Henry Cavill’s $200M Flop: Co-Star Bryce Dallas Howard Breaks Silence on Box Office Disaster

Bryce Dallas Howard is familiar with the challenges of being part of a film that doesn’t do well financially. She mentioned this in relation to a 2024 project she was involved in with Henry Cavill, which was a major financial flop. The movie, titled Argylle, was produced with a budget of $200 million but failed to draw significant earnings at the box office.

Directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, The Kingsman series), Argylle centers around Elly (played by Howard), a spy novelist battling writer’s block. The plot thickens during a train trip to her parents’ home when a mysterious organization called the Division targets her for assassination, believing her novels can predict the future. Fortunately, a real-life spy portrayed by Sam Rockwell intervenes to save her life.

The film’s production budget was substantial, and it was reported that it needed to gross $500 million globally to break even, according to Variety. However, it grossed only $96.2 million, ending its run as a box office disaster. Howard has experienced other box office letdowns, and her father, Ron Howard, has directed several as well. She shared with The Independent that she can often predict the outcome during the production process:

“You can always see it coming while you’re making it. I’ve never been shocked when something doesn’t work. But I’m just an actor – you’re there to serve a director’s vision. If a movie doesn’t turn out the way that you envisioned, you can barely feel disappointed because it’s not yours. You’re not the person who’s building the thing.”

Howard explained that her experience as an actor differs from that of a director. She noted that her father carries the “emotional burden when one of his films doesn’t do well.” Unlike him, she doesn’t take it personally, which she says astonishes her father: “It blows him away that I don’t do that.”

The Implications for Argylle

Argylle’s Transition to Apple TV+

Bryce Dallas Howard referred to past box office disappointments like Argylle and The Lady in the Water in her discussion. The latter, which was a critical setback for director M. Night Shyamalan, earned just $72.8 million on a $70 million budget. However, the situation for Argylle was different. The film was co-produced by Apple Original Films and Universal Pictures, with a strategy to release it on Apple TV after its theatrical showing.

The film struggled in theaters due to weak reviews and ineffective marketing, which misrepresented it as a spy comedy. Unbeknownst to many, it was actually a spinoff from the Kingsman series. This connection did little to boost its appeal, as the 2021 movie The King’s Man had also underperformed, grossing just $126 million against a $100 million budget.

Apple TV+ acquired the rights to the film with the intention of leveraging it to attract more subscribers to their streaming platform. This strategy is similar to Netflix’s approach with Red Notice, which had a limited theatrical release before being added to their streaming service.

Analyzing Argylle’s Box Office Shortcomings

The Letdown of Argylle on Apple TV

Argylle ended up being a letdown for both Matthew Vaughn and Apple TV. It made minimal earnings in theaters and it’s unlikely that streaming alone will allow Apple to recover the investment. Bryce Dallas Howard seems to have anticipated the film’s struggles but remains unburdened by its failure, choosing instead to focus on future projects for her own well-being.