The immensely popular Hitman video game series landed its big screen debut back in 2007 with Xavier Gens’ brilliant action-thriller of the same name. There’s been talk of a sequel in the years since, but now Fox have given the go-ahead for a reboot in its place, with an eye to put Agent 47 into production this summer.
Deadline report that Paul Walker, one half of the awesome leading duo in the Fast and Furious franchise, will be taking the lead this time around, first played by Timothy Olyphant back in 2007.
After penning the original film, Skip Woods has returned to co-write the reboot’s script alongside Michael Finch (Predators).
Aleksander Bach, a highly regarded commercials director, will be making his feature directorial debut behind the camera.
Walker will soon be seen this summer in the immensely anticipated Fast and Furious 6, which launched its first footage with a 60-second TV spot at the Super Bowl to very, very positive reactions. It followed that up with the first full-length trailer yesterday, and things are looking very good for Walker, Vin Diesel, and co. when it lands this May.
Though many will no doubt disagree, I think Gens’ Hitman is a brilliant film, and one of a handful of video game adaptations that holds up well on the big screen. Timothy Olyphant is superb in the lead, for my money. And whilst he’s since stated that he wouldn’t wish to return for a sequel – hence the reboot here – I would have loved to see him come back for more as Agent 47.
With Olyphant out of the picture, though, I can’t wait to see what Walker does with the role. Especially given that it involves him shaving his head. Olyphant pulled the look of remarkably well, and I can’t wait to see images of Walker in the same role surface.
Agent 47 is expected to go into production this summer in Berlin and Singapore, after Walker wraps up a global press tour for Fast and Furious 6.
