Plans for a live-action TV adaptation of the Hitman franchise on Hulu were officially scrapped. In an exclusive conversation with The Direct, filmmaker Derek Kolstad shared that the previously discussed series based on the hit video game property is not moving forward. Since debuting in 2000, the Hitman franchise has become one of gaming's most distinctive stealth experiences.
While attending the premiere of Normal at South by Southwest in Austin, TX, The Direct spoke with Derek Kolstad about the TV adaptation of Hitman. Kolstad had been attached to the project as an executive producer and writer when it was being developed for Hulu, but he offered a blunt update on where things stand today. When The Direct asked if there were still plans for the show to get made, Kolstad did not mince words, "It's dead in the water:"
"No... It's a little bit of a dagger in the chest. Who knows nowadays, but it's dead in the water. But, man, I love that thing, because I love that game and I love that character. But the problem is, I can write a screenplay, but no one's going to go out and buy the screenplay. You've got to make the movie, you've got to make the show. But nothing's happening with that man, sadly."
The series was first announced in November 2017, with Hulu and Fox 21 Television Studios reportedly planning to adapt the beloved stealth franchise for TV. At the time, Kolstad (best known as the creator of the John Wick franchise) was set to write the pilot, which never came to pass.
Since then, Fox 21 Television has been renamed Touchstone Television under Disney's leadership and hasn't produced a new series since 2020.
On the gaming front, it hasn't been too busy lately either. Although IO Interactive is currently focused on the May 27 release of its James Bond game, 007 First Light, it confirmed the Hitman franchise will eventually return following 2021's Hitman 3.
Although the TV series won't be moving forward, Hitman has already been adapted for the big screen twice. Hitman (2007) starred Timothy Olyphant as Agent 47, earning a dreadful 16% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, but it still grossed a respectable $101.2 million worldwide.
A reboot followed with Hitman: Agent 47 in 2015, led by Rupert Friend (Obi-Wan Kenobi), which attempted to more closely reflect the character's cloned origins but again received terrible critical reactions, earning an 8% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Video Game Adaptation Renaissance
For years, video game adaptations were widely viewed as little more than Hollywood cash grabs, often drawing poor reviews, something that applied to both Hitman films.
However, the 2020s have dramatically reshaped that reputation, as studios began investing more heavily in faithful, high-quality adaptations of gaming franchises. This has been felt on both the film and TV sides of Hollywood productions.
On the film side, projects like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and A Minecraft Movie proved that video game properties can become massive global box office hits. All of these have now become film franchises with planned, or already released, sequels in theaters.
One could argue that TV has arguably seen even greater success, with critically acclaimed series such as The Last of Us, Fallout, and Arcane demonstrating how faithfully adapting game lore can resonate with both critics and general audiences.
Because of that shift, it's a shame that a Hitman Hulu series is dead, as the franchise might have thrived in this new era of prestige video game storytelling.
