American Assassin: Taylor Kitsch joins cast

Taylor Kitsch has signed on to the cast of American Assassin, EW has confirmed.

The True Detective alum will join Michael Keaton and Dylan O’Brien in the upcoming movie adaption of Vince Flynn’s 2010 graphic novel, the first in a series of 14 stories that follow CIA counter-terrorist operative Mitch Rapp (O’Brien). Kitsch will play a mysterious official intent on starting a world war in the Middle East. As previously announced, Keaton will take on the role of Stan Hurley, a Cold War veteran enlisted alongside Rapp to take down Kitsch’s villainous character.

The American Assassin film has been in the works since at least 2012, with Bruce Willis and Chris Hemsworth previously in talks to star. Homeland director/executive producer Michael Cuesta will direct, and The Americans writer Stephen Schiff will pen the script. Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers) and Nick Wechsler (Magic Mike) are producing.

American Assassin joins a wealth of projects Kitsch has added to his film slate in recent months. In May, he boarded firefighter drama Granite Mountain with Miles Teller and Josh Brolin, and he’s currently at work on his feature directorial debut, Pieces, for which he’ll also write, produce, and star. He last voiced Sam in animated flick Bling.