American Assassin
Summary
American Assassinauthor Vince Flynn had someone very unlike in head to play Mitch Rapp before Dylan O’Brien was cast . Rapp made his introduction in Flynn ’s 1999 novelTransfer of Power , where the special operative was given the simple task of saving the President after terrorist take over the White House . Rapp feel like a hybrid between the three Jacks : Ryan , Reacher and Bauer . The case is a blunt cat’s-paw and within the humanity of the Word , is often the last line of defense between civilian and terrorist plan of attack .
Tragically , writer Vince Flynn would pass away in 2013 , and did n’t live to see his creation reach the big screen . TheAmerican Assassinmovie was released in 2017 and was base on Flynn ’s prequel novel , which detailed Rapp ’s origins . American Assassinchanged many details from the bookand cast O’Brien as a rookie version of Rapp who is track after terrorist fortify with a nuclear bomb calorimeter . Despite hopes for a franchise , American Assassin 2didn’t happen , and the property has yet to come back to the magnanimous or little screens .
American Assassin ’s conclusion sees Dylan O’Brien ’s Mitch Rapp preventing a major disaster , before wind up one last piece of personal patronage .
Mitch Rapp’s Creator Vince Flynn Pictured Eric Bana As The Character
The first Mitch Rapp movie wasn’t meant to be American Assassin
Despite the popularity of the Rapp books , it took year of ontogeny hell forAmerican Assassinto in conclusion emerge . The decision to accommodate this Holy Scripture was a late - in - the - day development too , asthe original plan was to adaptConsent to Kill . This is the sixthMitch Rappnovel and ascertain the fictional character and his meaning married woman Anna being place by a vengeful Saudi-Arabian billionaire . CBS Films rent Antoine Fuqua to directConsent to shoot down , andactors like Gerard Butler and Colin Farrell were eyed aspotential cast for Mitch Rapp .
Bruce Willis was originally set to play Rapp ’s mentor Hurley inAmerican Assassinbefore Michael Keaton replaced him .
consort toan consultation with Flynn in 2011 ( viaMovie Rewind ) , this confirmed the writer ’s mental image of Mitch Rapp was Eric Bana . The author also observe he had no input into the casting forConsent to down , so the decision was out of his hands .
Custom image by Diana Acuña
It may have been the player ’s performances inBlack Hawk DownandMunichthat put him on Flynn ’s radar , but despite having the author ’s approval , it does n’t appear Eric Bana was ever considered to play Mitch Rapp . When CBS Films pivoted to adaptingAmerican Assassininstead , this frame search became a moot point .
Dylan O’Brien Was Cast As Rapp After Many Other Actors Passed
Chris Hemsworth almost landed another franchise
American Assassin’sversion of Rapp is college - aged , which ruled out actors like Butler or Matthew Fox , who was said to be heavy campaigning for the part inConsent to Kill . CBS was eager to down Chris Hemsworth as Rapp , and according to a 2012Deadlinearticle , theThorstar was offered a nerveless $ 10 million to toy the part . Scheduling conflicts made Hemsworth pass , with Dylan O’Brien finally landing the moving picture .
Like casting Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher , O’Brien was n’t anyone ’s genial double of Mitch Rapp . At the time , the star was best know as Stiles fromTeen Wolfor forThe Maze Runnermovies , so play a gruff assassin was n’t something audiences had seen him endeavor . Producers believed the immature lead was arrant for playing an inexperienced Rapp , and that he could age into the version readers were more familiar with if sequel happened .
American Assassinwasn’t exactly a flop , but its lukewarm grosses did small to barrack confidence in a follow - up . It was account thatKill Shot- the 2nd prequel novel - was pop off to be the next installment , and while O’Brien himself sounded excited about get to play Rapp again , it was n’t to be .
American Assassinis currently uncommitted to rain cats and dogs on Netflix .
Could Eric Bana Still Play Mitch Rapp In A Movie?
A Mitch Rapp reboot is inevitable
in the end , 2013’sOlympus Has Fallenfelt like the betterMitch Rappmovie , though the close latitude between its White House siege plot andTransfer of Powerraised supercilium . American Assassindidn’t set in motion a franchise , buta newMitch Rappadaptation is inevitable . The question remains whether Eric Bana could still work as the character reference . The role player has n’t seem in many studio apartment projects in the last decade , with his most recent being a support bout as the nominal grapheme ’s father in 2017’sKing Arthur : Legend of the Sword .
Bana is still active , however , and would do justice to an previous , more world - aweary take on Rapp . The star is currently in his mid-50s , which would wholly separate his take fromAmerican Assassintoo . Ultimately , though , Eric Bana is unlikely to be cast in aMitch Rapprevival . A lack of late mainstream projects would n’t put him at the top of any casting lists , and producers would probably opt for somebody in their thirty so the alternative for multiple sequels or TV season was more flexible .
Source : Movie Rewind , Deadline
