Geekscape Talks With ‘American Assassin’s Dylan O’Brien!

“American Assassin” from CBS Films treated Austin to a very early screening of their new film at the Alamo Drafthouse theater on Tuesday. Stars of the film, Taylor Kitsch (Battleship) and Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf) introduced the film and then answered fans questions about their roles in the soon-to-be released September 15 film.

The film follows Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien) as a newly recruited CIA black ops agent under the instruction of Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton). The pair is then enlisted by CIA Deputy Director Irene Kennedy (Sanaa Lathan) to investigate the theft of plutonium. As they get closer to the thief, they uncover a plot from a rogue agent (Taylor Kitsch) to steal a nuclear bomb.

Dylan O’Brien discussed his role exclusively with Geekscape.

Allie Hanley: Congrats on the new film. Can you please tell me about your character on “American Assassins?”

Dylan O’Brien: Sure. I play Mitch Rapp. Well, it’s sort of an origin story. My character is a guy who’s had something very traumatic happen to him. He tragically loses the love of his life in a terrorist attack on a vacation. His world gets flipped upside down and this causes him to start training himself to seek vengeance. The CIA intercepts him and then recruits him for this division called Orion.
It’s an interesting coming of age story using the context of the world of the CIA counter terrorism. This character has to grow-up in this world and figure out if he’s just looking to seek vengeance for the rest of his life, or if he can stay in control and be an asset for his country.

AH: This role sounds a bit darker than some of the roles you’ve done in the past.

DO’B: Darker? Yes, it’s a good story and I guess it is pretty violent but nothing crazy. This character is maybe a little older than characters I’ve played in the past. He’s in his mid-twenties, engaged, loses his fiancé, and starts training to be a killer, so ya, I guess you are right <laughing>.

AH: Will this film be well received in the current political climate?

DO’B: We hope. That was a big concern of ours, -everyone going in. It was mine at first too. I do think we did a lot of work to the script to make it grounded and as authentic as we could. We were all really aware of, and have to be sensitive to the responsibility of the story. At the same time though it is relevant, and broadcasting <playing> to a sort of neutral landscape while being authentic and grounded. It just happens to be ubiquitously topical right now.
So, at the same time it’s a fictional story  and at the end of the day it’s an action thriller. It’s not the main focus or message.

If you would like to see the Q & A that followed the film follow this link to twitter.