Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, and Salma Hayek are officially returning for a “Hitman’s Bodyguard” sequel.
Lionsgate will release “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” in North America, the studio announced Thursday at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, Calif., where Millennium Media is handling sales. The original movie was released in late summer of 2017 and grossed $75.5 million stateside and more than $180 million globally.
In “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” Reynolds played the titular bodyguard hired to protect a notorious hitman, portrayed by Jackson. The film follows the mismatched duo on a journey from London to the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands in order for the hitman to testify against an Eastern European dictator, played by Gary Oldman. Hayek portrayed the imprisoned wife of Jackson’s hitman.
Patrick Hughes will take on directing duties again from a script by Brandon and Phillip Murphy. The sequel follows bodyguard Michael Bryce (Reynolds) enlisted by Jackson and Hayek’s characters to join them on a mission along the Amalfi Coast. Production is expected to start in March.
Matt O’Toole and Les Weldon are producing for Millennium Media and Campbell Grobman Films. Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, Jeffrey Greenstein and Jonathan Yunger of Millennium and Lati Grobman and Christa Campbell of Campbell Grobman are executive producing. Joe Drake, Jason Constantine and Eda Kowan from Lionsgate negotiated the domestic deal for the film with Lerner and Greenstein from Millennium.