Hitman movie scores $21M

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Nov 26, 2007 7:19 am PT

From the outset, gamers had their doubts about 20th Century Fox's film adaptation of Eidos Interactive's Hitman series. Those worries only amplified once Deadwood star Timothy Olyphant was cast in the lead and largely untested helmer Xavier Gens sat down in the director's chair. Finally, even the...

From the outset, gamers had their doubts about 20th Century Fox's film adaptation of Eidos Interactive's Hitman series. Those worries only amplified once Deadwood star Timothy Olyphant was cast in the lead and largely untested helmer Xavier Gens sat down in the director's chair. Finally, even the most optimistic fans' faith was tested when Gens was reportedly yanked from the project by studio bosses for including too much violence in his final cut.

However, like the titular assassin, Hitman proved pretty much unstoppable. Despite being pistol-whipped by most critics--although Roger "Games Are Not Art" Ebert quite enjoyed it--the film took in an estimated $21 million over the Thanksgiving weekend, according to Variety.

Despite the extended holiday, Hitman's haul was bested by the $23.6 million opening of another recent game-to-film project, Resident Evil: Extinction. However, the film's take was impressive considering its competition--Disney's heavily hyped fantasy Enchanted ($50 million), surprise family-film hit This Christmas ($27 million), and 3-D CGI blockbuster Beowulf ($23.3 million).

189 Comments

  • 145bobby

    Posted Jul 6, 2009 1:14 am PT

    i liked the movie but not as much as i hoped

  • DaDumb1

    Posted Jul 4, 2009 9:48 am PT

    In spite of the fact that everything they said about or portrayed 47 in the movie was completely and utterly wrong, it definitely wasn't as bad as some other videogame movies (Doom)

  • MrZeb

    Posted Feb 15, 2009 10:40 am PT

    I also think the hitman movie took too many liberties with the story and hitmans background. As a fan of the game series I was very disappointed. He IS a clone and a stone cold, killer. Concerned only about his own survival and perhaps also about his soul (hitman 2)
    He is alone (exept for the agency). The movie captured nothing of this. But it was somewhat entertaining, in spite of this.

  • Krazy-K

    Posted Dec 7, 2008 11:36 pm PT

    I love the Hitman series and I believe the movie did the games justices. The Hitman movies is probably one of the best video game movies out there.

  • scarletsnake

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 3:43 pm PT

    I think this was a great movie, since it captures the atmosphere of the Hitman games. Timothy Olyphant looks just like 47 in Hitman: Codename 47 (not talking about renders, I'm talking about in-game). I think it was a really good movie. I bought the unrated dvd yesterday and I can safely recommend it since it fills in most of the blanks left in the theater version. I can watch this movie over and over again and not get bored, just like the games. I still play every hitman game now and then and this movie lives up to the legendary video game's fame. I would give this movie an 8/10 for a job well done.

  • hitman_codnam47

    Posted Sep 29, 2008 3:24 am PT

    I may be the biggest fan of hitman I liked the movie very much timothy did a great job.The movie had been a masterpiece if the story,voice of characters & attitude of Hitman specially towards the lady had been different I think 47 was a clone not an orphan secondly he never trusts anybody maybe director and his team should play all sequels of the game and then make new movie

  • ervinmanz

    Posted Sep 16, 2008 12:58 pm PT

    If the movie was not based on "Hitman" it would have been better. in my opinion, the story had a lot of problems, first 47 was a Clone, not an orphan, and the other lesser clones were his brothers as they say and they all looked Exactly the same, not one old,one thin, one black and one with thick eyebrows!
    and Hitman only trusted Father Vittorio and Diana Through the game. how did this sort of person Love a nobody like Nika, in the movie?
    I was Dissapointed after it finished, and I hope a better one with the same actor as the Voice of 47 in the game gets made.

  • ervinmanz

    Posted Sep 16, 2008 12:58 pm PT

    If the movie was not based on "Hitman" it would have been better. in my opinion, the story had a lot of problems, first 47 was a Clone, not an orphan, and the other lesser clones were his brothers as they say and they all looked Exactly the same, not one old,one thin, one black and one with thick eyebrows!
    and Hitman only trusted Father Vittorio and Diana Through the game. how did this sort of person Love a nobody like Nika, in the movie?
    I was Dissapointed after it finished, and I hope a better one with the same actor as the Voice of 47 in the game gets made.

  • maubecerra

    Posted May 25, 2008 7:47 pm PT

    Olyphant did a decent job playing agent 47. I liked the movie and plot. Nevertheless, a 3 hopur movie would have been better to introduce and express the background of hitman for non gamers. I have mixed thoughts about the way the movie makes agent 47 seem a good and innocent man.

  • Crush_Project

    Posted Apr 20, 2008 7:49 pm PT

    would have been a great movie if they hadnt called it hitman.

    They seem to go to great lengths to do things 47 is never supposed to do. I dont think the director did enough research on this one tbh.

    great sereies tho. hitman ftw

  • Killingspree303

    Posted Mar 29, 2008 6:11 pm PT

    Hitman Rocks! Hitman for ever!

