People are all calling on the same actor to play UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter Luigi Mangione
Social media users are already calling on Dave Franco to portray alleged gunman Luigi Mangione if the chilling murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is ever adapted for the screen.
Mangione was arrested by police in Pennsylvania on Monday in connection with the execution murder of 50-year-old Thompson last week.
The 26-year-old “anti-capitalist” Ivy League student was taken into custody after he was identified as the suspected killer at a McDonald’s in Altoona, about 100 miles east of Pittsburgh.
Mangione’s capture comes after five days on the run.
Once Mangione was identified, social media users began pointing out that he bears a resemblance to Franco, 39, thanks to their thick striking eyebrows, eyes and grins.
It also didn’t take long for the internet to darkly predict that prolific television writer Ryan Murphy was already adapting Mangione’s story into a gripping series for the small screen.
Luigi Mangione was arrested by police in Pennsylvania in connection with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Social media users are already calling on Dave Franco to portray alleged shooter Mangione
Someone said to X, “Dave Franco answers the phone.”
Another wrote: ‘There’s a role waiting for Dave Franco once this inevitably becomes a movie.’
A third wrote: ‘Ryan Murphy is currently composing an email to Dave Franco.’
“Dave Franco’s agent has been on the phone all morning,” a fourth added.
Echoing a similar sentiment, another said, “Ryan Murphy is already writing that limited series for Netflix starring Dave Franco.”
“Netflix and HBO executives are gearing up to hire Dave Franco to play Luigi Mangione in a four-part documentary,” wrote a sixth.
A seventh predicted: “Ryan Murphy is going to make this a limited series with Dave Franco, right?”
Actor and filmmaker Franco, the younger brother of fellow actor James Franco, 46, has starred in films including 21 Jump Street (2012), Now You See Me (2013), The Disaster Artist (2017) and If Beale Street. Could Talk (2018).
Many have noted the similarity between Mangione and Franco
The 26-year-old ‘anti-capitalist’ Ivy League graduate was taken into custody after a McDonald’s employee in Altoona spotted him
Mangione allegedly killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week
The internet is calling for Franco to play the captured gunman when the story is adapted
More recently, he appeared alongside Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian in the 2024 romantic thriller Love Lies Bleeding.
Meanwhile, Murphy has produced several true crime series, including The People v. OJ Simpson (2016), The Assassination of Gianni Versace (2018) and Impeachment (2021).
In 2022, he co-created the divisive series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, before creating Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which was released in September.
Mangione allegedly shot Thompson, 50, in the early hours of December 4 as he headed to an investor conference at the Hilton in New York.
He then went on the run for five days.
During his time off, police published a photo of Mangione smiling and searched a Manhattan hostel where he was believed to be staying.
Police have since said Mangione was not on their radar until today’s arrest in Pennsylvania.
He was found with a gun, a silencer and a manifesto detailing his disdain for the healthcare system.
The man was also wearing clothing that matched the suspect’s description.
Mangione attended the coveted University of Pennsylvania, where he earned an engineering degree in 2020. Before that, he graduated as valedictorian from the Gilman School in Baltimore, where tuition costs nearly $40,000 a year.