himself, questioning if he had “lost the plot.”
“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,” he admitted.
Despite the criticism, “Argylle” has performed well on streaming on Apple TV+. This has reinvigorated Vaughn’s desire to make a sequel.
“We’re doing very well on streaming. People are liking it. Nothing would make me happier than making another one,” he said, revealing they already have plans for a follow-up.
While still puzzled by the overwhelmingly negative reviews, Vaughn concluded, “It is what it is. You learn from these things.”