‘Once you know the secret, don't let the cat out of the bag.’ So goes the tagline for Argylle, Matthew Vaughn’s mysterious, ultra-meta spy adventure, which just so happens to be on the cover of Total Film’s upcoming '2024 Preview' issue.
The film stars Henry Cavill as a suave super-spy known as Agent Argylle. Like James Bond, he’s slick, smartly dressed, and cool under the most intense conditions. He’s also fictional - the lead character in a successful book series by author Ellie Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard).
Ellie ends up being pulled into the real world of espionage after a run-in with Sam Rockwell’s spy Aiden, when she discovers that her books reflect actual global events in ways she’d never have predicted. This being a Matthew Vaughn film - he’s behind Kick-Ass and Kingsman - expect genre twists, OTT, action and an ultra-starry cast.
If you’re concerned that the recent trailer for Argylle gives away too much of the film (as trailers frequently do), fear not. Speaking to Total Film, Vaughn promises that the film features a lot of "cool shit", though he doesn’t veer into spoiler territory because he wants viewers to come to it fresh. “Well, the good news about the trailer is that that’s only cut from the first 28 minutes of the movie,” he says.
“I was really, really impressed by Universal and Apple when I said, ‘I want to do a trailer from the first 28 minutes, because there is some fucking mind-blowing cool shit – but it wouldn’t be as great if you saw it in the trailer.’ I said, ‘Look, let’s just give everyone enough so that they understand the tone of the film, the style of the movie, the actors. And then let everyone enjoy the fucking cinematic experience.’”
Argylle opens in cinemas on February 2, 2024. And you can read more about it and a whole lot else besides in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday. Check out the covers below:
As well as boasting a huge 2024 preview, featuring all of next year’s must-see movies, the print edition also comes with a special 52-page 'Review of the Year' supplement, celebrating the best of 2023 in movies and TV.
Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. With our latest offer, you can get a free Joby magnetic wireless charger (worth £29.95) when you sign up for a print/bundle subscription. You’ll get every issue before it's in stores, and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive covers.
