Will this franchise be entitled to a 3rd film? This is the question we ask ourselves during the broadcast of the second opus on TF1.
Released in August 2017, the first part of Hitman & Bodyguard was a great success, collecting $183 million in worldwide revenue for a budget of $30 million. A sequel was quickly started; it landed in theaters 4 years later, in June 2021.
Unfortunately, this second episode, mistreated by critics, was a bitter failure. Despite increased resources with 70 million greenbacks, he did not find his audience. The film barely managed to garner the same amount as its budget: 70 million.
OLD-FASHIONED BUDDY MOVIES
As a reminder, these two action films are carried by the duo Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. Heir to the old-fashioned buddy movies like Lethal Weapon or 48 Hours, will Hitman & Bodyguard have a third film to complete its trilogy?
If we rely on the international box office results of the second opus, it is unlikely that we will ever see the characters of Michael Bryce (Reynolds) and Darius Kincaid (Jackson) again in the cinema. During the promotion of Hitman & Bodyguard 2 in 2021, director Patrick Hughes nevertheless played the optimism card.
“Certainly the ending of this movie lends itself to further suffering for Michael Bryce, and it can continue for eternity, because I certainly enjoy seeing Ryan Reynolds suffer.”joked the filmmaker. “If there is potential to go further, then we will certainly pursue it”he confided.
THE DEMON’S SALMA
For her part, Salma Hayek, who plays the colorful Sonia Kincaid, also really wanted to reprise her role. “I really hope so. If it happens, I know they will add one more protagonist”she explained.
As for Samuel L. Jackson, he was also very optimistic, mentioning the possibility of a great Spanish actress joining the trio. “We already have everything planned. We are going to ask Penélope Cruz to be Sonia Kincaid’s sister”he revealed.
Two years after the release of Hitman & Bodyguard 2, it is clear that the project for the third episode remained stored in a drawer at the Lionsgate studio. In addition, director Patrick Hughes, to whom we owe Expendables 3, has embarked on an ambitious new project for Netflix, the remake of The Raid. Released in 2011, this extremely violent action film left its mark and revealed a martial arts star: Iko Uwais.
With the strike in Hollywood about to reach its conclusion, Ryan Reynolds should soon resume filming Deadpool 3. As for Samuel L. Jackson, he will be found in the cinema on January 31, 2024. He will be showing in Argylle , spy thriller by Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman).