Lionsgate and CBS Films have dropped the first trailer for American Assassin, the first in a proposed franchise of films to be based on the Mitch Rapp character. Rapp is the protagonist in a set of 15 novels, 13 of which were written by Vince Flynn, which revolve around his recruitment into the CIA Black Ops.
The trailer below admittedly doesn’t offer anything unique to goad new viewers into adrenaline-rushing excitement at the prospect of a new Jason Bourne-esque franchise, but considering it’s an origin story, perhaps we can give it a pass for now.
While CBS publicly hold out hope for a juggernaut franchise, privately they might be hoping the film at least does better than similar premises such as Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.
The film will star Dylan O’Brien as Rapp, alongside Taylor Kitsch, Sanaa Lathan and Michael Keaton, who seems to be making the most of his post-Birdman resurgence by appearing in any project willing to cast him.
The film will be directed by Michael Cuesta (L.I.E, Kill The Messenger), who has had a middling film career and perhaps conducted his best work on TV series Six Feet Under and Dexter.
The film’s early box office return might give us a good indication of how jaded audiences are to the hero origin story, or perhaps the book’s popularity will trump all. American Assassin opens Friday, September 15.
#Peace.Love.AmericanAssassin
