Matthew Vaughn’s high-flying spy comedy ‘Argylle’ stumbled in its debut at the box office, pulling in a disappointing $18 million from 3,605 theaters across North America. Despite being backed by Apple and distributed by Universal, the film’s hefty $200 million production cost makes it the year’s first major misstep.

Despite lackluster reviews and audience feedback (earning a mere 35% on Rotten Tomatoes and a ‘C+’ on CinemaScore), ‘Argylle’ managed to claim the top spot in both domestic and global box office rankings. Internationally, it only added $17.3 million from 78 markets, bringing its worldwide total to $35.3 million.

Vaughn, known for his work on ‘The Kingsman’ series and ‘X-Men: First Class,’ had envisioned ‘Argylle’ as the start of a trilogy. However, those plans now seem uncertain unless there’s a significant surge in ticket sales. The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard as a secluded author whose fictional spy tales unexpectedly intersect with real-life espionage, alongside a star-studded cast including Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, and Samuel L. Jackson.

David A. Gross, head of the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, remarks, ‘This opening is underwhelming for a new action comedy. To make an impact, originality in humour needs to shine, and unfortunately, that’s lacking here.

Claiming the top spot at the box office, ‘Argylle’ stands out as the sole new release in three weeks. Meanwhile, ‘The Beekeeper,’ ‘Wonka,’ and other films held their ground to complete the top five rankings.

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