Videogame nerds rejoice: a sequel to “Hitman” is in the works. Based on the best selling video game about a globe trotting assassin-for-hire, one might ask why anybody would greenlight a sequel to the critically savaged 2007 film. The answer is quite simple: it made over $100 million dollars on a budget of $30 million and Fox is looking for an easy cash cow.
Once again, Fox is going international with the director’s chair. The first film was helmed by Frenchmen Xavier Gens and the sequel will be directed by Daniel Benmayor from Spain. Benmayor already has a couple of films under his belt including the ludicrous sounding “Paintball” about a game of — you guessed it — paintball that goes awry when someone uses actual ammunition. He also has “Bruc” in the can about the “19th Century Catalan drummer boy who helps gives Napoleon’s army its first taste of defeat.”
No word yet if Timothy Olyphant will reprise his bald-headed role in the film, but with the success he’s currently enjoying on FX’s “Justified” and his recent leading man status in films like “The Crazies” and the forthcoming “I Am Number Four,” his price may have gone up. That said, no one watches these things for the acting so if Fox can’t work something out I’m sure they’ll just line up some other guy who is willing to shave his head and wear a suit.
