MovieChat Forums > American Assassin (2017) Discussion > Mitch Rapp begins!

Mitch Rapp begins!

posted 14 years ago by Batsu73
35 replies | jump to latest

OK, let me kick this board off. I am about 150 pages from the end of the latest Mitch Rapp novel which is also his origin story.

There aren't that many 20-something actors I can think of who could play Mitch Rapp but the one that keeps springing to mind is Sean Faris who starred in MMA movie Never Back Down. He is dark featured, a genuine jock and looks about college age. Whilst I always picture the older Rapp as a mixture of Karl Urban, Dylan McDermott and Jeffrey Donovan, I think Faris has the right stuff to play Rapp on his first adventure.

I could also see Jill Wagner as Irene Kennedy and Scott Glenn as Stan Hurley.

[–] Drs1321 14 years ago

Faris wouldn't be too bad, but he doesn't seem edgy enough. I always loved the idea of Eric Bana playin mitch in consent to kill, so I have a different opinion. Steven strait would make a great young mitch rapp, and is also a dead-ringer for Eric bana when he has facial hair in my opinion. Why not have strait portray mitch in american assassin, and then cast bana for Transfer of Power the next year? In TOP Rapp is in his mid-late thirties anyway, so whoever they cast in AA cannot continue on with the series. This would be perfect. And you're right, Jill Wagner would make a great young Kennedy. I also have a perverse idea of stansfield after reading the books: Billy Bob Thornton.

[–] barbour657 14 years ago

Totally agree with you regarding Sean Faris, I think he could show the "edge" that Mitch exhibits....I guess it depends which picture of him you see. I saw one where his hair is very short, almost military like...he looked very much like a younger Mitch. Scott Glenn would be a great Stansfield. Billy Bob THornton is a douche. Disagree about Jill Wagner too.

[–] nemkes-1 14 years ago

while i will agree that faris looks ok,he will not be cast for one reason,not only he is unknown,he is someone who has been around for a while and hasnt made anything special so far.and i dont think cbs is ready to put their biggest property in his hands.
if they are targeting actors around 25-30 year old then im guessing their first choice would be chris hemsworth.not only he will be a huge star,but he has the look,built and he is a great actor.but he is really busy in next 10-15 months so if they are not ready to wait their second choice would be henry cavill.everything i said about chris can be said for him too,except after he is finished with superman in april he is totally free.infact im 95% sure he will be mitch rapp.
and dont worry if this first film earns big money they will adjust books to films so that cavill(or whoever)wont be recast.
my choices before this,for consent for kill were james marsden and bana.i think marsden could still be rapp in this film since he looks younger then he is.
but like i said,im willing to bet my kidney that cavill will take the role...
and that would be great since he is very,very good actor...

[–] barbour657 14 years ago

James Marsden???? I don't think so...sean faris would make an excellent younger Mitch as would Johnny Messner for the older Mitch. Hemsworth would be a 3rd or 4th choice.

[–] nemkes-1 14 years ago

well,maybe to you...

[–] barbour657 14 years ago

oh! Am I not allowed to have an opinion? Because that is all it is...we the fans have absolutely no control over who they will choose. More often than not, they choose the wrong people. While I love Tom Hanks, he was totally wrong for "DaVinci Code" & "Angels & Demons" Tom Cruise has ruined a few movies for me as well. I think we all agree that they must cast an unknown or lesser known actor to play the role of Mitch Rapp. Will they???? I don't know.

[–] Batsu73 14 years ago

I like Chris Hemsworth a lot and think he was great for Thor. I also think he would be an excellent Jack Reacher (hopefully Tom Cruise will bow out of playing the blonde 6’5 ex military policeman) and ideally, he would be perfect as Dox the sniper if the John Rain novels are ever made for the US market (the Japanese version did no justice whatsoever to the source material.) However, I don’t think Hemsworth is right for Mitch Rapp. Mitch is an athlete but leaner as he is a triathlete so he should be built for endurance over power. Look at the top Iron Man competitors. Hemsworth is more like a wrestler of football player. Mitch needs to be dark too as he operates in the Middle East.
Mitch is 31 in Transfer of Power (the first novel) so I am not sure who is in that bracket right now who would fit. Urban, Bana, Donovan are all a good fit for the Rapp look but they are nearer 40.
Perhaps Hemsworth’s screen son from Star Trek, Chris Pine, would be a good fit for Mitch or even Zachary Quinto come to that. I think Pine is earmarked for a relaunch of the Jack Ryan franchise though.

[–] mdonovan08 13 years ago

james marsden would be terrible. he's short, goofy looking, and 40 years old

[–] edgarmills 13 years ago

I agree that Henry Cavill is the best option of those presented so far. He isn't exactly dark featured can pull off dark and edgy. I completely disagree with Marsden! He's just too pretty to be Rapp. Banna all the way.

[–] bert_lee17 13 years ago

Josh Duhamel he fits all the criteria of Mitch Rapp.

[–] Tarnished1 13 years ago

I've avidly read all of Vince Flynn's novels.

The thing about Mitch Rapp is that he can blend into the Middle East. That means you can't have someone like any of the actors you have proposed for the older Rapp ... Personally, I see the older Rapp more like Oded Fehr.

