“American Assassin” is based on a thriller novel by author Vince Flynn of the same name. Its protagonist Mitch Rapp — the character Dylan O’Brien plays — is the lead in more than 20 of Flynn’s novels. In fact, it was another Mitch Rapp book entirely that producers CBS Films and Di Bonaventura Pictures initially optioned to adapt into a feature before pivoting to “American Assassin.”
Based on this extensive source material in addition to the fact that “American Assassin” ends on a cliffhanger, it stands to reason there were once plans for subsequent films in which O’Brien would reprise the role of Rapp. While those plans were never quite confirmed, Flynn’s editor, Emily Bestler, hinted at the idea of a film franchise in an interview with Pioneer Press.
At the box office, “American Assassin” made about twice its budget, so the film wasn’t necessarily a financial failure. Nevertheless, whatever profits it brought in financially weren’t enough to overcome its overall negative reception, and production on a sequel never moved forward. While its popularity on Netflix is unlikely to make a difference seven years after the fact, it’s a positive sign nevertheless for fans holding out hope for another Mitch Rapp movie.
