Dave Franco addresses Luigi Mangione comparisons after fans begged for star to play ‘CEO killer’ in movie

Dave Franco has finally broken his silence on fans begging him to play accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione onscreen.

Officials say Mangione, 26, fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50,  on December 4 as he was walking to an investor conference in midtown Manhattan.

The ‘anti-capitalist’ Ivy League student was detained by police last month and he has pleaded not guilty in a New York state court to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism.  He is awaiting trial at Brooklyn’s infamous Metropolitan Center in New York.

No sooner had Mangione been identified than social media users began pointing out that he bears a resemblance to Franco, 39, thanks to their thick striking eyebrows, eyes, and grin.

It also didn’t take long for the internet to darkly predict prolific television writer Ryan Murphy would already be in the process of transforming Mangione’s story into a gripping series for the small screen.

When asked if anyone had reached out regarding his and Mangioni’s likenesses, Franco told THR at the Sundance Film Festival: ‘Anyone? Do you mean everyone? I have never received more texts in my life about anything.

Dave Franco has finally broken his silence on fans begging him to play accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione onscreen

Thompson’s murder was captured on a chilling video 

‘Anyone who has my phone number has reached out about it.

‘But I don’t think there have been any official offers.’

Franco was interviewed alongside wife Alison Brie, 42, with the couple starring in horror film Together. 

Amid the manhunt for the shooter, fans had taken to X to quip that Franco should be in line to play him.

One said: ‘Dave Franco pick up the phone.’

Another posted: ‘Dave Franco has a role waiting for him once this inevitably becomes a movie.’

A third wrote: ‘Ryan Murphy is drafting an email to Dave Franco as we speak.’

‘Dave Franco’s agent has been on the phone all morning,’ a fourth added.

When asked if anyone had reached out regarding his and Mangioni’s likenesses, Franco told THR at the Sundance Film Festival: ‘Anyone? Do you mean everyone? I have never received more texts in my life about anything’

As DailyMail.com previously reported, Mangione is ‘moved’ by his newfound world fame and the fans lusting over him following Thompson’s murder.

The internet called  for Franco to play the captured gunman when the story is adapted

The 26-year-old ‘anti-capitalist’ Ivy League graduate was taken into custody after a McDonald’s employee in Altoona spotted him 

Echoing a similar sentiment, another said: ‘Ryan Murphy already writing that limited series for Netflix starring Dave Franco.’

‘Netflix and HBO executives getting ready to hire Dave Franco to play Luigi Mangione in a 4 part documentary,’ a sixth penned.

A seventh predicted: ‘Ryan Murphy is going to turn this into a limited series with Dave Franco isn’t he.’

Actor and filmmaker Franco, who is the younger brother of fellow actor James Franco, 46, has starred in the likes of 21 Jump Street (2012), Now You See Me (2013), The Disaster Artist (2017) , and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018).

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. O. J. 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 going on to make Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which was released in September.

Federal charges against Mangione include murder and firearms counts. He made an initial appearance on the charges late last month. He won’t be required to enter a plea until an indictment is returned. 

The killing shocked the business community and galvanized some health insurance critics. 

Mangione posted frequently online about his struggles with back pain, though he was never a UnitedHealthcare client and notes found on him point to a targeted murder intended to send a message.

As DailyMail.com previously reported, Mangione is ‘moved’ by his newfound world fame and the fans lusting over him following Thompson’s murder.

A source close to Mangione said he is ‘extremely aware of the massive fan base he has right now.’ He was ‘shocked and really choked up’ when he first saw the support he has received, which ‘gave him confidence and reassurance that he will be okay.’

Mangione was taken into custody after he was recognized as the suspected killer in a McDonald’s in Altoona, around 100 miles east of Pittsburgh.

During his time on the loose, cops released a photo of Mangione smiling and had searched a Manhattan hostel where he’s believed to have stayed.

On Sunday, Franco suited up alongside his wife Alison Brie at the Sundance Film Festival premiere of their horror film Together at the Eccles Theater in Park City, UT 

The 42-year-old SAG Award winner flashed her Giuseppe di Morabito corset beneath her black-suede Alex Perry suit while the Superbad alum looked sharp in shiny brown suit

In Together, Dave and Alison play a dysfunctional couple moving from the city to an isolated property in the countryside where they encounter a supernatural presence

The married couple of eight years said: ‘The confusing part was that in the movie, the couple that we play is going through a lot of hardships and [are] not in a great relationship’

Brie and Franco were joined at the premiere by their director, Michael Shanks (M)

Police have since said that Mangione was not on their radar until the arrest in Pennsylvania today.

He was found with a gun, a silencer, and a manifesto, which outlined his disdain for the healthcare system.

The man was also wearing clothes that matched the description of the suspect.

Mangione attended the coveted University of Pennsylvania, where he gained a degree in engineering in 2020. Before this, he graduated as valedictorian from the Gilman School in Baltimore, where tuition costs nearly $40,000 a year.

On Sunday, Franco suited up alongside his wife Alison Brie at the Sundance Film Festival premiere of their horror film Together at the Eccles Theater in Park City, UT. 

The 42-year-old SAG Award winner flashed her Giuseppe di Morabito corset beneath her black-suede Alex Perry suit while the Superbad alum looked sharp in shiny brown suit. 

In Together, Dave and Alison play a dysfunctional couple moving from the city to an isolated property in the countryside where they encounter a supernatural presence.

The married couple of eight years said: ‘The confusing part was that in the movie, the couple that we play is going through a lot of hardships and [are] not in a great relationship.’ 

Brie and Franco were joined at the premiere by their director, Michael Shanks.

Together currently has an impressive 100% critic approval rating (out of 11 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes.