Dave Franco has finally revealed whether he would play alleged CEO killer Luigi Mangione onscreen – after fans went wild over their resemblance to one another.
Mangione is accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a 50-year-old father-of-two, outside a Manhattan hotel while he was attending a work conference on December 4, 2024.
He has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges in connection with the December murder.
When the ‘anti-capitalist’ Ivy League student was first detained by police last year, fans began pointing out that he and Franco, 40, were ‘practically twins’ – and speculated prolific television writer Ryan Murphy would create a series based on him.
Appearing on Watch What Happens Live! on Tuesday, Franco said of the possibility of portraying Mangione: ‘Oh, how do I answer this?”
‘No one has approached me about it yet, I’ll say that. This is something that more people in my life reached out about this exact thing than anything else that has ever happened.
Dave Franco has finally revealed whether he would play alleged CEO killer Luigi Mangione (R) onscreen – after fans went wild over their resemblance to one another
The murder of United Healthcare CEO Thompson (pictured) was captured on a chilling video
‘Let’s just say I’m open if the right people… and let’s just leave it at that.’
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.
Mangione was recently granted a major perk behind bars as he awaits trial.
He has been given access to a laptop to use in jail in preparation of the murder trial.
The laptop will be ‘prepared by the government’ and handed over to Mangione seven days a week, for use between 8am and 4pm, the NY Post reported.
When the ‘anti-capitalist’ Ivy League student was detained by police days later – fans began pointing out that he and Franco, 40, were ‘practically twins’ – Mangione pictured in February 2025
Appearing on Watch What Happens Live! on Tuesday, Franco said of the possibility of portraying Mangione: ‘ Oh, how do I answer this?” ‘Let’s just say I’m open if the right people… and let’s just leave it at that’
Mangione was taken into custody after a McDonald’s employee in Altoona spotted him in December
U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett signed an order on Monday demanding the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn begin preparations to secure the laptop.
Mangione’s attorneys, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Marc Agnifilo and Jacob Kaplan, told the judge the letter would allow Mangione to ‘adequately prepare for trial and assist in his own defense.’
But the laptop will be disabled from accessing the internet or any wireless networks, Mangione’s attorneys revealed.
It will be set up with case-related documents and videos provided to Mangione’s defense by the government.
A red diary found in Mangione’s possession when he was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, at the end of a five-day manhunt, have offered insight into his alleged motive.
The diary documented Mangione’s musings on what Unabomber Ted Kaczynski got wrong during his reign of terror between 1978 and 1995, according to court filings.
In one entry from August 15, 2024, Mangione writes that he is ‘confident’ about his plan – four months before the shooting took place – and that he believes it to be ‘right/justified.’
‘I finally feel confident about what I will do. The details are coming together. And I don’t feel any doubt about whether it’s right/justified,’ his scrawling writing reads.
‘I’m glad-in a way-that I’ve procrastinated bc [sic] it allowed me to learn more about UHC [UnitedHealthcare].’
‘The target is insurance. It checks every box.’
The execution of Thompson in the street was captured on chilling surveillance footage
In another diary entry dated two months later on October 10 2024, Mangione allegedly marks a countdown to the day of the attack: ‘1.5 months.’
In the rambling diary entry, Mangione goes on to refer to those in the healthcare industry as ‘parasites’ and ‘mafioso’ and describes UnitedHealthcare’s December conference as a ‘true windfall’ that ’embodies everything wrong with our health system.’
If Mangione is convicted, federal prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.
