While Deadpool won’t be sharing a screen with the Avengers anytime soon — unless Fox strikes a similar deal with Disney as Sony did for Spider-Man— but at least Ryan Reynolds will be sharing a screen with Nick Fury and Elektra. The actor is starring in The Hitman’s Bodyguard opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Elodie Yung, and the film has kicked off production this week.
Reynolds plays Michael Bryce, the world’s top protection agent, while Jackson plays hitman Darius Kincaid. As the title suggests, Michael has to protect Darius, even though the two have a history of fighting on opposite sides. Lionsgate dubbed The Hitman’s Bodyguard an “action-comedy,” so there’ll surely be some shenanigans along the way as the pair dodge Vladislav Dukhovich, a murderous Eastern European dictator played by Gary Oldman.
Yung, meanwhile, takes on the role of Interpol agent Amelia Roussel, and the supporting cast includes Salma Hayek, who may not have been in a superhero movie, but has action-heavy roles under her belt.
Based on resumes alone, the behind-the-scenes seems to reflect the tone the film is trying to strike: Patrick Hughes, the man behind Expendables 3, directs The Hitman’s Bodyguard from a script by Tom O’Connor (Fire with Fire). The creative crew also includes production designer Russell De Rozario (the Kick-Ass films), another guy from a superhero movie, and costume designer Stephanie Collie (London Has Fallen).
Here’s the official synopsis:
"The Hitman's Bodyguard" is an action comedy about the world's top protection agent (Reynolds) and his new client: a notorious hitman who came in from the cold (Jackson). They've been on opposite ends of a bullet for years. They hate each other. Now they're stuck together and have 24 hours to get from England to The Hague. The only thing standing in their way is everything a murderous Eastern European dictator (Oldman) can throw at them.
