American Assassin - Starring Michael Keaton

[Darth Marcus]

Source: ComingSoon

Michael Keaton to Play a Badass CIA Officer in American Assassin
By Max Evry on March 9, 2016

Michael Keaton to play a badass CIA officer in American Assassin

CBS Films and Lionsgate announced that Academy Award-nominee Michael Keaton (Birdman, Spotlight) will star in the adaptation of Vince Flynn’s massive bestseller American Assassin. Acclaimed filmmaker Michael Cuesta (Kill The Messenger, “Homeland,” L.I.E.) will direct the thriller from a screenplay by Stephen Schiff (“The Americans,” “Ultimate Rush”). Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers, Deepwater Horizon, Red) and Nick Wechsler (The Road, Magic Mike) are producing the film.

Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Keaton) would be the most feared training officer in the CIA if more than a handful of people at the agency knew that he existed. As American Assassin begins, Deputy Director Irene Kennedy tasks Hurley with training Mitch Rapp, a black ops recruit devastated by the loss of his fiancée to a terrorist attack. As Rapp’s training progresses, the pair is dispatched on a joint mission with a lethal Turkish agent to stop a mysterious operative from starting World War III in the Middle East.

Published by Atria Books and in mass market paperback by Pocket Books, both imprints of Simon & Schuster, “American Assassin” is one of fourteen novels set in the world of counterterrorism operative Mitch Rapp. Every single one has been a New York Times bestseller, the three most recent entries have been number one New York Times bestsellers and the series has sold nearly twenty million copies to date.

“Stan Hurley is one of the pillars of the Vince Flynn universe and a favorite character for millions of readers, so casting him was a daunting challenge,” said Cuesta, who continued. “To have an actor as intelligent and gifted as Michael Keaton bring this beloved character to life is a thrill for everyone involved in ‘American Assassin’ and a cause for celebration amongst ‘Hurley’ fans the world over.”

American Assassin will be the latest release in the partnership between CBS Films and Lionsgate. The film will be co-financed by the two companies with CBS Films handling production and marketing and Lionsgate handling distribution.

[Pounder]

Keaton in an action movie again? I'm in.

[Drookur]

Nice. I would imagine Keaton has his pick of scripts these days. Stephen Schiff having written for The Americans raises my interest in this movie too. Hopefully it's not another generic old guy action movie.

[Pounder]

Originally Posted by Drookur

Nice. I would imagine Keaton has his pick of scripts these days. Stephen Schiff having written for The Americans raises my interest in this movie too. Hopefully it's not another generic old guy action movie.

No. Keaton is supporting role. The lead is in their 20s.

[Drookur]

Originally Posted by Pounder

No. Keaton is supporting role. The lead is in their 20s.

Oh, okay. I didn't get that the first time I read the synopsis. It sounds interesting. Seems like I'll have to get a hold of the book before the movie comes out.

[Axeramm]

I really like this series of books and hope they cast someone good for the Rapp role.

[toddly6666]

Movie producers should start teaming up the old school smaller-muscled bad-asses in action/thriller movies a la Expendables. Put Michael Keaton, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, Harrison Ford and Kurt Russell in a movie together.

[Megalith]

Who on earth is buying these "best sellers"? Every time I read something about an NYT best seller, it is something nobody has ever heard of.

[Buscemi]

The New York Times best seller list isn't really a seal of quality (though many think so). It just means you sold enough copies to make the list. Vince Flynn is one of those authors who's popular in middle America (CBS spent several years trying to adapt Consent to Kill in hopes of getting his audience) and really nowhere else.

As for the film, Keaton's a good casting choice but Michael Cuesta makes some of the most boring movies possible. I'm surprised he's still getting projects.

[L.J.]

Sounds interesting.

[Talleyrand]

People at airports.

[Pounder]

Dylan O'Brien will be the lead. Taylor Kitsch the villain.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/ta...on-1201840332/

[Groot]

Originally Posted by Pounder

Dylan O'Brien will be the lead. Taylor Kitsch the villain.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/ta...on-1201840332/

Glad to hear Dylan is doing well enough to sign onto another picture. I saw a photo of him with a grizzly adams like beard the other day smiling. Things sound to be looking up for the lad.

[Himmel]

Dylan O'Brien as Mitchy Rapp.

[MarkGL]

I love Michael Keaton and was excited for this until I read the lead was in his 20's which means it'll be another generic PG 'action movie'.

I'll pass.

[Darth Marcus]

[pikeman1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt4bEdgMF-M

[Phobics]

Selling Keaton only to have some nobody young numbnuts be the lead... lame. I love Keaton so I'll check this out eventually.

[1blufan]

It looks good to me in that typical special agent, government doesn't acknowledge tactical team. I imagine they are going for a franchise based on the number of books out.

[Foggy]

Seems like a pretty standard action flick, hoping for a tad more.