“Argylle” is a new spy action comedy film directed by Matthew Vaugh that made waves for the identity of its author.
So let’s dive into some trivia and facts about the film.
- Argylle is a 2024 spy action comedy film
- The film is directed and produced by Matthew Vaughn
- It is written by Jason Fuchs
- The film features an ensemble cast that includes Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, John Cena, and Samuel L. Jackson
- Argylle premiered at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on January 24, 2024
- It is scheduled to be released in the United States on February 2, 2024, by Universal Pictures and Apple Original Films
- It will premiere on Apple TV+ at an undetermined date
- Elly Conway, an introverted spy novelist who seldom leaves her home, is drawn into the real world of espionage
- This happens when the plots of her books, featuring a fictional secret agent named Argylle, get a little too close to the activities of a sinister underground syndicate
- When Aidan, an undercover spy, shows up to save her from being kidnapped or killed, Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing and no one are what they seem
- Including to the discovery that Agent Argylle, in fact, exists for real
- Argylle was announced in June 2021, with Matthew Vaughn attached to direct and produce for Marv Studios
- The ensemble cast was announced in the following months, and it was reported that the script was written by Jason Fuchs
- Dua Lipa stars in the film and will provide original music for the title track and score
- In August 2021, Apple TV+ bought the rights to the film for $200 million
- Vaughn said the COVID-19 pandemic gave him the time to work on the film
- He describes it as his ode to 1980s action thrillers like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon
- When asked about casting Cavill, he said: “I needed someone who was born to play Bond — which Henry is — and then nick him before Bond did. He plays a larger-than-life action hero with a wink. It’s very different from Kingsman”
- Principal photography began that same month in London with cinematographer George Richmond
- It took place across various locations in Europe
- The production used studios in Greenford, Park Royal, and Bovingdon to shoot the film
- Background shots were filmed in Greece and the United States
- Elly Conway, later revealed as the fictional author of the in-universe Argylle novels, was initially reported to have written the book that the script was based on during the film’s announcement
- The claim was questioned by The Hollywood Reporter in September 2022, as they were unable to verify Conway’s existence and their attempts to contact her, her publicist, and her talent agent were unsuccessful
- The trailer revealed Conway was the film’s protagonist
- Several social media users attempted to identify Conway and theorized that singer-songwriter Taylor Swift had written the book with Conway as her pen name
- This was based on several references associating Swift with Argylle
- Vaughn denied the theory, stating Conway is not related to Swift
- Though Swift influenced the use of a Scottish Fold cat in the film
- Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays Conway in the film, opined that Argylle is “unconsciously inspired” by Swift
- In the United States and Canada, Argylle is projected to gross around $20 million in its opening weekend
- In July 2021, it was stated that Argylle is intended to serve as a trilogy of films
- In March 2022, it was confirmed that the first film will be followed by two sequels to complete a film trilogy
- In October 2023, Vaughn confirmed plans to create additional movies, while stating that the second movie will be based on the first Argylle novel
- Vaughn later confirmed that the second film will be based on the first novel
- With the plot exploring the origins of Argylle becoming a spy
- While the third movie will follow additional installments of the book series
- In October 2023, Matthew Vaughn announced that he is working on an untitled spy centered-universe through his Marv Studios
- The filmmaker stated that it will include the Kingsman franchise, the Argylle films, and an unnamed third franchise
- While the plan is to have each of these culminate in a crossover at some point in the future
