James Gunn Wanted to Make a Hitman Movie Before Guardians of the Galaxy

James Gunn wanted to make a Hitman movie before Marvel hired him to do Guardians of the Galaxy. Obviously, Hitman is a franchise that has been adapted to the silver screen on a couple of occasions. The first time was with Timothy Olyphant, someone who has since spoken about his distaste for the poorly received film. The second outing was with Rupert Friend and that film also failed to make any kind of positive impression on fans or general audiences. However, one of Hollywood’s most beloved directors may have almost given us a better, more well-received Hitman film.

James Gunn has revealed on Twitter that he had pitched a Hitman movie to a studio (likely 20th Century Fox, as they owned the rights at the time) and the studio really wanted him to direct it, but one of the film’s producers wasn’t as onboard with him. At the time, Gunn was bummed about the missed opportunity, but has reflected on it as a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to take on a different project. Had Gunn been hired for the Hitman film, he wouldn’t have been free to go do Guardians of the Galaxy, which could have really changed the MCU as we know it. Gunn had previously revealed that the film would’ve been R-rated and the producers weren’t hot on that idea, likely to make it more marketable, which is why the film never happened. The plot of the film remains unknown, though James Gunn did say his favorite Hitman game is Hitman: Blood Money.

Weeks before I got Guardians I pitched a HITMAN movie. The studio really wanted to hire me, but a producer on the project did not. I was bummed then, but thank God, because I would have never been able to do GotG if they had said yes! https://t.co/0JYQGBsuGY

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) September 6, 2022

It’s an interesting “what if” scenario, as Guardians of the Galaxy was a massive success for Marvel. Not only was it commercially viable, but it proved Marvel could make just about anything work. The ensemble wasn’t really a mainstream superhero group yet and many people thought the idea of a talking tree and raccoon in space was a bit absurd. However, Gunn’s vision worked and made him one of the hottest directors in Hollywood. Whether Marvel would have made the film without him or if it would’ve even been nearly as good is a mystery that will forever go unanswered.

Would you like to see James Gunn’s Hitman movie? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

[H/T IGN]