Matthew Vaughn recently opened up about his surprise at the negative reviews ‘Argylle’ received.
Vaughn told Empire Magazine he was caught off guard by the harsh criticism. He explained that the initial test audiences had enjoyed the film, and this made him believe that it would be well-received by critics too:
“My guard came down on ‘Argylle.’ We had done test screenings that had gone fantastically well. The premiere was a really fun night, and it was like going back to the ‘Snatch’ days when there was such excitement. And I started drinking the Kool-Aid.”
He admitted that he didn’t expect a strong dislike from reviewers as he wasn’t trying to revolutionize filmmaking with ‘Argylle.’ He wondered what he had done to offend the critics, saying:
“It’s a fun, feel-good movie, or I thought it was a fun, feel-good movie. We didn’t make ‘Citizen Kane,’ but f*cking 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.”
After the reviews came out, Vaughn even visited cinemas to see how audiences were reacting.
Argylle’s Financial Reception Mirrored The Criticism
‘Argylle’ currently has only 33% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. After its release, the film earned only $96.1 million worldwide.
The negative reviews and low box office numbers are there, but Vaughn remains hopeful. He said that ‘Argylle’ is doing well on streaming platforms and he hopes to make more movies in the series. Vaughn even hinted at a potential prequel called ‘Young Argylle’:
“It’ll make a good little movie. We’ll see. Never say never.”
‘Argylle’ blends action, adventure, humor, and romance. You can watch the film’s trailer below.
