Apple Studios' Argylle Flops at Box Office, Disappointing Moviegoers

• Apple's spy thriller film 'Argylle' debuts with $18 million in ticket sales.

• Apple's previous films 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and 'Napoleon' were more successful.

• 'Killers of the Flower Moon' is nominated for 10 Academy Awards.

This image released by Apple shows Dua Lipa, left, and Henry Cavill in a scene from "Argylle." (Peter Mountain/Apple via AP)

AP

Apple Studios, known for its successful foray into original film productions, recently experienced its first box office disappointment with the release of 'Argylle.' Despite leading the weekend box office, the star-studded spy thriller only managed to bring in $18 million in ticket sales, failing to garner significant interest from audiences.

While Apple has been involved in the film industry since 2019 and even secured an Oscar for Best Picture with the critically acclaimed 'CODA' in 2021, the company has only recently ventured into producing its own high-budget releases. Their first two attempts, Martin Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon,' can be deemed successful to some extent.

'Killers of the Flower Moon,' despite not being profitable with $156 million in global sales, was highly praised and holds 10 Academy Award nominations. Similarly, 'Napoleon,' released in November, has grossed $219 million worldwide, although it still didn't manage to turn a profit. These films solidified Apple's reputation as a credible home for top-tier directors and prestigious filmmaking.

However, 'Argylle,' directed by Matthew Vaughn and featuring renowned actors Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, and Henry Cavill, didn't fare as well. The movie received poor reviews from critics, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 35% 'fresh.' Audience response was also underwhelming, resulting in a C+ CinemaScore.

In collaboration with traditional studios, Apple partnered with Universal Pictures for the distribution of 'Argylle.' The film opened in 3,605 North American venues and garnered an additional $17.3 million in 78 international markets. On the other hand, Paramount handled the distribution of 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' while Sony took charge of 'Napoleon.'

Hoping to kickstart a new franchise, 'Argylle' generated significant buzz prior to its release due to speculation that Taylor Swift might be involved, owing to the prominence of argyle patterns and a cat in the promotional materials. However, despite the online discussions, Swift was not associated with the movie in any capacity.

Securing second place at the weekend box office was the Christian drama series 'The Chosen.' The series, which explores the life of Jesus, released the first three episodes of its fourth season in 2,263 theaters and grossed $6 million from Friday through Sunday. Amid a generally quiet weekend in cinemas, other notable ticket sales went to holdovers and awards contenders.

Warner Bros.' 'Wonka' crossed the $200 million mark domestically in its eighth week, while Paramount's 'Mean Girls' reached over $100 million after four weeks in theaters. The Amazon MGM production, 'The Beekeeper,' approached the $50 million milestone in its fourth week.

Although many highly anticipated Oscar contenders hit theaters several months ago, the top choices among those currently playing include Cord Jefferson's 'American Fiction' (earning $15 million for MGM) starring Jeffrey Wright, and Yorgos Lanthimos' 'Poor Things' ($28.2 million domestically, with an additional $40.1 million overseas) starring Emma Stone.

These figures represent estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, as per Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released on Monday.