The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard Gets Earlier Release Date

After moving up the upcoming Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Lionsgate is making another change to their film schedule of 2021, shifting the release date on the highly anticipated action-comedy The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard once again. The Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson starring film was previously scheduled for August of 2020 before being delayed as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to the same time this year, but now the studio has moved the film's release date up to Wednesday, June 16. Had The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard stayed on its August 20, 2021 release date it would arrive on week after another Ryan Reynolds film, the 20th Century film Free Guy (recently delayed to August 13).

"This is the kind of summer action film that delivers even more comedy and more thrilling action than the first film – and it's perfect for fans new to the franchise as well," Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate's president of Worldwide Distribution said in a statement. "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is what summer moviegoing is all about – great, crowd-pleasing entertainment." Reynolds reprises his role of bodyguard Michael Bryce with Jackson appearing as hitman Darius Kincaid but this time they'll be joined Darius's volatile wife Sonia Kincaid, played by Salma Hayek.

The official description for the film reads: "Bryce – still unlicensed and under scrutiny – is forced into action by Darius and his wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia. As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman (Antonio Banderas). Joining in the fun and deadly mayhem is Morgan Freeman as… well, you'll have to see."

Other cast members appearing in the film include Frank Grillo, Richard E. Grant, and Tom Hopper. The film shows how big the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become though as Reynolds (Deadpool), Jackson (Nick Fury), Hayek (Ajak in Eternals), Grillo (Crossbones), and Grant (unknown role in Loki) all appear in the MCU as various characters (in Reynolds case, will soon appear).

Patrick Hughes returns behind the camera as the director of the film which features a screenplay by Tom O'Connor and Phillip Murphy & Brandon Murphy with a story by Tom O'Connor. The original Hitman's Bodyguard movie opened ahead of the Labor Day weekend when it was released in 2017 and managed to gross $177 million worldwide ($75 million of it domestically) against a reported budget of $30 million.