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Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson will return for ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ sequel

A bodyguard’s work is never done, according to Lionsgate anyway, who’ve announced a sequel to the popular Ryan Reynolds / Samuel L Jackson vehicle The Hitman’s Bodyguard.

Both actors have signed up to return alongside Salma Hayek – who may have an increased role, judging by the sequel’s title The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.

The first film was released in late summer of 2017 and doubled its profits, grossing $75.5 million stateside and more than $180 million globally.

It followed Ryan Reynolds’ bodyguard Michael Bryce as he attempts to protect hitman Samuel L Jackson’s Kincaid long enough to testify against a corrupt European leader (played by Gary Oldman).

Patrick Hughes will return to direct from a script by Brandon and Phillip Murphy. The sequel will follow Bryce (Reynolds) as he once again has to protect Jackson and Hayek’s Sonia, this time joining them on a mission along the Amalfi Coast.

Rumours of the sequel first came out of Cannes in May, via some hopeful posters, but the stars hadn’t signed up at that point – so this is the first official confirmation the film will be happening.

The first film wasn’t exactly a hit with critics, but Jackson and Hayek certainly enjoyed working on it.

“I was attracted to the fact that in the middle of this action movie there was all this great dialogue about relationships,” Jackson told NME.

“That you got these two very dangerous people talking about male-female relationships and how they work, and how they don’t work, and what this guy who’s supposed to be so smart and so perfect does not know about how to make his life work.”

“And me, the most dangerous person in the world, having this super soft spot and having all this knowledge about why men love women and why women love men, and what you can do wrong or right to make that happen in the midst of all these giant set pieces with bullets flying.”

“I actually thought it was so clever and unique because it’s an action film, it’s a romantic film, but I think the romance is really gonna work for men, because it’s crazy romance,” Hayek agreed.

“It’s also about the relationship between these two men – it’s actually super interesting. They are so different from each other and they hate each other, and they complement each other in a fantastic way.”

Production on the sequel starts in March, aiming for a 2020 release.


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