Agent Argylle may have had a grand vision, but it couldn’t crack the code of success at the box office. The much-anticipated spy comedy, “Argylle,” directed by Matthew Vaughn, had a disappointing debut, earning only $16 million from over 3,600 theaters in North America. The film, which cost a staggering $200 million to produce, is now being seen as the year’s first major misfire.
Despite negative reviews and lackluster audience scores (it currently holds a 35% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a “C+” on CinemaScore), “Argylle” managed to secure the top spot both domestically and globally. It added a mere $16.9 million from international markets, bringing its worldwide total to $33.4 million.
Vaughn, known for his successful “Kingsman” series and “X-Men: First Class,” had initially planned for “Argylle” to become a trilogy. However, those plans seem unlikely given the film’s underwhelming performance unless there is a significant surge in ticket sales. The movie stars Bryce Dallas Howard as a reclusive author whose fictional spy novels begin to mirror the actions of a real-life spy organization. The cast also includes Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, and Samuel L. Jackson.
“This is a weak opening for a new action comedy,” says David A. Gross, an expert in the industry. “To make an impact, the humor needs to jump off the screen, and unfortunately, that’s not happening here.”
For Apple, the film’s disappointing box office results mark their third big-screen disappointment following Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.” As one of the wealthiest companies globally, Apple likely does not want to be associated with underperforming blockbusters. To break even, “Argylle” would need to earn approximately $500 million in global ticket sales, a milestone achieved by less than ten films in 2022 and 2023.
The fact that “Argylle” topped the box office is mainly due to the lack of new releases in the past three weeks. As for other films, “The Beekeeper,” an action thriller directed by David Ayer, secured the second spot for the fourth consecutive weekend. Meanwhile, “Wonka,” starring Timothee Chalamet, held strong in the top three for the eighth consecutive weekend. The Warner Bros. musical comedy has been a financial success, grossing over $550 million globally.
In the fourth spot, we find Universal and Illumination’s “Migration,” an animated comedy about a family of ducks. The film has generated $106.2 million in North America and $210 million worldwide. With a budget of $70 million, “Migration” managed to stay in theaters long enough to turn a profit on its theatrical run.
Finally, “Mean Girls” dropped to fifth place after a three-week reign at the top. The movie-turned-musical-turned-movie once again showcased its staying power, earning a total of $85 million globally.
Although “The Beekeeper” and “Mean Girls” were small surprises, the overall box office results for January were disappointing. Compared to pre-pandemic times, January 2024 saw a 46% decline, and it was 15% lower than the previous year. It seems that the month was a step backward for the industry.
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