DIRECTOR MATTHEW VAUGHN returns to the espionage genre after his Kingsman series with new action-and-joked-packed romp Argylle, the story of reclusive author Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) who learns that her bestselling series of spy novels closely mirror the adventures of a real-life secret agent (Henry Cavill).
With a star-studded cast that also includes Sam Rockwell, Dua Lipa, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena, Ariana DeBose, and an incredibly expressive cat, Argylle will be a hugely enjoyable ride for fans of Vaughn’s existing work, which frequently blends profane humor with extreme violence (as in Kick-Ass) and overly-stylized flourishes (remember the Mad Men-ification ofX-Men: First Class?).
And for those who got a kick out of this twisty, explosive popcorn flick, there’s more good news: Vaughn already has plans to make sequels, and spin out Argylle into its own franchise.
Will there be an Argylle 2?
No sequel has been officially announced yet, and both Vaughn and Cavill have stated that it depends on how audiences react to the first film.
“This has been a very enjoyable experience and one that I’d love to continue playing in, and I know the actors would love to continue,” Vaughn told Total Film. “So that is up to the public, if they give us a thumbs up, we will give them another one. If they give us a thumbs down, we will just, you know, imagine what it would have been like.”
Vaughn elaborated that he would enjoy returning to the conceit of using the plots of Conway’s books in future movies, saying: “Book one is about: how did Argylle become a spy? That will be the next film. And then Argylle 2 is – I don’t want to give it all away, but there’s the young Argylle, and that becomes Henry, because Henry loves the idea of doing a proper Argylle movie as well.”
Cavill is also eager to reprise the titular role, if he’s able to fit it into his increasingly packed schedule filming his new Warhammer 40,000 series, the Highlander reboot, and another Guy Ritchie movie in the wake of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, due out later this year.
“I mean, it depends on where we go with it, really, as with anything,” he said. “I have a great relationship with Matthew, so that would be the hard part out of the way. The next bit is just building a story. As long as the story is good, and the character has a place to go, and it fits in with everything else that I’m trying to build and do, then great.”
Philip Ellis
Philip Ellis is News Editor at Men’s Health, covering fitness, pop culture, sex and relationships, and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV, and he is the author of Love & Other Scams.
