2007’s Hitman is an adaptation of the beloved stealth video game and was Timothy Olyphant’s first leading movie role, but Olyphant never returned for the 2015 follow-up, Hitman: Agent 47. The first movie follows Agent 47, a cloned super-assassin who uses stealth mechanics and creative methods to take out his targets. The game was often seen as a perfect story for a movie adaptation. Unfortunately, the 2007 Hitman film failed to impress critics or fans of the game.
While the video game movie was negatively received, with a poor 16% on Rotten Tomatoes, Olyphant’s assassin performance was among the few rewarding elements. He played Agent 47 with the typical coldness seen in the video games, but unfortunately, Olyphant didn’t return for Hitman: Agent 47. Instead, Rupert Friend played the silent assassin in the sequel, and it was jarringly different from the original Hitman. Hitman: Agent 47 certainly took a hit at the box office, and that could have been partially due to Olyphant’s absence, but there’s a reason why he was replaced.
The Hitman Series Rebooted Instead Of Making A Direct Sequel
Olyphant Expressed Disinterest In The Role
Hitman was technically a financial success, as it had a budget of $24 million and made over $101 million (via Box Office Mojo). However, given that the movie had a poor reception from critics and fans, the studio considered a reboot to be the best way forward for the franchise. The reboot also seems like a result of Olyphant’s reluctance to return to the series.
The actor noted that he was not interested in returning to the world of Hitman and didn’t even want to be part of the first movie. Olyphant revealed he hated making Hitman and took the role out of fear of losing his house when his series Deadwood was suddenly canceled, noting:
”
They’re like, ‘Do you want to read the script?’ I said, ‘I get it. I’m in. I just bought a house. Did you not hear? They just canceled my f***ing show. Yes, I’ll do it.'”
Luckily, Olyphant’s career didn’t suffer from stepping away from the franchise. Not long after his Hitman role, Olyphant played another leading man on television with Justified, a show that gave him one of his most iconic performances in Raylan Givens. Since then, Olyphant has remained a popular actor, popping up in hit shows like Fargo and The Mandalorian as well as acclaimed movies like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He will next be seen in the series Alien: Earth.
Hitman Was Rebooted 8 Years After The Original Movie
Paul Walker Was Attached To The Role Before His Death
|
Movie |
Star |
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
Worldwide Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hitman (2007) |
Timothy Olyphant |
16% |
$101 million |
|
Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) |
Rupert Friend |
8% |
$82 million |
Hitman: Agent 47 followed Hitman by eight years, essentially resulting from canceled sequels and failed casts. Two years after Hitman‘s release, Hitman 2 was announced with Kyle Ward penning the script (via Ain’t It Cool News), but quickly ended given the lack of fanfare and Olyphant’s hesitance that led to some major changes. A reboot was developed with Paul Walker originally hired to replace Olyphant, but that resulted in more delays when Walker tragically passed away (via Deadline).
Rupert Friend was brought in to replace Walker, but the end result was another failed attempt to get the franchise moving forward. Hitman: Agent 47 managed to rack up an even lower Rotten Tomatoes score than the first movie with 8%, while it failed to outgross the original with $82 million worldwide despite having a larger budget (via Box Office Mojo).
Which Hitman Actor Was Better?
Neither Movie Represents The Potential Of The Video Game
While there are a lot of fans who were eagerly awaiting a movie adaptation of the popular video game, with two Hitman movies now made, neither would be recommended by a large majority of the fandom. Those who loved the games often criticized both films for failing to capture the fun and the dark humor of these games, choosing instead to make a standard action movie. However, when it comes to those who are not necessarily invested in the games, the 2007 version is seen as the best.
While 2007’s Hitman is not a great movie by any means, viewers can still have fun with it. Hitman: Agent 47 is a by-the-numbers assassin movie with uninspired action, but 2007’s Hitman is a silly and illogical mess that at least leans into some of its cheesier elements in order to make it entertaining. There is a campiness to the action movie that, while possibly unintended, stops it from being dull.
Another of its bright spots is Timothy Olyphant’s performance as Agent 47. The character is not one that gives the actors a lot of room to make interesting choices, but Olyphant’s icy and stoic demeanor feels better suited than Rupert Friend’s take on the character. While there are much better assassin movies out there than either Hitman movie, the 2007 version is the best option of the franchise so far.
Will There Ever Be A Third Hitman Film?
Could Hitman Return On The Small Screen?
While 2007’s Hitman has some good qualities, fans have still been waiting years for a Hitman movie that does justice to the game. However, the franchise continues to struggle to come together. A third Hitman movie was initially planned which would have been a sequel to Hitman: Agent 47. However, the movie was scrapped in 2019 during the Disney-Fox merger. Still, there is hope for the franchise to make a return.
With Hitman: Agent 47 not being much of a success, it seems unlikely that a third movie is coming. However, Timothy Olyphant is a bigger star now than in 2007, so it is possible there might be interest in bringing him back. But given that he was uninterested in the role decades ago, it seems unlikely he would be eager to return. That would suggest Hitman 3 would have to be another reboot with yet another new actor taking on the role.
Another option for the future of the franchise is a television show. Video game adaptations on TV have been a big hit recently with the likes of The Last of Us and Fallout. There was a Hitman show on Hulu planned at one point, but it didn’t move forward. However, it is easy to see how a story like this could lend itself well to the television format and might be a more effective step forward rather than another attempt at a Hitman movie.
Hitman
The Hitman franchise is a film and TV series adaptation of the popular stealth-action video game franchise created by IO Interactive. The franchise follows Agent 47, a genetically engineered assassin with no personal attachments who executes high-profile missions. The two feature films, Hitman (2007) and Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), brought the iconic assassin to the big screen, but received mixed reviews due to deviations from the game’s stealth-driven approach. Despite the films’ reception, the character remains a compelling figure in action-thriller cinema.