We almost got a Hitman movie directed by James Gunn

The Hitman games are often good and usually fun, it’s fair to say, particularly the recent World Of Assassination trilogy. Ian Hitman’s turn in the two films released about his adventures has been rougher to recommend, though. That’s why it’s simultaneously disappointing and awesome to learn that Guardians Of The Galaxy, The Suicide Squad and – shudder – Slither director James Gunn narrowly missed his target when he pitched a Hitman movie.

Gunn revealed the existence of his failed pitch for Hitman when he responded to a fan question about what game series would make an awesome film. “Weeks before I got Guardians I pitched a HITMAN movie,” Gunn said. “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!”

Imagine, PC pals, if you want a world where we didn’t get James Gunn’s take on Guardians Of The Galaxy in 2014, something so core to our modern cross-media superhero experience that they’ve even made a Lego advent calendar out of it this year. A world where, instead, we got a gruff but viscerally humorous Ian Hitman, probably played by Michael Rooker, chucking deadly homing briefcases at bad lads across the planet. I don’t know if I’d swap this world for that one, but I’d happily pay it a visit for a few hours to watch the movie and bring back a copy of the soundtrack.

Ed really rated Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy, from Hitman GO makers Eidos Montreal, when it released last year. Alec felt Telltale’s cover version wasn’t bad either. Both were heavily influenced by the Gunn movies’ take on the interplanetary superhero team, so at least Gunn’s contributed something to gaming after all. Not sure I’d recommend his most direct venture into the medium with Lollipop Chainsaw though, which is set for a remake without his involvement. That’s due out sometime in 2023.

You may never get to see James Gunn’s take on Agent 47, but you can step into the assassin’s surprisingly clean shoes in Hitman 3 on Steamthe Epic Games Store and PC Game Pass.