Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) ponders his reflection in HITMAN(2007).
© 20th Century Fox

Related Links

0

HITMAN Director Executed by Fox?

Uncertain madness is circling the Fox adaptation of HITMAN recently in the world of entertainment news, says Back Row Chatter. Two days ago, Todd Brown at Twitchfilm published a report that director Xavier Gens was let go from the project because he turned into bloody a final cut of the film. In other words, he adapted HITMAN as it was in the game, a hard R-Rating.  Here's what Todd had to say in the link above..

After being hired to shoot an adaptation of the ultra-violent video game Gens took Asian action films such as The Killer and A Bittersweet Life as his starting point and turned in an explicitly violent, very bloody cut of the film that apparently included a number of head shots and extreme gore moments that would have guaranteed the film a hard R rating.  Which really shouldn’t have been any sort of surprise if the studio execs had been paying any attention at all - it’s not like they wouldn’t have seen the dailies or effects work ahead of time - but apparently after seeing Gens’ cut of the film the studio removed him from the project and placed Nicolas De Toth in control of a new edit of the film.

After this report hit the web, other sites and Fox themselves took notice of the ire being pointed their ways about this adaptation being turned into an unfaithful PG-13 flick. Fox immediately put the spin control on and calm the fears by telling Stax at IGN that Nicolas De Toth was only brought onto the project as an editor in helping director Xavier Gens with the final cut before it hits theaters next month. IGN reports that Fox insists this film adaptation will still be an R-Rating. Here's a little of what IGN had to say on the subject.

TwitchFilm's source informed the site that De Toth, who re-cut Live Free or Die Hard to earn a PG-13 rating, ix expected to deliver a "bloodless version of the film assembled with no input whatsoever from Gens."

Studio sources confirmed that De Toth has been hired as an editor, but not "controlling the project" as TwitchFilms stated. We were informed, "Director Xavier Gens is still working on the film. The film still has intense action and will definitely be rated 'R.'" Our source strongly denied that Fox is softening the final cut and called the original report untrue. They emphasized that it will still be a true "R" and a not a "bloodless version".

Here's how it is thus far, readers. Twitchfilm reports that Gens was fired for turning in a cut of the film that's too bloody for Fox executives' tastes. They report that a "consultant" was brought into the project to turn it to something more to their liking. The Fox Public Relations department immediately goes on the defense and talks to IGN about how they brought in an editor to help Xavier Gens but that the film will still be an R-Rating and Gens was still on board. Well, does it end there?

No, it doesn't. Apparently, Fox PR also talked to Todd Brown at Twitchfilm and their story isn't matching up with what they told IGN. The story told his way was that Nicholas was just a "consultant" and not brought in as an editor but Fox is still denying that director Gens was fired from his duties on the HITMAN movie even if Todd brings up the question "If Gens is still on the project, why is he on a different continent at the moment while De Toth is editing his film?"

Word from people very close to the film was that Gens’ submitted cut was far too violent for the studio’s tastes and that they were responding by bringing in outside guns to reshape it into something more to their liking.  This story has since been picked up by film and gaming sites around the globe and today we got a response from Fox’s PR arm.

They confirm that De Toth has been brought in but are labelling him a consultant and not an editor.  They also say the film will be going out rated R and that Gens is still working on it.  To which I respond with two obvious questions: if Gens is still in control why was an outside ‘consultant’ brought in to go over the edit of the film at all, and which of the two actually has more power considering that Gens is currently not even on this continent while De Toth is working away?

That's how it stands at this moment. Fox is insisting that Gens is still on board the project and Nicholas De Toth(editor for LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD) is either an "editor" or just a "consultant" depending on which Fox PR rep had it right towards IGN and Twitchfilm. Meanwhile, the fans have to wait and see if Fox will either do this adaptation justice or butcher it.

What are your thoughts?

HITMAN hits theaters everywhere November 21, 2007.