In a surprising turn of events, Matthew Vaughn's highly anticipated spy comedy, Argylle, experienced a disappointing performance at the North American box office. With a staggering budget of $200 million to $250 million, the film only managed to open to an estimated $18 million from 3,605 cinemas. Overseas, Argylle fared marginally better, earning approximately $17.3 million from 78 markets. Although it claimed the top spot for the weekend, the movie's lackluster debut is a significant setback for Apple's theatrical endeavors.
As a tech giant primarily focused on streaming services, Apple's foray into traditional theatrical releases has been met with a different set of expectations. While legacy Hollywood studios would face severe criticism for a $200 million film with such underwhelming results, many in the industry view Apple Original Films' entry into the market as a positive development, providing more opportunities for movies to debut on the big screen before transitioning to Apple TV+.
Directed by Jason Fuchs, known for his work on Wonder Woman, Argylle features a star-studded cast, including Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Dua Lipa, Catherine O'Hara, Sofia Boutella, and Samuel L. Jackson. The film revolves around a reclusive bestselling spy novelist whose tranquil life is disrupted when the plots from her books start materializing in reality. Notably, the role of Alfie the cat is played by Chip, supermodel Claudia Vaughn's real-life pet.
Argylle marks Apple's third attempt at a traditional theatrical release in recent months, following Martin Scorsese's critically acclaimed Killers of the Flower Moon and Ridley Scott's Napoleon. Both films also carried hefty budgets of $200 million or more. While Killers of the Flower Moon garnered 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, it has only grossed $157.6 million worldwide. Napoleon performed slightly better, accumulating $219.4 million to date and earning three Oscar nominations.
This weekend, the theatrical landscape also witnessed the nationwide release of the faith-based series, The Chosen: Season 4, Episodes 1-3. Despite being a streaming series, its producers decided to present it in theaters before subsequent episodes. The Chosen garnered an impressive $6.1 million from 2,260 theaters, with its four-day start reaching $7.5 million. The wider theatrical release by Fathom Events has exceeded expectations and sets the stage for episodes four, five, and six to play in cinemas later this month.
Elsewhere at the box office, The Beekeeper, a collaboration between Amazon MGM Studios and Miramax, continued to perform steadily. In its fourth weekend, the film grossed $5.3 million from 3,277 locations, achieving a domestic total of $49.4 million and a remarkable $73.1 million overseas, resulting in a global tally of $122.5 million.
Among holdovers, Warner Bros.' musical film, Wonka, crossed the $200 million mark domestically, while Paramount's Mean Girls, another musical, surpassed $90 million. These achievements reflect a strong show of support for the musical genre, which has often faced criticism in the past.
On the specialty box office front, Academy Award winners American Fiction (produced by Amazon MGM Studios) and Poor Things (by Searchlight) maintained their presence in the top 10 as they continued their expansion. American Fiction secured the ninth spot with $2.3 million, bringing its domestic total to $15 million. Poor Things followed closely with $2.1 million from 1,905 theaters, pushing its domestic earnings to $28.2 million and its overseas revenue to $40 million, resulting in a global tally of $68.3 million. In terms of domestic revenues, Poor Things boasts the best performance for a platform release in 2023 and stands as the second-best post-pandemic film after last year's Oscar sensation, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
While Argylle's disappointing box office performance may come as a surprise, it highlights the challenges faced by tech giants venturing into the traditional film industry. Nonetheless, the increasing presence of streaming platforms in the theatrical realm provides viewers with a broader range of options, allowing films to have a significant impact both on the big screen and in the comfort of our homes.
