Has Fox Pulled 'Hitman' Away From Its Director?
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, RumorMonger, 20th Century Fox, Games and Game Movies
It's a good thing we really trust the guys at Twitchfilm, because I'd hate to be sharing this report if it wasn't accurate. But according to Twitchmaster Todd Brown, it looks like Fox has removed director Xavier Gens from post-production on Hitman. Why? Because his preferred cut of the film was (get this) too violent! Really? Wow. See, here's how I know Hollywood is a lunatic bin: Whomever hired Mr. Gens for this job had to know two things:1. The director's first film -- Frontiere(s) -- is so amazingly and powerfully violent that it
2. The video game? You know, the one that this new Hitman movie is BASED ON? It's a pretty damn violent game. Like, really violent.
But reports indicate that the producers want a PG-13 flick to sell to the kids. So out come the hired scissors and out goes a young Frenchman who probably didn't know what hit him. As far as the movie goes, us grown-up action-lovers will undoubtedly have to wait for the Unrated Director's Cut DVD to see the flick Mr. Gens intended. (Because studios will gladly admit their earlier mistakes, but only when there are extra DVDs to sell.)
So you know what? That's what I'll do. If Hitman comes out as a PG-13 flick, I'll simply skip the theatrical release and rent the DVD in a few months. Fox pulled the exact same hedge-betting with Live Free or Die Hard earlier this year (unrated DVD coming soon!), and I daresay it's getting a little annoying. At this point an action film's theatrical release feels more like a 90-minute advertisement for the "big boy" DVD version.
I mean, really. Remember this story once you get to see Frontiere(s). You won't believe they hired THIS director if the original goal was a PG-13 movie.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-10-2007 @ 2:06PM
William Goss said...
TV spots so far flaunt an R rating, but I wouldn't put anything past a studio these days.
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10-10-2007 @ 2:06PM
Martin McManus said...
"So you know what? That's what I'll do. If Hitman comes out as a PG-13 flick, I'll simply skip the theatrical release and rent the DVD in a few months."
Agreed.
I'm getting a little sick of Fox's antics.
Why is everyone so afraid these days?
Reply
10-10-2007 @ 4:33PM
Screen Rant said...
"Because studios will gladly admit their earlier mistakes, but only when there are extra DVDs to sell."
Classic.
Vic
Reply
10-10-2007 @ 5:42PM
carg0 said...
The only people who are going to give this movie any positive word of mouth are the gamers who like this franchise. what do you think their reaction is going to be if this movie ends up with a PG-13 rating?
we're talking about one of the most explicitly violent videogame franchises of all time, before GTA3 and Manhunt even existed. how the hell does hollywood explain/justify a PG-13 rating for a movie based off a game about a guy who's sole purpose in life is to kill other people for money? and forget gamers for a second, you think parents won't be outraged? you think parents will sit idle while hollywood tries to make it easier for kids to see a movie that clearly has no right being marketed to them?
Reply
10-11-2007 @ 12:42AM
bandeofhotep said...
how about just dont see this movie period? like, even if it is rated r. that way, we wont get anymore stupid videogame movies.
Reply
10-11-2007 @ 1:16AM
Ray said...
Christ, shit like this just makes me madder at teenagers. We adults have jobs and credit cards; we go to the movies too. Ah well, there's 11 bucks I won't be spending.
Reply
10-11-2007 @ 2:10AM
Kurifurisan said...
If this goes PG-13 I will indeed skip the theatrical release and wait for DVD. Hollywood is in serious need of a "manjection" to help bring back the balls in film.
Reply