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

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."