In their article confirming that Fox has hired a writer for a sequel to 2007's Hitman, IESB.net writes that the original movie was a "bona fide hit," grossing nearly $100 million worldwide. While that is technically true, the movie only managed to make $39 million on its home turf, opening behind the Screen Gems family drama This Christmas and earning a righteous thrashing from the critics.

So I guess there really is no assuming you're safe from a sequel, even if the original movie was one nobody liked that much. IESB says the new one will be written by Kyle Ward, an up-and-comer with a few scripts already in development. The new movie, which will take the central character Agent 47 in "a whole new direction," is scheduled to come out by the end of 2010.