  • Dark_Lord777

    Posted Mar 12, 2008 12:36 am PT

    i liked the movie. It was alot better than the crap that was the blood rayne movies. I was still surprised at what Roger Ebert said about video games i quote "The movie, directed by Xavier Gens, was inspired by a best-selling video game and serves as an excellent illustration of my conviction that video games will never become an art form -- never, at least, until they morph into something else or more."

    wow video games not an art form????? apparently he has never played Mass Effect or Gears of War, or seen any screen shots of Metal Gear Solid 4

  • tengu7667

    Posted Mar 9, 2008 9:24 am PT

    Unedited DVD comes out next week!!

  • MatrixtheNEO

    Posted Feb 27, 2008 12:07 am PT

    Wow really good i cant wait till the next hitman game come out i hope it come out

  • SnarfShady2001

    Posted Feb 19, 2008 1:06 am PT

    The movie was pretty good. I think the only problem with it was casting. Everyone says that Statham should have been cast. While I don't think that would be a bad choice, I believe that David Bateson (the actual voice actor) would have done a good job as well. FYI, until I looked it up just now, I didn't realize that Diana was not voiced by the same actress as in the games, so Lisa Jacobs did a good job on that.

  • Lunarion_

    Posted Jan 27, 2008 4:54 am PT

    It's great that they decided to make a movie after the game series, allthough the best actor I thought fit to take on the role was VIN DIESEL. He had the perfect look to be an assassin

  • NSoth

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 5:03 pm PT

    I thought it was great. Granted the actor didnt look the part, still a convincing job though. The action was spot on thought, played out just like it would in the game depending on the approach you would take. Thumbs up.

  • jdcheek

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 10:51 am PT

    thescorpion1983, holy crap dude, could you be so kind as to proof read your comments before you post, please? I feel like I'm developing a head-tumor from trying to comprehend you.

    On to the topic at hand, I agree with most people, in that I wasn't blown away by this movie but it did it's job entertaining me. And in today's world I guess that's all I can hope for. I enjoyed it, but honestly I think I could have written it better. I won't spoil anything, but there were some subtleties that if they had been ironed out, this could have been a master-piece.

  • G-Man4ever

    Posted Jan 1, 2008 7:08 pm PT

    i saw the movie. it's under my expectations. it's NOT bad, but it's definitely under my expectations. they could have changed the story, work a bit more with the plot. maybe a 3 hour movie would have been more appropriate. they didn't manage to capture the whole character of agent 47. the transition is too quick from one scene to the other. 47 isn't chasing his "pray" in a closed environment. A closed environment offers more space and time for him to prove his wits and ingenuity. they made him too....weak. i mean, he's like a freaking 35 year old virgin and not a 35 year old killing machine. when he meets the girl he's like all shy and sh*t like that. that's not the 47 I know. about Timothy Olyphant, i loved the way he played his role. i think he's the perfect hitman. he's got the look, the body, expressions, everything. if the script was better I'm sure he would have gotten more credit. as for the scriptwriters, they did a "lethal" mistake. the end....well, it's not exactly open ended. they practically killed agent 47. i don't see another hitman movie coming out soon, which frankly pisses me off. they could have made a blockbuster, but they choose to make a mediocre movie. And yet another game-based-movie is made only to disappoint the gamers.

  • direktor

    Posted Dec 18, 2007 8:12 am PT

    its a movie not only for the fans of the game. Its worth a watch

  • -DCCshadow-

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 3:15 pm PT

    the movie is sweet i saw it last week.
    definitly worth a watch

  • wayfast

    Posted Dec 7, 2007 9:11 am PT

    It was alot better than I thought it was gonna be so I was actually plesantly surprised

  • ecuationzyx

    Posted Dec 3, 2007 3:11 pm PT

    it was a good movie very entertaining with interesting fight scenes

  • Weemanrulez

    Posted Dec 1, 2007 9:28 am PT

    So there was too much violence in his version either release it as a higher age rating or just release a special edition extra violence dvd like they do with saws extra gore editions

  • DSOG_Sergeon

    Posted Dec 1, 2007 8:37 am PT

    There was really funny, indeed! Especially for me as I'm living in St. Petersburg! But seriously, what is "poscha"? If its "post", then it must be "pochta" in Russian! Russian Federation doesn't have a border with Turkey, creators don't know geography, or they don't have a globe (or maybe just a Soviet one), huh? And what was that station between Turkey and Russia - Muhosransk or Krizhopol'? Russian president and his brother - drug dealer? Ridiculous! And that brother doesn't know ANYTHING about weapon! There wasn't "Kedr" or his Chinese copy! M16 uses 5,56 ammunition, not 7,62! PM is not favorite pistol of FSB or Spetsnaz, they like APS (Automatic Pistol of Stechkin). Soldiers in church with weapon – this is actually a sin! Mi-24 "Hind" destroys church – interesting scene for "True Lies", but not here! I'm sorry, but this is **** (its censored, but you know what I mean)! And finally, where are they seen this uniforms of our special forces – in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?

  • GC4ever

    Posted Dec 1, 2007 1:05 am PT

    i thought it was ok
    the plot really confused me
    but i plan on buying it
    if they have the original cut when it comes out out if not.........
    i might not buy it..............

