Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard – starring Ryan Reynolds

The world’s most lethal odd couple – bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) – are back on another life-threatening mission.

Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’s even more volatile wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek). As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman (Antonio Banderas).

Joining in the fun and deadly mayhem is Morgan Freeman as… well, you will have to see. Lionsgate and Millennium Media present, a Millennium Media/Nu Boyana Film Studios production, in association with Campbell Grobman Films and in association with Film I Våst and Filmgate Films, – a film by Patrick Hughes.

“I couldn’t help but wonder: What the hell would have happened to Michael Bryce after that road trip with
Kincaid?” says Patrick Hughes, who returns to direct The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, following the first film’s breakthrough success.

“Kincaid felt like this overbearing, disapproving father figure throughout that film, and Bryce has massive and deep-rooted validation issues. It felt to me that Bryce would certainly be in therapy. There was a real potential to explore the family dynamic.”

That family dynamic takes form as Kincaid’s wife – the international con artist Sonia Kincaid – embraces her role as a mother figure. She would actually be pretty good at it if not for her extreme mania – if anything, she is even more volatile than her husband – but she does have a way of sympathetically making peace between Bryce and Kincaid.

Millennium Media President Jeffrey Greenstein immediately embraced the direction of the continuation of
the story. “After seeing the outpouring of love for the characters and fun of the first film, we couldn’t live
without Michael Bryce, Darius, and Sonia Kincaid. So, we honoured the seatbelt rule and buckled up for
another fun ride.”

“It’s the incredible on-screen chemistry of the returning cast that sets this franchise apart,” Greenstein
continues. “When you add in Morgan Freeman, Antonio Banderas and Frank Grillo, it’s even more
entertaining. These actors in these roles are just so much fun.”

“That’s the key to these movies,” says Hughes. “Ryan and Sam know exactly how to play off of each other, and that makes them a classic odd couple. Their characters are chalk and cheese. Darius Kincaid with his cool swagger against Michael Bryce’s snarky OCD. Their chemistry is off the charts.

“When you throw Salma into the mix, it’s even more fun – these actors are all experts in how audiences perceive them and play with those expectations in hugely entertaining ways.”

Michael Bryce is still discredited and still looking to define himself after losing his AAA rating as a bodyguard. After taking a bullet for Darius Kincaid, he has unresolved feelings about his job. The first step, like always, is therapy. But as much as he looks for answers inside himself, his problems really do come from the loudmouth, dangerous hitman Darius Kincaid and his even more volatile wife, Sonia, who always seem to come back into his life.

When your problems include detonating briefcases, Italian mobsters, Russian gangsters, car chases, bar brawls, explosions, shootouts, a little light torture, and overall pandemonium, there’s only so much that cognitive behavioral therapy can do about Darius and Sonia Kincaid.

Ryan Reynolds returns to the role – much to the malevolent delight of the director. “Poor Ryan just goes
through the absolute wringer,” says Hughes. “Michael Bryce is suffering no matter what he does. The
rule when I was developing the script is that nothing goes in his favour. If the first film put him in therapy,
then this one’s going to put him in hospital. I wanted him to be hit by a car, run over by a boat, punched
in the face, shot, stabbed, burnt, and drowned.”

“Ryan Reynolds has got it all – he’s hugely talented, just gorgeous looking. Maybe that’s why I just loved
any stunt that hurt Ryan,” Hughes continues. “You’re not allowed to hurt people in real life – that’s just
wrong and, besides, he’s my friend. But apparently when you make a movie, you just put it in the script,
and you can hit them with a car.”

For his part, Reynolds does not seem to mind the damage, considering it all part of the fun. “The humour
and absurdist behavior is the connective tissue of this movie and I personally love and embrace that –
and I love laughing at myself. Movies are a great way to escape. I’m super comfortable in this kind of
world and I’m lucky to do it.”

And the vulnerable, everyman elements of Bryce’s character make him the perfect focus for such abuse.
He is a man who has lost everything – worst of all, his Triple-A rating – but he is still trying to do the right
thing.

The other ingredient in the movie’s secret sauce is the ongoing comic sparring between Reynolds and
Jackson. “It’s just a nice thing that crackles and burns,” says Reynolds. “We just show up and do our
thing.”

Samuel L. Jackson, who reprises his role as Darius Kincaid, adds: “These guys are always trying to seem
tougher than they are, and we both understand how to make that work in our favour – we’re not afraid to
make fun of ourselves.”

Darius Kincaid is just the guy you get if you need to ruin a bodyguard’s Triple-A day. He is cool, funny,
intelligent, fast thinking, incredibly good at his job, comfortable in his own skin, has no regrets, and he
really, really loves his wife.

He is also self-actualised and fundamentally a really happy person. Just one thing: the guy’s a totally unhinged, murdering hitman. And despite the fact that Bryce took a bullet for the guy, they still cannot stand each other.

“Wouldn’t we all like to be that guy?” laughs Jackson. “He’s married to his soulmate and has total job
satisfaction. It’s fun to have on screen and I was spoiled by getting to work with Salma Hayek every day.
He might be a murderer, but he’s one that’s got it all together and understands the importance of love
and his relationship. He imparts a lot of that knowledge to Bryce.”