It appears as though actorDylan O’Brienis on the mend followinga scary accidenton the set ofMaze Runner: The Death Cure. The actor was involved in a serious collision with a vehicle while filming theMaze Runnersequel and is currently still recovering from his injuries whileproduction on the film has been shut downfor the time-being. But casting news now signals that the actor is going to be A-OK.
Per Deadline, theTeen Wolfactor is in talks to take on the lead role in Lionsgate and CBS Films’Vince FlynnadaptationAmerican Assassin. Should negotiations lead to a deal, O’Brien would play the role of Mitch Rapp, a counterterrorism operative for the CIA. The Jack Ryan-esque character has appeared in 14 novels thus far and a previous iteration of the film that never moved forward hadChris Hemsworthin the lead role, meaningAmerican Assassincould be a serious franchise play for O’Brien.
The story ofAssassinreveals Rapp’s early years as a student at Syracuse University. When his girlfriend is killed in an airplane bombing, he becomes a top recruit for the CIA’s black ops.Michael Keatonis already set to play Stan Hurley, a Cold War veteran and shadowy recruiter who shows O’Brien’s character the ropes before the two team up to thwart a terrorist attack in the Middle East.
This is great news not only because the Mitch Rapp character is fertile ground for a new action franchise, but because it signals that O’Brien is on the mend. Filming is set to get underway later this year withHomelandveteran andKill the MessengerhelmerMichael Cuestadirecting a script byStephen Schiff. Before that, O’Brien will return to finish work on the thirdMaze Runnermovie, which is poised for release next year.
