Argylle: Apple's $200M spy thriller opened to $18M and grossed $96M

Argylle — a spy thriller directed by Matthew Vaughn and produced by Apple Studios and Marv Studios — carried a reported production budget of $200 million, with The Hollywood Reporter citing sources who put the cost as high as $250 million. Vaughn disputed the figures, and later reports suggested the $200 million figure covered licensing and distribution rights rather than pure production.

Released in the United States on February 2, 2024, it opened to $18 million with a C+ CinemaScore — a soft start for a $200 million event film. It finished its run with $45.2 million domestically and $51 million internationally, a worldwide total of $96.2 million against the reported budget.

The film became the emblem of a larger debate: Variety asked whether Apple could keep spending $200 million on theatrical gambles, quoting analysts who said no studio can sustain massive spends on underwhelming box office. For Apple the loss was affordable — but Argylle's box office said the film had failed its first job: making people want to see it.