Now playing in theaters is director Aleksander Bach’s actioner Hitman: Agent 47. As most of you are well aware, the film is based on the top-selling video game franchise Hitman and stars Rupert Friend as the genetically engineered assassin known only by the two digits – 47 – of a barcode tattooed on the back of his neck. In the film, when the enigmatic John Smith (Zachary Quinto) goes hunting for the secrets to Agent 47’s skills, the elite assassin goes on a worldwide chase to take down the nefarious mega-corporation looking to create their own army of deadly agents. The film also stars Hannah Ware, Ciarán Hinds, Thomas Kretschmann, and Emilio Rivera.
At the press day for the film I landed an exclusive video interview with producer Adrian Askarieh. He talked about how the project came together, how involved was the video game company, the rating, how the Blu-ray might have an extended cut, landing the John Wick directors for the action scenes, other video game properties he’s working on like Deus Ex and Just Cause, the Jonny Quest movie, and a lot more. Watch what he had to say below.
Adrian Askarieh:
- How quickly did Agent 47 come together?
- How much did the game company dictate the movie content?
- Was it always going to be rated R and did the studio object to some of the hard hitting violence in the film?
- Reveals the Blu-ray either have a longer cut with additional scenes or just deleted scenes.
- Talks about the casting process.
- How tough was it to get the John Wick directors to do second unit and choreograph the action?
- What is it about the video game genre that interests him?
- Talks about other video game properties he’s working on like Deus Ex and Just Cause.
- What’s the secret to making sure video game movies good?
- Does he envision the other video game properties being rated R?
- Jonny Quest
- How the Jonny Quest movie uses the original 60s show as the basis.
- Enormous TV series talk.
- How we both are looking forward to Batman v Superman.
