Pierre Morel took a little break, letting Taken 2 land with Olivier Megaton, so it’s high time the better-than-you-realize French action helmer got back to dealing out ass-kicks. THR say this appears to be happening with The Hitman’s Bodyguard, a (oh, you know the genre) picture set up with Skydance Productions — which means it’s probably going to Paramount — that’s expected to be his next outing. (Bastille Day, despite being reported on only four months ago, is no longer happening.)

Tom O’Connor (Fire with Fire) has written a “two-hander” (stupid term) following “a protection agent who is forced to escort to the Hague a hitman awaiting his chance to testify against a war criminal and ex-head of state of an Eastern European country.” Boy, that sounds a whole lot like Safe House. And I don’t want Safe House.

Nevertheless, I’d be plenty pleased if Morel returns sooner rather than later. Just look at his filmography for all proof: District B13 is one of this millennium’s best examples of the genre, Taken is simple fun, and From Paris with Love… what I’ve seen of it is moderately entertaining.

Even then! That’s a descriptor most action movies struggle to even earn nowadays. Possible similarities to a silly Denzel Washington actioner being beside the point, The Hitman’s Bodyguard should have some good, kinetic chaos to its credit.

How does Bodyguard come across at this point in time? Is Morel making a wise move on it?