The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is taking aim at a new release date. The sequel to the 2017 sleeper action-comedy hit The Hitman’s Bodyguard has received an earlier release date, moving up to this June from an initial August release.

Lionsgate announced that it is moving up the Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard release date to June 16, 2021. It previously was set for August 20 of this year after being pushed back from 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but it seems that studios are growing more confident that there will be a summer movie season this year with vaccine rollout keeping steady.

Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate’s president of Worldwide Distribution, said in a statement: “This is the kind of summer action film that delivers even more comedy and more thrilling action than the first film – and it’s perfect for fans new to the franchise as well. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is what summer moviegoing is all about – great, crowd-pleasing entertainment.”

Lionsgate also released a new image with the newly announced release date, which you can see above. It features all the stars: Ryan Reynolds, who plays the titular bodyguard; Samuel L. Jackson, who plays the husband; and Salma Hayek, who plays the wife. A silver foxed Antonio Banderas also appears as the villain.

Here is the synopsis for The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife:

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, joined by Darius’s volatile wife Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek).

In the movie, Bryce – still unlicensed and under scrutiny – is forced into action by Darius and his wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia. 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’ll have to see.

Patrick Hughes returns to direct The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife, after helming the 2017 film to the tune of $177 million worldwide, from a script by Tom O’Connor and Phillip Murphy & Brandon Murphy, with a story by Tom O’Connor.

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is produced by Matt O’Toole, Les Weldon, and Yariv Lerner. The executive producers are Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, Jeffrey Greenstein, Jonathan Yunger, Matthew Milam, Christa Campbell, Lati Grobman, Heidi Jo Markel, Zygi Kamasa, Peter Possne, and Mark Gill.

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