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Paul Walker to Headline 'Hitman' Video Game Reboot Titled 'Agent 47'

by Ethan Anderton
February 5, 2013

It sounds like a worldwide gross of nearly $100 million wasn't good enough for Fox to consider a sequel to the 2007 video game adaptation Hitman starring Timothy Olyphant. Though there were rumblings of a sequel back in 2010, the film never made any progress. Now Deadline reports Fox International Productions is rebooting the Square Enix video game film with Fast and Furious franchise star Paul Walker set to take the title role of Agent 47. The script comes from A Good Day to Die Hard writer Skip Woods and Michael Finch and will be directed by commercial director Aleksander Bach, making his feature debut.

Here's a taste of Bach's skills behind the camera with this Mercedes Benz commercial:

What seems weird is that Fox has brought back Woods, who scripted Hitman, to write this as a reboot. You would think the studio would want a fresh writer on the property, but this mostly feels like a cash grab. Walker will shave his head for the role and shoot the film right after finishing his world tour to promote Fast and Furious 6. It's not clear how the reboot will differ from the first film, but the video game follows a cloned assassin-for-hire, whose flawless record places him in high demand among the wealthy and elite. There's more than a couple games that the film could draw from for the film, so hopefully we'll have more solid details on a story soon. The question is whether anyone is still interested in Hitman. Anyone care?

Filed under Casting, Development, Movie News

From around the web:

Big Boss

So..NO Jason Statham?! That guy embodies 47.
IamSlave

I've always wanted a good "Hitman" movie and this doesn't sound like it'll be it. Shame, love the games tho.
Xerxexx

I'm not so sure...maybe it will surprise us...but I don't expect it to.
- Heci
  
  So, we have the same producers and writers (basically), and we have a worse director (I know that's a bit mean, considering that is his feature debut, but Gens at least had one movie behind him and it wasn't half bad, actually) and we have a much MUCH MUCH MUCH WORSE actor. I absolutely love the Hitman video games but I'm not sure they can be made into a good film at all. The 2007 movie wasn't BAD bad, but it just had some lackings and letdowns. It sure as hell wasn't Olyphant's fault though. He was pretty conservative and I think he actually did some research on the character, cause it showed. Even Kurnikenko wasn't awful. But her character didn't belong in a movie such as this. People thought Agent 47 was gay because he didn't bang her.. I felt sorry for the makers of the video games, cause I thought they were just let down by the film studio and producers. But surely they could've had at least a small say in improvements for the "reboot" film, and they didn't. Die hard fans of the series shouldn't even bother with this, DVD or Theathre. It won't be up to expectations. I think the only way this could work was if there was a good producer, ready to take some risks; a good writer, with a bit more freedom for creative ideas, but basically just rewrite some of the missions and make a FILM story out of it; and a good actor (which Olyphant IS) who won't mind being a bit on the mute side, considering the character he plays is a shadowly type, who speaks very rarely, only when he has something to say. PS: I do like your optimism, though, Xerxexx. It is refreshing.
  - Xerxexx
    
    It seems when ever a game is adapted...no one plays the actual game...Doom and Max Payne are perfect examples...the only one that seemed to even get it remotely right was Silent Hill. I want this to be good...its just I cannot wrap my head around Walker...man can act, lately his acing has been pretty good...but he isn't 47...Bateson is...Olyphant was decent.
    - guy
      
      Doom sucked bad but i was more disappointed by max pain because it had the potential to be awesome and like you said it was as if nobody played the game
      - David Banner
        
        I knew Max Payne would suck when I read that Marky-Mark refused to look at or play the games.
  - David Banner
    
    Hmmm
guy

The first movie had some good scenes but it really didn't feel like the game. 47 needs to talk less and the movie needs to be darker and more about actual assassinations
- http://twitter.com/Jertown Jertown
  
  I felt the same. Less explosions, more stealthy stabbiness.
  - me
    
    although that bathroom scene felt like a hitman game
http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Philip-Cinquegrano/100000932639147 Christopher Philip Cinquegrano

Straight to dvd.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jacob-Denton/1020609345 Jacob Denton

jesus christ, just use David Bateson! the voice of Agent 47! even if he's a little bit old, he still looks like Agent 47! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asA67aM8AjA
- Ravenstorm
  
  Indeed. Why send in Robin, when you can have the Batman himself.
Outlaw

"It's not clear how the reboot will differ from the first film" What's different is that in this one, Agent 47 will have a stereotypical surfer accent.
- Cody W
  
  "Hey diana, whats my next contract bra?"
zer0limit

I do not enjoy this casting choice. Why can't they go with someone like Luke Goss?
Cody W

Olyphant was a good 47, but the writer/director obviously never even played the games. Its like they just looked at the cover of one of them and said ok IVE GOT IT!...ffs he didnt have the actual silverballers in the movie, they were 1911s ugh.
Bnels87

PLEASE DEAR GOD, ANYONE BUT PAUL WALKER!!!!
Nielsen700

The fuuuuuuck?
grimjob

Wow. Possibly the worst casting choice for this. It'll be in theaters for a week, although this seems like it should be straight to dvd.
dgeet

He is only good in the Fast & Furious Franchise..nothing else
- OfficialJab
  
  Go watch Running Scared. He is good in SOME F&F movies.
  - castingcouch
    
    He wasn't too bad in Joyride (aka Road Kill) either. Hey, Candycane. You out there? Candycane?
comic393

I'd like 2 see Luke Goss instead
castingcouch

A recipe for movie disaster.
Armitage

I really liked the first movie...