Does The Jackal Kill His Wife

So, you’ve just finished watching The Jackal—the 1997 one with Bruce Willis, not the 2024 Eddie Redmayne version—and you’re left scratching your head. Did that sneaky, shape-shifting assassin actually kill his wife? Or did she just get really, really tired of his travel schedule? Let’s untangle this mess, but grab a coffee first—we’re going in with humor, not a magnifying glass.

Here’s the short, spoiler-filled answer: No, the Jackal does not kill his wife. In fact, he doesn’t even have a wife in the movie. The whole “Is he gonna ice his spouse?” plot twist is a massive misunderstanding from a 1997 internet rumor that somehow didn’t die. It’s like the urban legend about alligators in sewers—except with more explosions and less plumbing.

The Real Plot (Before Your Brain Explodes)

In the 1997 film, the Jackal (Bruce Willis with a truly unfortunate blonde wig) is a cold-blooded hitman hired to kill the First Lady. He’s a master of disguise, a chameleon on steroids, and he never, ever leaves a witness alive. But here’s the kicker: his entire backstory is a blank slate—no family, no wife, no dog to kick. He’s essentially a violent ghost.

So where did the “kills his wife” myth come from? Blame a fuzzy memory from the 1973 original film The Day of the Jackal. In that classic, the Jackal does have a girlfriend, and yeah, he kills her to protect his cover. But the 1997 version? Nada. It’s like confusing a Chihuahua with a Great Dane—they share a name, but one definitely doesn’t fit in your purse.

To make matters worse, some fans online conflated the Jackal with another Bruce Willis character. Remember Looper? In that movie, his character kills his wife (sort of—it’s time travel, so it’s complicated). But the Jackal? He’s too busy buying fake passports and practicing his Russian accent to bother with domestic drama.

The “Evidence” That Fooled the Internet

Around 2010, a Reddit thread asked, “Does the Jackal kill his wife?” and someone answered, “Yeah, in the 1997 movie, he shoots her in a hotel room.” That answer was 100% wrong, but it got upvoted into oblivion. Suddenly, every blog copied it, and boom—a false fact was born. It’s the cinematic equivalent of “vaccines cause autism,” but with fewer protests.

Let’s break down the scene that might have confused people. In one chase sequence, the Jackal shoots a woman who looks like his wife—but she’s actually a decoy hired by the FBI. The Jackal has zero emotional reaction; he’s just doing his job. If he had a wife, he’d probably say, “Honey, I’m off to assassinate a politician—save me some lasagna.” Spoiler: no lasagna, no wife.

Primer vistazo a Eddie Redmayne como Chacal en The Day of the Jackal

Fun fact: In the original 1973 film, the Jackal kills his lover because she recognizes him. But that’s a different director, a different actor (Edward Fox, who is not sweating in a wig), and a different century. Never trust a fact that sounds too dramatic for a Bruce Willis movie. He’s usually the hero who saves wives, not the villain who ices them.

What the Jackal Actually Does

Instead of killing his wife, the Jackal spends the entire film trying to kill the First Lady of the United States. He uses a high-powered rifle, a really good tan, and a lot of patience. He also kills a nun, a hotel clerk, and a few cops, but no spouses. It’s almost like the filmmakers thought, “Let’s make him a tool, not a philanderer.”

By the end, the Jackal is killed by Richard Gere’s character (an FBI agent with a mullet that deserves its own Oscar). The Jackal dies alone, without ever uttering the words “I love you” to anyone. Honestly, that’s sadder than a hypothetical wife murder. He was too selfish to have a relationship, let alone a marriage.

So, if you ever hear someone at a party claim, “The Jackal totally kills his wife,” you now have ammunition. Politely correct them, then recommend they watch the 1973 version for context. Then suggest they Google “Jackal wig” for a laugh. It’s a public service.

Watch The Day Of The Jackal series Online on OSN+

Why This Myth Won’t Die

Because people love a good tragedy. “Man kills wife” is sexier than “Man assassinates strangers for money.” It’s the same reason we remember Jack the Ripper but forget your neighbor who fixes toasters. Human brains crave emotional stakes, even if those stakes are fabricated by a drunk Redditor in 2011.

Also, Bruce Willis himself has a reputation for playing family men (like in Die Hard where he saves his wife). So our brains assume his characters must have wives to kill. It’s cognitive bias dressed up in a tuxedo, and it’s wrong.

Surprising fact: The 1997 film was actually a flop. Critics hated it, calling it “a messy, soulless remake.” But the wife-killing myth kept it alive in online forums. So in a weird way, a lie saved the movie’s legacy. That’s Hollywood irony, baby.

In conclusion: The Jackal does not kill his wife. He never had one. The myth is a case of mistaken identity, bad memory, and internet groupthink. Next time you watch The Jackal, focus on the terrible wigs, not the imaginary domestic violence. And if someone still argues, just say: “Show me the scene.” Unless they can, they’re bluffing harder than a Jackal trying to pass as a priest. Now go enjoy your coffee—and your freedom from fake movie facts.