'Argylle,' with checkered reviews, flops with $18M for the big-budget Apple release
ABC News
Apple has had its first box office flop
NEW YORK -- Apple has had its first box office flop.
“Argylle,” the $200-million star-studded spy thriller from Apple Studios, debuted with $18 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The film, directed by Matthew Vaughn, managed to lead the weekend box office, but still found little interest from moviegoers.
Although Apple has been in the original film business since 2019 and won the Oscar for best picture with 2021's “CODA,” the company has only recently produced its own lineup of big-budget releases. The first two — Martin Scorsese's “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott's “Napoleon” — could be called successful.
“Killers of the Flower Moon," though not profitable with $156 million in global sales, was one of the most celebrated films of 2023 and is nominated for 10 Academy Awards. “Napoleon,” released in November, has raked in $219 million worldwide — also not enough to turn a profit. But both films raised Apple's reputation as a home to top directors and prestige filmmaking.
The same can't be said for “Argylle,” a twisty thriller starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell and Henry Cavill. The movie was badly dinged by critics, who gave it a Rotten Tomatoes score of 35% “fresh.” Ticket buyers also gave it a thumbs down, with a C+ CinemaScore.
