Dave Franco Open to Playing Luigi Mangione Amid Fan Speculation

Dave Franco and the Possibility of Playing Luigi Mangione

After nearly a year of online buzz, Dave Franco has finally shared his thoughts on the possibility of playing Luigi Mangione on the big screen. The actor, known for his roles in various films and television shows, has become a topic of conversation among fans who have noticed a striking resemblance between him and Mangione, the primary suspect in the murder case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Since Mangione's arrest in December, internet users have been quick to point out the similarities between the 27-year-old and Franco. Many have suggested that Franco would be an ideal candidate to portray Mangione in any future movies or TV shows that reenact the crime. This has sparked a wave of discussions and speculation about the potential casting.

During a recent appearance on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live," hosted by Andy Cohen, Franco addressed the topic. He admitted that he wouldn't be opposed to the idea, although no one had approached him about it yet. In response to a viewer's question during the Q&A segment, Franco said, "Let's just say I'm open if it's the right people, and let's leave it at that."

Franco was on the show to promote his new body horror film, "Together," in which he stars alongside his real-life wife, Alison Brie. He also mentioned that this is not the first time he has heard about being compared to Mangione. "More people in my life reached out about this exact thing than anything else that has ever happened," he said.

Mangione, who has ties to Stanford University, was taken into custody on December 9 in connection with the killing of Thompson. Police found several handwritten pages expressing a "disdain for corporate America" and frustrations with the U.S. healthcare system on Mangione when he was arrested. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

From the moment his name and mugshot were released, social media users began exploring Mangione's online presence, from LinkedIn to Spotify and Letterboxd accounts. A vocal subset of the internet has viewed Mangione as a martyr, urging for his release, creating fancam videos of him, and even dubbing him "America's Sweetheart."

In addition to advocating for Franco's involvement in a potential on-screen project, some online users have suggested that television writer and creator Ryan Murphy should be involved. Murphy has a history of creating series and film adaptations based on real-life headline news, including "American Crime Story," which chronicled the death of Gianni Versace and earned San Francisco native Darren Criss a Golden Globe; "The People v. O.J. Simpson," which starred Stanford alum Sterling K. Brown; and "Monsters," which explores the stories of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers murder case.

While Hollywood may not have jumped in yet, the case has inspired several documentaries and a San Francisco play, "Luigi: The Musical." The show sold out its initial run at Taylor Street Theatre in June and has since gone viral, despite mixed reviews. It has moved to the Independent and recently announced a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from August 19-23, marking its first set of shows outside of San Francisco.