CBS Films Launching Mitch Rapp Franchise With American Assassin

News, Projects

Every studio would love to have a Jason Bourne in their pocket – an action franchise that has brains to go with it. When CBS Films acquired the rights to Vince Flynn’s novel series about CIA agent Mitch Rapp, the studio thought it had its “Jason Bourne” or maybe that other JB, Jack Bauer.

Though there are eleven novels now in the series, CBS will not start with the initial release, Transfer of Power (published in 1999), and instead will focus on the eleventh entry in the series, American Assassin. But don’t groan and think that CBS is shooting themselves in the foot by starting with the most recent book in the series. In actuality, American Assassin acts a prequel to the series that began in 1999, as the story involves Rapp as a recent college graduate, and how tragedy ultimately changes his path to become an avenger as a ruthless hunter of terrorists for the CIA.

Development has been slow and at one point involved Training Day director Antoine Fuqua with the likes of Colin Farrell, Matthew Fox and Gerard Butler to audition for the role of Rapp.

Ed Zwick, who recently gave us Love and Other Drugs (but is more famous because of Glory and Blood Diamond) is slated to direct and is co-writing the script with partner Marshall Herskovitz.

An adaptation of a Flynn novel will be interesting to see, mainly from a politics standpoint. Rapp is presented as a very conservative character, much in the way the series 24 was when it came to Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer and the whole use of torture to obtain vital information.

Zwick is pretty solid as a filmmaker, despite some miscalculations in his earlier works. As for CBS Films, if the adaptation is a success the studio will have a viable moneymaker for the next few years. CBS is still trying to define its image with the films it has produced. Recent releases Faster and The Mechanic leans more to catering men looking for some decent action, but the upcoming releases of Gambit (the long-gestating Coen brothers project with Cameron Diaz and Colin Firth) and Daniel Radcliffe’s post-Harry Potter film The Woman in Black will look to attract grown up eyes. By that logic then, perhaps American Assassin will attract older men to theaters. We shall see.

Travis Leamons is one of the Inside Pulse Originals and currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Inside Pulse Movies. He's told that the position is his until he's dead or if "The Boss" can find somebody better. I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun. That's an order!