The video-game-to-movie adaptation is an ongoing problem in Hollywood. There is a plethora of games that fans would love to see on the big screen, but it never seems to go smoothly, and “Hitman” is just one title in the pantheon of failed video-game movies. An engaging tale of an assassin filling contract killings for the International Contracts Agency, the premise could’ve gone somewhere interesting, but unfortunately after two failed attempts, the “Hitman” movie series is seemingly finished (and honestly, “John Wick” is the hitman franchise kicking ass and taking names at the moment). But what if James Gunn (“Guardians Of The Galaxy“) headed up the project?
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According to the director himself, at one point that dream could have been reality. Taking to Twitter, the coveted director claimed that he tried to make an R-rated “Hitman” movie a few years ago that was vetoed by producers.
I tried to make a Hitman movie a few years ago. But the producers at the time didn’t want to make it R rated, so they passed. https://t.co/BAToI5lfaQ
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 21, 2017
Although the director didn’t offer any further details, it’s fair to say that his effort would’ve been a far superior movie compared to the brace that we received. The effort in 2007 starring Timothy Olyphant was savaged by critics, as was the 2015 reboot “Hitman: Agent 47” starring Rupert Friend (“Homeland“). Interestingly, both of those movies were in fact rated R, so there may have been another reason Gunn was denied the project. Thankfully, the director went on to say that if he did direct a “Hitman” movie, he probably wouldn’t have went on to direct “Guardians Of The Galaxy.” So, silver lining. [AV Club]
In all fairness, if I had done Hitman I probably would have been out of the running for the 1st #GotG. So it all turned out okay in the end. https://t.co/gmSKz4FQQ7
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 21, 2017