MovieChat Forums > American Assassin (2017) Discussion > Thoughts on the Cast so far?

Thoughts on the Cast so far?

posted 8 years ago by EmeraldWolf
17 replies | jump to latest

The people they are casting are very different than I imagined, not that I have a problem with that. Just not currently loving the direction this is taking but I will wait for footage before making up my mind. But I would like to see where every other Vince Flynn fan's head is at. What do y'all think? And where is Stansfield? He is an incredibly important character in the start of the books. They need a seasoned veteran actor like Robert Redford or Ian Mckellan (he's british I know just an example). Who would you suggest?

[–] kokane7 8 years ago

I'm never read the books so I can't compare the book and film to give my thoughts as a fan but what I CAN say is I'm excited for this film. Besides the Bond films, Mission Impossibles, Bourne films, we haven't had any of those types of films lately. I mean, I guess if you wanna count the 24 series (new one coming out next month), I like how with this one, they're not just going with the one when the character is older (we've seen that already), I like how they're going all the way back when he was young and we get to see his "origin and start from there. I like the cast. O'Brien is very talented and I like that they're planning on using him permanently as the series goes on when he starts getting older instead of just finding a "older" actor for the character later. Keaton is great. I love Sanaa Lathan. Taylor Kitsch is good (might had his ups/down but lately he's been improving, he just needs better materials). Keep in mind they're not done announcing casting but on twitter they said they're gonna drop infos soon. This could go either way but I'm intrigued. I don't know what direction you're not feeling cuz I didn't read the books, but movie versions are always if not mostly be different/change from the books. The #1 thing is to make a good film. Yes, it's good to be faithful or stay true to the source material but at the same time, certain aspects will be changed for a reason (to the director and writer).

[–] EmeraldWolf 8 years ago

First off thank you for being a reasonable person in your reply versus the average person who would overreact and attack me for a "dissenting" opinion. What I mean by direction is more what I've heard about the plot, it feels too typical and I feel it could hurt it. The casting I'm mostly okay with, the actress playing Kennedy never crossed my mind but I'm waiting to see something before judging. O'Brien also wasn't my first choice, but he looks good in the photos they've released so I'm more okay with it than at first. And yes good point that they aren't done announcing anything, I'm waiting to hear who plays Stansfield

[–] kokane7 8 years ago

Hey no problem. I don't do attacks unless I have to. Besides that, well, again never read the books so I guess I understand your concern but we just have to wait. I do hope this turns out good bcuz again we need a new action franchise and I like O'Brien so if this turns out good/make bank money this could really kickstart his career cuz he deserves it, imo. Lionsgate need this too. They've been trying to kickstart franchises since The Hunger Games ended. Divergent series took a left turn. Power rangers is their first hope and this one can too. Just hope they don't treat this like they did with the Divergent films and more in line with other long franchises...

[–] EmeraldWolf 8 years ago

Couldn't agree more on that. Believe me despite my worries about the film I also desperately want it to succeed so I can more of this franchise on the big screen or on something like Amazon or Netflix but preferably a movie. Please don't let this be anything like the divergent series, they'll ruin it

[–] kokane7 8 years ago

Yep. I liked the first Divergent but after that went downhill. Never should've tried to do the 2 part split. Now look what happened. Hell, The maze runner is doing better and they know not do a 2 part. Even after the accident, they're still doing the last one after O'Brien finishes this one. I want this to succeed like mission impossible films. So far it's 5 films (6th greenlit).

[–] eahmouse 8 years ago

kokane7 - I also like o'brien and hope this kickstarts his career. Well, I think his career HAS been kickstarted. I hope this keeps the momentum moving and transitions him out of the teen stuff. But I wish it wasn't with an action series for 3 reasons. 1) I'm not a big fan of actions movies and now I will be stuck watching a bunch of them :) 2)ACTIO?, STUNTS? I'm worried about his head! I heard once you've had a severe concussion you are at great risk of dying if you have head trauma again. What were you thinking Dylan??? and 3)I think he has so much more talent than is required for action movies. I'm afraid he will be typecast in this kind of role when his talents are better suited to dramas, comedies and suspense. But, in all fairness, it seems like action movies might just be exactly what he wants to do. He IS a 25 year old GUY after all!

