Hitman's Bodyguard Sequel: Ryan Reynolds & Samuel L. Jackson Officially Returning

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Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek will be returning for more comedy-tinged crime action in a sequel to The Hitman's Bodyguard, now officially called The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard. In the original movie, Reynolds played a down-on-his-luck bodyguard hired to protect an old nemesis, Jackson's Darius Kincaid, from an even more despicable and dangerous criminal. The Hitman's Bodyguard also featured Salma Hayek in the supporting role of Darius' jailed wife, Sonia.
Despite featuring plenty of high-octane action and a plot wrapped in criminal conspiracy, The Hitman's Bodyguard also mixed in a lot of laughs, thanks in part to Reynolds' own trademark humor. Falling somewhere in the territory between Takenand Johnny English, The Hitman's Bodyguard was released to a decidedly mixed reaction from critics but made a very tidy profit at the box office nonetheless and it was reported earlier this year that talks were underway with cast members regarding a potential sequel.



Lionsgate have now confirmed (via Variety) that the follow-up will be called The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard and will see Reynolds, Jackson and Hayek reprise their previous roles. Also returning is original director, Patrick Hughes, but the new writing pair of Brandon and Phillip Murphy have been drafted in this time around. Although it's too early for a release date at this stage, production on the sequel is reportedly set to begin in March next year.




The Hitman's Bodyguard didn't explicitly set-up a potential sequel so it isn't immediately clear where the second movie will go in terms of plot but the title suggests a more significant part for Salma Hayek's Sonia. The title of The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard also seems to imply that the follow-up will see Reynolds' character tasked with protecting Sonia this time around, with Kincaid the jailbird, flipping the set-up of the original.


If true, this could be a very positive move in the sense that Hayek's character was woefully underused in The Hitman's Bodyguard. While the actress was undoubtedly a highlight of the original film, she was featured very sparingly and if there is more to explore in the story, Sonia is surely the best character to start with. However, such a plot has the potential to limit the interactions between Reynolds and Jackson which most reviews considered to be the best part of the first film. Hopefully, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard finds a way to balance an increased role for Hayek while not restricting Samuel L. Jackson's character to a prison cell.


The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is currently without a release date. More news as it arrives.
Source: Variety

 

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[h=1]Hitman's Bodyguard Sequel Casts Richard E. Grant & Antonio Banderas[/h]

The sequel to the 2017 film The Hitman's Bodyguard, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, casts veteran actors Richard E. Grant and Antonio Banderas. In 2019, Grant received an Oscar nomination for his supporting performance inCan You Ever Forgive Me?, while Banderas received a 2018 Golden Globe nomination for portraying Pablo Picasso in National Geographic’s Genius.
Directed by Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes, The Hitman’s Bodyguardstars Ryan Reynolds as the titular character Michael Bryce. The action-comedy was produced for an estimated $30-69 million and earned over $175 million at the box office. In the original film, Samuel L. Jackson co-stars as the hitman Darius Kincaid, and Salma Hayek plays his wife. Last May, a sequel was announced with the original cast in tact. In March, Frank Grillo was cast inThe Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard as an Interpol agent, and Morgan Freeman joined the lineup soon after. Filming began this month for The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, and production will take place in Italy, Bulgaria, Scotland and the United Kingdom.

Per Millennium Films, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard has added both Grant and Banderas to the main cast. In the sequel, Grant will reprise his role as Mr. Seifert, a corporate drug addict. Meanwhile, no details have been revealed about Banderas’ role. In 1995, the Spanish actor co-starred with the aforementioned Hayek in Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado, thus making The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard a reunion between him and the Oscar-nominated Mexican actress. In 1982, Banderas made his feature debut in Labyrinth of Passion, thus marking the beginning of his collaborations with iconic Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.

As for Grant, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is the latest film in the actor’s late-career resurgence. The 61-year-old Swazi-English actor delivered one of the great debut performances in the 1987 British cult classic Withnail and I, and he’s maintained a steady career in TV and feature films ever since. While younger moviegoers may be familiar with Grant's big screen roles inJackie and Logan, along with his portrayal of Izembaro in Game of Thrones, the actor's co-starring role opposite Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? re-introduced him to various demographics. In 2018, Grant portrayed Shiver in the fantasy adventure film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and he's part of J.J. Abrams' upcoming film Star Wars: Episode IX.

Source: Millennium Films

 

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