Spy action comedy set to foray into the post-holiday market

The weeks following the Spring Festival holiday are usually a lackluster period with a shortage of appealing blockbusters, but Chinese fans of foreign blockbusters might be delighted to see the gap being filled this year.

Argylle, a new espionage action comedy directed by British filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, known for the spy series Kingsman, is scheduled to open across Chinese mainland theaters on Feb 23, nearly one week after the Chinese New Year holiday.

The movie also marks the first imported "revenue-share" movie to be shown in the format of 48 frames-per-second Cinity AI Master Reproduction, a high-definition and immersive cinematic screening technology developed by China. The "revenue-share" movies are mostly Hollywood blockbusters that are imported through a limited quota of over 30 such titles every year. These movies share their Chinese mainland box-office receipts between the local distributors and the foreign studios.

With a stellar cast featuring Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, and John Cena, the movie tells the story of Elly Conway, played by actress Howard, who lives a reclusive life despite being a very successful novelist who writes a series of spy tales centering around a handsome and charming spy named Argylle. Fate takes a twist when she decides to take a train ride, unexpectedly getting involved in a conflict between a fleeing spy and a secret agent, which leads to a stunning revelation.

The movie held a premiere in downtown Beijing on Wednesday, drawing hundreds of Chinese viewers to take a sneak preview of the suspense-studded tale, which features Vaughn's signature extravagant and artfully violent action sequences.