HEADLINE The spy comedy “Argylle” claimed the No. 1 spot at the box office during its opening weekend, but its earnings fell short at $18 million across 3,605 theaters, as per Box Office Mojo. Despite Apple’s reported investment of over $200 million in this theatrical release, the film faced global challenges, garnering $17.3 million outside the United States, according to Variety.
KEY FACTS
- Distributed by Universal, “Argylle,” directed by Matthew Vaughn and featuring a star-studded cast including Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Henry Cavill, and Sam Rockwell, received predominantly negative reviews, with only 35% of critics expressing a positive opinion.
- Other top earners at the weekend box office included “The Chosen” ($6 million; 2,263 theaters), “The Beekeeper” ($5.3 million; 3,277 theaters), and “Wonka” ($4.8 million; 2,901), as reported by Box Office Mojo.
- “Argylle” performed less impressively in its opening weekend compared to the last two theatrically released Apple films, namely “Killers of The Flower Moon” ($23.25 million in its opening weekend; 3,628 theaters) and “Napoleon” ($20.6 million; 3,500 theaters).
BIG NUMBER $200 million: The reported production cost of “Argylle” by Apple Original Films.
CONTRA Despite its box office performance, Apple may offset the film’s costs through subsequent premieres on Apple TV+. Apple movies often drive subscribers to its streaming platform, contributing to revenue not publicly disclosed like box office revenues.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR Both Apple and Amazon reportedly plan to invest $1 billion each year in theatrically released films, signaling continued efforts by tech giants to establish a presence in the film industry.
SURPRISING FACT “The Chosen,” securing the second-place finish over the weekend, is not a movie but a TV series. Premiering in theaters, the faith-based show exclusively presented the first three episodes of season 4, with subsequent episodes slated for later release this month.