  • Dryker

    Posted Nov 30, 2007 4:55 pm PT

    I look forward to seeing this movie, but I only buy movies so it may be a while. The only reason I was interested at all was because of the fact that Timothy Olyphant was playing "47". I've never played nor ever was interested in the games, but Timothy Olyphant is awesome. Deadwood is one of the greatest TV shows of all time in my opinion ( albeit a little high-brow and mayhaps alienate some ) and Olyphant is perfect in it. I just saw Live Free, Die Hard and Olyphant was pretty damn good in it. I suppose one could consider him a "B" actor, but he's surely on the top of that list.

  • turbulentze

    Posted Nov 29, 2007 4:48 pm PT

    another f****d up movie like doom, but it's hollywood, David Bateson is the voice of the real Hitman he should have played in the movie

  • JackfnBurton

    Posted Nov 29, 2007 12:09 pm PT

    This means we are closer to my dream of seeing Leisure Suit Larry come to the big screen.

  • taxman25

    Posted Nov 29, 2007 6:56 am PT

    I haven't seen the movie yet. The theatre in my town didn't get it. From the preview that I saw it looked like it was going to be a pretty good movie.

  • IRoxxorUrSoxxor

    Posted Nov 28, 2007 10:18 am PT

    the movie was ballsack.

    even for a time of year that is traditionally not assosciated with action blockbusters, I can name at least five films off the top of my head that would be better investments of your time and money.

  • nabed4t

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 10:39 pm PT

    I think it could have been a hell of alot worse they thought about Vin...Vin Diesel...come on! a character like 47 doesnt really match up to any of todays hollywood stars, and to cast an unknown as the lead role was probably too much of a risk the studio wanted to take...

  • oumir

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 8:02 pm PT

    wow i thought it was going to bomb and be another crap job game movie! i think this is the start of making good game-movies.

  • urgotripeye

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 6:17 pm PT

    it was nothing like the games, despised it, and to me it just seemed like an angry bald Richard Thomas, sure had John Boy's voice. and secondly 47 is no babysitter, umm.....he assassinates his targets and gets paid for it, end of story

  • Yellowjacket77

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 2:10 pm PT

    This is what happens when you don't cast David Bateson.

  • Impossibilium

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 2:06 pm PT

    It could never have been as bad as Doom.

  • Krazy-K

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 12:00 pm PT

    I liked the movie. I think that "Hitman" could have been a little better, but I did enjoy the movie never-the-less. I hope there is a second film, to go further into the storyline.

  • wizoforb

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 10:35 am PT

    wargraymon
    I know he was a favorite, but to me Jones has the look by far. His characters he plays look more of a killer than Statham. Vinnie looks more like 47, but again that's just what I think....He just has a meaner look than a baby face Statham...lol. He's played in Lock Stock, and two smoking barrels/Snatch also.

  • NinjaMunkey01

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 10:21 am PT

    I thought the film was meant to be bad anyway. I wont watch this.

  • wargraymon

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 6:47 am PT

    @wizoforb

    ...vinny jones??? the jugernaught?? i think everone thought statem..stathem...the transporter guy the first time we saw him in...well the transporter.

  • wargraymon

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 6:36 am PT

    i havn't seen it yet, but so far from what i see from the comercials, all the action scened were taken from the game, so techicnally the game did all the work for him. but like i said, havn't seen it yet so what do i know.

  • smbius

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 5:34 am PT

    I'm not really into the franchise or the character. That's my choice anyway

  • PS360Fanboy

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 5:26 am PT

    I'm not surprised, the only reason that it hit 21mil is because of the fan base, the movie just plained sucked, it had a story which was boring, The actor who played Hitman was Hi-larious and the direction was completly wrong, the hitman series is one of those Videogame series where you cant make a movie based on....

  • Merl57

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 3:45 am PT

    too much violence? The News has too much violence thats why I don't watch it. And jesus if you are really into that watch Hostil or something

  • mashom

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 2:26 am PT

    Movie is Awesome, but his role was same like Jason Bourne, in his Episodes Movie.

    great Success.

  • TheMudora

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 11:06 pm PT

    It was OKAY, it wasn't great.

  • OldStupidGeezer

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 10:08 pm PT

    what i didn't understand is why the opening scenes were actually taken directly from Dark Angel. read the credits, it says so at the very bottom, then my gf showed me the clips on her dvd. did 47 and Dark Angel grow up together, no, not that i'm aware of

  • PieCrusher

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 7:55 pm PT

    It was a very fun game and i'm actually surprised taht it did pretty good as a movie. Usually when they make a game in to a movie the movie really sucks. Same thing applies if it is a movie turned into a game. Most of the time producers just mess things up to much.

  • wizoforb

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 7:41 pm PT

    70Mil Estimated to make. Made 21Mil the first weekend (2 days). idk. They have a long way to break even. I'm sure it can pull it off. Vinnie Jones was my pick for the Hitman role....Vin Diesel...Pfff...Short black stocky man being a tall slender white guy...idk....people are nuts.

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