For a younger Rapp, I see someone like Ramon Rodriguez from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen; Michael Peña from Shooter; point is, you need someone who's not so white they couldn't pass for middle eastern. For Sean Faris to play the role, you'd have to give him a serious "George Hamilton treatment". http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1717930496/nm0001313

I'm with you on Stan Hurley ... Scott Glenn is gritty, wiry and a tough enough sort to pull it off.

Irene Kennedy is African. Jill Wagner isn't right for the role. Sophie Okonedo of Aeon Flux would do well as a younger Irene.

I'd like to see CCH Pounder as an Older Irene Kennedy ... I think she's got the intelligence and the charisma for a role like this.

[–] craig-171-157895 13 years ago

OK, I actually prefer your comments about Ramon Rodriguez but I can't see him as Rapp. I actually like a couple guys better let me know what you think. My first choice is Ben Barnes... he played Prince Caspian in the Narnia Series. My second Choice would be Xavier Samuel because he is a very dark personality in all his movies but yet likable.
I like Sandra Bullock as Kennedy, but I like her for just about anything... another choice would be Brooke Shields... not sure why but I always saw her as Irene Kennedy. I know I won't get a lot approval on that, but it is my opinion. Also, while this may or may not fit the character in the book, Lucy Lui would be awesome.
I had other names for Hurley but once I heard Scott Glenn, I was sold. I can't wait, I know it won't be like the book because it is a movie, but I am expecting it to be very good.

[–] dmags312 13 years ago

How is Irene Kennedy African? I have never made that connection. Raised in the Middle East? Yes. African? No.

As someone mentioned earlier, they'll need to cast someone with dark enough features that they can pull off a Middle East cover when necessary. The body type will be less important as we've seen movie stars bulk up or slim down depending on the role. Must be edgy, with the potential to be dark if it's to become a franchise.

Irene Kennedy needs to be played by someone with understated looks, but not overly beautiful. Someone capable of being brilliant, but with a slight edge.

Scott Glenn as Hurley is perfect.

[–] gjcya 12 years ago

First of all you haven't read the books if you think irene is African. And oded fehr, seriously? What are you on?

[–] grady-allstar 13 years ago

The actors I can best see playing a young Mitch Rapp are...

(No particular order)
-Liam Hemsworth
-Cam Gigandet
-Shawn Roberts

"A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts."

[–] mathausarant 13 years ago

Stan Hurley should be played by Tom Selleck or Don Frye!!!!

[–] mathausarant 13 years ago

Tom Hardy gets my vote.

[–] JBoushka 13 years ago

I met Vince Flynn in Minneapolis at a book singing in 1997 for "Term Limits." I was quite mesmerized by his first novel, and have an original "Cloak and Dagger Press" version. I thought that would become a movie quickly.

I've lost track of his work (absorbed by my own) and maybe 9/11 outran his writing. I'm looking forward to seeing his work in the movies.

He told me his politics is libertarian (Ron Paul??)

Bill Boushka

[–] SteveF50 13 years ago

I just dont believe it is ever going to be made. Hollywood is so damn politically correct and this project has been in development for almost three years now. Way to slow for a Hollywood event.

[–] amahrienator 13 years ago

Like i said before i think this show would be better off being a HBO or Showtime series. It's just too much going on to try to wrap up in a couple movies. Please, please, please don't let Bradley Cooper play Mitch Rapp i've heard his name brought up more than once i mean really? cmon! Oded Fehr should play Mitch Rapp!

[–] carkmonsta 13 years ago

Guy Pearce would be the perfect Rapp

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] audra_cozart 13 years ago

So I finished American Assassin a few weekes ago and my friend and I have been debating back and forth on who should be the young or older Mitch Rapp. I watched The Lucky One last night (yes, girly romance...), however, I couldn't help but watch the movie and think Zac Efron was perfect for the younder Mitch. He has dark hair, dark eyebrowns. Typically has ruddy skin color perfect for blending into the Middle East. Scruffy... He's the first one where I feel I can actually picture him fitting into both America, Europe, and the Middle East.

[–] Drs1321 13 years ago

I hate to say this, but if Taylor Lautner could act, he'd be perfect. The dark features are there, he just can't pull it off. I could see Gigandet or Seth Roberts. I still think Robert Patrick would be the perfect Stan Hurley. And I like the Kennedy votes. Except for the poster who said Kennedy is African. Where did you ever get that from? Shes definitely not.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] snappy_matt 9 years ago

I think you were ahead of your time with this suggestion, as I think Taylor has literally grown into the ideal actor to play this role. He is himself currently 23yrs old, the same age as Mitch Rapp in American Assassin. He's also an all round athlete and skilled martial artist who does the majority of his own stunts (notably in the film Tracers).

Admittedly he got some stick for his acting in the Twilight films when he was still a teenager. And although I didn't think his acting was that bad back then it has come on leaps and bounds since then, as he seems to get better with each new role he takes on. If he can turn in a stunning audition and get cast, I think he would really surprise people.

___
“Let's dance for fear
your grace should fall
Let's dance for fear tonight is all”
- David Bowie