American Assassin Trivia | 30 facts about the movie

American Assassin is a 2017 American action thriller film directed by Michael Cuesta starring Dylan O’Brien, and Michael Keaton.

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1. American Assassin is a 2017 American action thriller film.
2. It was directed by Michael Cuesta.
3. Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Shiva Negar, and Taylor Kitsch star in the movie.
4. It was written by Stephen Schiff, Michael Finch, Edward Zwick, and Marshall Herskovitz. Nominally based on Vince Flynn’s 2010 novel of the same name, the story is centered on young CIA black ops recruit Mitch Rapp, who helps a Cold War veteran try to stop the detonation of a rogue nuclear weapon.
5. The film was released in the United States on September 15, 2017, and grossed over $67 million worldwide. It received mixed reviews from critics, who described the plot as clichéd and lacking thrills
6. The Navy ship near the end of the movie is given the name “U.S.S. Flynn,” named after Vince Flynn, creator of the Mitch Rapp character.
7. Michael Keaton was initially apprehensive about playing Stan Hurley, who is portrayed as a somewhat crazy, former CIA operative. Keaton did not like the idea originally, due to Keaton’s well known liberal views; however, after reading Vince Flynn’s novel “American Assassin,” Keaton felt like he could connect with and channel the character of Hurley.
8. The lead role was offered to Chris Hemsworth, but he passed on the role due to scheduling issues.
9. Then, it was rumored that the producers invited Gustavo Goulart to perform the lead role (Mitch Rapp), but this rumor was never confirmed.
10. Dylan O’Brien won the part of Mitch Rapp, beating more established older actors. Being in his mid 20s, the hope is that the actor grows as the envisioned movie franchise progresses. Also, since this movie is based on a prequel novel, it provides the opportunity to start at the beginning of Rapp’s career.
11. “American Assassin” is one of fifteen novels by Vince Flynn set in the world of counterterrorism operative Mitch Rapp.
12. Every book has been a New York Times best-seller, with the three most recent entries being number one New York Times best-sellers. The series has sold nearly 20 million copies as of October 2015.
13. “American Assassin” is one of fifteen novels by Vince Flynn set in the world of counterterrorism operative Mitch Rapp. Every book has been a New York Times best-seller, with the three most recent entries being number one New York Times best-sellers. The series has sold nearly 20 million copies as of October 2015.
14. Bruce Willis was attached to play Stan Hurley, the mentor of Mitch Rapp.
15. CBS Films also bought the movie rights to “Consent to Kill”, chronologically the eighth book of the Mitch Rapp universe.
16. Established actors Gerard Butler, Colin Farrell, and Matthew Fox were considered for the role of Mitch Rapp.
17. Film production needed to start by 2016 or the rights to the film would be reverted to the Vince Flynn Estate.
18. Antoine Fuqua was originally attached to direct.
19. Not shot on location in Istanbul
20. Includes three actors and one actress from several Marvel franchises. Sanaa Lathan,  Scott Adkins, Michael Keaton, and Taylor Kitsch.
21. Jeffrey Nachmanoff and Edward Zwick were also attached as director when the movie was in the pre-production stage back in 2012.
22. In the books, Mitch Rapp’s girlfriend was killed in the Pan Am flight that was blown up by a terrorist over Lockerbie, Scotland on 21 December 1988, a historical event. In the movie she is gunned down on the beach of Ibiza, Spain.
23. CBS Films acquired the rights to Flynn’s book series in 2008.
24. The New York Times bestseller Consent to Kill was intended to be the first film in a proposed series.
25. Being a prequel novel, American Assassin provided the opportunity to start at the very beginning of the character Rapp’s career instead.
26. Production needed to start by April 30, 2016, or the rights to the film would have reverted to the Vince Flynn Estate.
27. Principal photography took place between September and December 2016 in London, Rome and Phuker.
28. Additional filming occurred in Valletta Barry (Wales) and Birmingham.
29. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 34% of 183 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.8/10.
30. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 45 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating “mixed or average” reviews.