Matthew Vaughn wants 'Argylle' to be the "ultimate date movie".

Matthew Vaughn is looking to appeal to couples with Argylle

Matthew Vaughn is looking to appeal to couples with Argylle

The 52-year-old director has helmed the upcoming spy comedy film – which features a cast including Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard and Dua Lipa – and revealed that he toned down the violence in the picture so couples can watch it together.

Matthew told Total Film magazine: "I wanted to make the ultimate date movie. It'll be out just before Valentine's Day.

"When we test-screened it... I don't know if this is an insult or a compliment, but one of the anonymous things went, 'This is the first Matthew Vaughn movie I feel comfortable sharing with my wife.'"

The 'Layer Cake' filmmaker recalled how he had an enjoyable date watching a movie after being advised to take a girl to the cinema.

Matthew said: "I went to see 'Romancing the Stone' on a date. I was very young and inexperienced, and I didn't know what to do. And somebody said, 'Always go on a date to the cinema, because then you don't have to talk.'

"I went in thinking I would be bored out of mind, and I'd pretend to like it, and then I'd have something to talk about. And I loved it more than her.

"So I had a movie that we both enjoyed, and I got my first kiss. It was a bloody good night."

The movie follows spy novelist Elly Conway (Howard) as she gets drawn into the world of real-life espionage and Vaughn hopes that it provides a "ray of sunshine" in difficult times.

He said: "Right now, everyone needs a warm hug, and we need to feel happy. I'm hoping that people will come out and just appreciate that 'Argylle' is warm. It's a ray of sunshine in a very dark world."