AceShowbiz - Hitman fans faced disappointment as Hulu officially canceled the highly anticipated live-action TV adaptation after nearly a decade in development. The series, based on the popular stealth-action video game franchise from IO Interactive, was poised to bring the iconic assassin Agent 47 to the small screen but will now not move forward.

The Hitman series originated as a stealth-action game developed by IO Interactive starting in 2000, focusing on the genetically engineered assassin Agent 47. Over more than 20 years, the franchise evolved, culminating in the critically acclaimed World of Assassination trilogy released between 2016 and 2021, which redefined the series’ gameplay and storytelling.

Filmmaker Derek Kolstad, who was involved as an executive producer and writer for the Hulu adaptation, confirmed the cancellation during an interview at SXSW with The Direct. His remarks conveyed a sense of frustration and finality. "It's dead in the water. No... It's a little bit of a dagger in the chest," Kolstad said. "Who knows nowadays, but it's dead in the water. But, man, I love that thing, because I love that game and I love that character. But the problem is, I can write a screenplay, but no one's going to go out and buy the screenplay. You've got to make the movie, you've got to make the show. But nothing's happening with that man, sadly."

The project was first revealed in November 2017 when Hulu and Fox 21 Television Studios announced plans to adapt the Hitman franchise for television, with Kolstad attached to write the pilot script. Fox 21 Television eventually transitioned into Touchstone Television, which has yet to produce any new series six years later. Despite the long development period, the series never advanced to production.

The Hitman franchise has already seen two live-action film adaptations, both of which failed to resonate with critics and audiences. The 2007 film Hitman, starring Timothy Olyphant as Agent 47, was widely panned and holds a 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This was followed by 2015’s Hitman: Agent 47 with Rupert Friend, which performed worse critically, garnering only an 8% Rotten Tomatoes score.

IO Interactive has confirmed that new games in the franchise are planned but indicated that a major new installment is unlikely until around 2028. Meanwhile, the future of live-action adaptations remains uncertain. With Hulu’s recent cancellation, the prospects for bringing Agent 47’s story to television or film appear bleak, especially given the poor reception of previous adaptations.

The cancellation marks another setback for Hulu, which recently disappointed fans by also canceling a reboot of the beloved series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For now, Hitman remains a franchise best experienced through its video games rather than on screen, as hopes for a successful live-action adaptation have once again been dashed.