Henry Cavill is one such actor who has fearlessly taken on multiple genres, much like a chameleon that can fit anywhere. Whether it is donning the cape as Superman or playing a double agent hellbent on beating up Tom Cruise, Cavill knows how to captivate his audience with his on-screen presence. After making a mark in the action and fantasy genres, the British actor is gearing up to bring his brilliance to the spy genre, through Argylle. 

Argylle, directed by Matthew Vaughn, is already making waves in the industry months ahead of its release. Recently, the director revealed drawing inspiration from a $25 billion worth franchise to align with its genre effectively. 

Henry Cavill starrer Argylle compared with this popular franchise

Mathew Vaughn, during his appearance at last weekend’s New York Comic Con, revealed the core themes the upcoming spy action comedy will follow. He said that the movie will follow a self-referential style, making it a meta-fictional adventure comedy. He drew inspiration for this idea from J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books. Vaughn shared that he always wanted a wizard to go to Rowling in book three to affirm that her imaginative creations were, in reality, true. 

He further expressed his desire to see Rowling taking on an adventure with her imaginative characters. This trope is something that is very evident in Argylle’s trailer. In the trailer, Bryce Dallas Howard’s character, author Elly Conway, found herself on a real-life spy adventure when her storylines and plots eerily mimicked real life. Nevertheless, no one could tell how this “meta” style would have played out in the Harry Potter franchise.

Just like no one could tell how Henry Cavill could have played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 

Robert Pattinson snagged away two popular franchises from Cavill 

Both Henry Cavill and Robert Pattinson are popular for their contribution to the fantasy genre. However, there was a time when both actors found themselves in the middle of a competition for popular fantasy roles. Pattinson, who played Edward Cullen in Twilight, was not the first choice of Stephenie Meyer. Neither was he the first choice for Cedric Diggory in the fourth installment of Harry Potter. 

Henry Cavill revealed in a 2022 podcast, as per GQ, that he auditioned for Diggory’s role in the Harry Potter franchise. He also shared how J. K. Rowling was keen on keeping Cavill for the part. However, the role eventually went to Robert Pattinson. These rejections were mainly because of his age, which did not align with the youthful profiles of the characters. Apart from Harry Potter and Twilight, Cavill’s age also became an obstacle to his dream of playing James Bond. 

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