Comments on: Fox Pulls Hitman From Director Last Minute

By: Mykrantz

Mykrantz — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:57:39 +0000

Shoot ‘em Up lost tons of money, because the studio marketed the film like crap in center of the country (I live in Ohio, and only saw maybe 1 commercial for the film on any channel other than Spike TV).

Die Hard 4 was better than I though it would be when I heard they were editing it for PG-13, but the film still felt choppy, was confusing at 1 point, and dubbing a gunshot over McClaine’s catchphrase was inexcusable.

Towards John, your grasp of video game player’s ages is lacking, the average age of video game players is 33.
For Computer Gamers, only 30 percent of most frequent game players are under eighteen years old.
For Console Gamers it grows to 40 percent of most frequent game players are under eighteen years old.
Source: http://www.theesa.com/facts/gamer_data.php

Yes, making a movie PG-13 will open it to a wider audience, but with a movie based on an M-rated video game it will just as likely alienate the core audience for the movie.

Personally, I have played the Hitman games (I am 34). The trailers made the movie look interesting, even if Olyphant wasn’t remotely on a list of people I would consider for the part. I was planning to see it at the theaters, but if it releases at PG-13, I’ll just wait for the unrated DVD 3 months after it tanks hard at the box office.

By: John

John — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:49:59 +0000

Hey Thomas

You said:

“The game is rated “mature”. I was starting to look forward to the film, but I will pass if it’s PG13.”

This is the exact thing lots of people were saying when Die Hard 4 was rated PG-13, and it turned out to be a huge hit and one of the best action movies of the summer.

You also said:

“can you image if the Studio demanded a PG13 cut of “Shoot’em Up?”

Well, Shoot Em Up kinda proves the point… it was a hard “R” and ending up being a huge bomb that lost tons of money. Studios don’t like losing tons of money.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:38:16 +0000

Also, it looks like I will just wait for the unrated DVD. I am still not thrilled with Olyphant cast pick (should have been Jason Strathom!!), so I am not too peeved at this whole turn of events (it is unfortuneate, though; can you image if the Studio demanded a PG13 cut of “Shoot’em Up?”).

By: Thomas

Thomas — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:33:21 +0000

The studio guys need to PLAY THE GAME. As a big fan of the game series, I can tell you it can be extremely bloody and violent (however, you are rewarded for stealth and as little blood spill as possible). The game is rated “mature”. I was starting to look forward to the film, but I will pass if it’s PG13.

By: Omar

Omar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 02:59:52 +0000

I think I”ll wait for the uncut dvd. Truthfully, it doesn’t really matter what rating this movie has, kids who shouldn’t watch it will watch it, i.e lazy parents, and theaters that don’t enforce the rules. Enis

By: 1138

1138 — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:43:31 +0000

UH John…I know people at Fox and there are plenty of incompetent people to go around….

By: Darren J Seeley

Darren J Seeley — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:58:35 +0000

@Jason:

I think the cut down version of King Arthur was terrible and the action scenes had NO impact whatsoever and were confusing.

Hmmm…did you listen to the commentary, Jason? Faqua said the only difference in the unrated and the PG-13 rating was a few bits of dialog, two decapitations. a longer death scene from a character by three seconds, and an additional shot after the death of Lancelot.

Everything else remained the same.

*****
Now…on to Hitman.

I generally don’t think it’s cool the way Fox handled this. They could have told the director, make these cuts…etc etc (**for you can always throw them on the double dipped DVD and we can make a killing of our own!!**) and he could have made them. The original mandate was a R rating.

So this make zero sense to me…*unless*

Your source is wrong in that’s not the reason Fox took over the film. Maybe…the director’s assembled cut sucked egg baskets and Fox pissed themselves and are now attempting to salvage the mess.

Now THAT I can believe.

By: stephen

stephen — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:27:35 +0000

@John & Calviin: We need a group hug ;)

By: stephen

stephen — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:12:13 +0000

coming from the demography that they target (videogame fans, that is my assumption anyway) I find this bit of news particularly offensive. The reason I loved the Hitman series of videogames so passionately was the ability to so violently dispatch of characters in the game.

They are doing the franchise a disservice by removing the violence.

It’s was going to suck anyway because it is a videogame movie. But now its going to suck more.

I am totally cool with this move if they offer a DVD with Xavier Gens version of the film. (pretty pretty please)

By: craig

craig — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:38:13 +0000

why do studios keep interfearing???????

this will be a re hashed mess!!

what could have been a silent hit is probably no more :(

look @ avp pg13 — alrightish but still very disapointing!!

OH LOOK

avp 2 hard R rating and by the looks of it balls to the wall action and gore! released at XMAS!!

SIMILAR THING THEY HAVE TRIED TO DO WITH SWEENEY TODD!! REDUCE IT FROM AN 18 TO PG!!

REALLY GETS ON MY TITS!!!!