Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman has joined the cast of the Hitman's Bodyguard sequel, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard. Released in 2017, the original Hitman's Bodyguard teamed Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson for a fast-talking Lethal Weapon-style action-comedy about an elite bodyguard protecting the life of a famed hitman set to testify at the International Criminal Court.
Directed by Patrick Hughes, The Hitman's Bodyguard did little to impress critics, but it did happen to land during a slow period at the box office and took advantage of the meager competition to gross a respectable $75 million domestically on a budget of $30 million. The movie's planned sequel, entitled The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, brings back stars Reynolds and Jackson together with Salma Hayek, who is also back from the first film. Frank Grillo has also reportedly jumped aboard the sequel cast.
Related: Screen Rant's Review of The Hitman's Bodyguard
As reported by Deadline, Morgan Freeman will also lend his considerable talent to the cast of The Hitman's Bodyguard's Wife. No details are as yet available about Freeman's character. The movie's plot reportedly sees Reynolds and Jackson teaming up with Hayek, who plays the titular wife of the hitman, for a mission along the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Shooting on the film is set to begin in March, with the original movie's director Patrick Hughes back behind the camera.
An Oscar-winner for his role in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby, Freeman is one of the most recognizable actors in the world, thanks in large part to his famous voice, which can be heard in everything from documentaries to TV commercials to mass transit systems. However, Freeman became embroiled in controversy after being accused of sexual harassment by several women he worked with on the film Going In Style. For his part, Freeman denies the allegations, and his lawyer asked that CNN retract their report. Despite the allegations, the 80-year-old Freeman has a fairly full slate of upcoming projects, including the action sequel Angel Has Fallen that reteams him with Gerard Butler, the thriller The Manuscript and the action-comedy Cold Warriors.
With the news that he's also joining The Hitman's Bodyguard sequel, it appears Freeman has seen few consequences as a result of the allegations against him and will continue on with his acting career. Other actors of course have come under much more fire in the face of the #MeToo movement, which has after many years finally shone a light on serious issues of sexual harassment and assault in all areas of the entertainment industry, and their careers have been affected.
MORE: JENNIFER LAWRENCE PREPPING #METOO DOCUMENTARY SERIES
The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard does not yet have a release date.
Source: Deadline