[–] eahmouse 8 years ago

kokane7 - they're not done announcing casting??? I'm confused. Aren't they done filming? And frankly, Stansfield is the only major character that hasn't been cast yet so why hold off with that?

[–] kokane7 8 years ago

Casting news can come out before, during, and a little after filming. But Idk anything else but it always happens that's not nothing new.

[–] randomnumbers00 8 years ago

Sorry to butt in, but Stansfield has been cast -> look at the cast list! They just didn't make a big announcement out of it, since he's not main cast.

[–] eahmouse 8 years ago

Yea! I'm so glad they kept that character!

[–] eahmouse 8 years ago

I didn't read the books until I knew Keaton was cast and that O'Brien might be. With that in mind, they both seemed like perfect fits for the characters. If I'd read the books first, maybe I would have had contradicting images in my head. The woman cast as Kennedy is nothing like I pictured but with that character, I just don't think it matters. She was way too vuluptuous and sexy in the photos I saw until I saw the movie stills. They plained her down which is good. Two other characters - the beautiful sexy Turkish agent that I'm sure Rapp is gonna get it on with and the bad guy - I don't think they were even in the book were they? So, casting is easy there. And, I hate to say it but I think they are just leaving Stansfield out entirely. Which would be a huge mistake in my opinion. Especially if they want to make this a franchise. They really need this character to create supporting plot lines and add movement to the stories besides just the main plot or every movie may end up seeming just like the one before ****POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT**** I really liked the whole storyline where Kennedy takes Stansfields place and feel that would set a real distinction between the first, second, and third movies. ***END OF SPOILER***

When I was reading the book, for some reason I kept picturing the farmer from the movie "Babe" about the pig as Stansfield. I'm trying to picture Robert Redford at all let alone in the role. Haven't seen him in a while. But yea, I can see it. I don't know who Ian McKellan is but the British seem to have know problem doing American accents!
This is an edit - I forgot that you said you were wondering where other Vince Flynn fans heads were at. I just thought I should clarify that although I enjoyed the first 7ish books enough, I wouldn't say I'm a Vince Flynn fan. I read the books and want to see the movie because I'm a Dylan O'Brien fan. I'm betting on the movie being pretty good and enjoyable but I have a feeling true vince/mitch fans will be disappointed unless they go in with a very open mind. I think the movie will be totally different.

[–] EmeraldWolf 8 years ago

Excellent points and thoughts, I definitely agree no stansfield would be a mistake and huge detriment to the franchise. Robert Redford came out in Captain America the Winter Soldier, he was Alexander pierce and Ian McKellan was Gandalf in the lotr and Magneto in the first X-men movies if that helps. I'm trying to adjust to O'Brien as Rapp, I always pictured Jim Caviezel he came out in person of interest, passion of the Christ as Jesus and the count of Monte cristo around early 2000 I think

[–] eahmouse 8 years ago

EmeraldWolf - There is a Stansfield! It's not Redford or Pierce or the guy from Babe but there's a Stansfield! Yea!

Caviezel does look like a Rapp, but much later in life! In this book Rapp is supposed to be in his early 20s. Caviezel is almost 50! I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about O'Brien too only because I think he's really good and I may be setting my own expectations of him too high. I know big fans of the books are not happy with his casting. I'm glad you are trying to keep an open mind and I hope you will not be disappointed :)

[–] EmeraldWolf 8 years ago

There's a stansfield? Would you happen to know who it is? And yeah haha I know he's too old for this movie, but it's a little easier to work with when it's in my head. I'm opening up to the idea of O'Brien as Rapp, I'm just waiting to at least see footage of him first

[–] eahmouse 8 years ago

I'm too tired to look up the actor who's playing Stansfield but he is now among the list of cast members on this IMDb page

[–] mdb79 8 years ago

I like Dylan O'Brien as an actor, I think he is a very talented young man. But I have to admit he's nothing like how I pictured Mitch Rapp to be while I was reading the books, not even the first one where he's still in his twenties. I'm keeping an open mind though, because at least they didn't cast one of those young actors who are good looking but cannot act. At least O'Brien has talent.
But yeah, not how I pictured Mitch.

[–] ThaPoet87 (2) 8 years ago

David Suchet- Stansfield......i am super excited to see this, except based off the trailer it doesnt look to follow the American Assassin book very well. guess ill have to wait and see, but i am SUPER excited the got Michael Keaton to play Stan Hurley