Best Hit Movies: Dave Franco Takes First Lead Role in 'The Intern's Handbook'

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Dave Franco Takes First Lead Role in 'The Intern's Handbook'

Sony Pictures has picked up the rights to The Intern's Handbook: A Thriller, with plans to turn it into a starring vehicle for Neighbors actor Dave Franco, his first leading role.

The story revolves around HR, Inc. an intern placement agency that is actually a front for assassins whose targets are high profile corporate executives. John Lago, Dave Franco's character, is the best of the best, a man who can serve as a personal assistant while compiling a body count without anyone noticing. The first installment of this planned franchise follows Lago's assignment at a Manhattan law firm where he works as a temp while gathering intelligence for his next hit. There, he meets a young female FBI agent assigned to the same target. And of course, bullets and sparks fly.

Oren Uziel will write the screenplay based on the novel of the same name by Shane Kuhn. He previously collaborated with Dave Franco on the upcoming sequel 22 Jump Street. Neal H. Moritz and Ori Marmur of Original Film, the company behind the 21 Jump Street franchise, will produce alongside Brad Mendelsohn and David Alpert from Circle of Confusion.

Shane Kuhn's novel, which has been earning rave reviews, hit store shelves on April 8 and is part of a planned trilogy. About giving Dave Franco his first lead in a big action movie, Neal H. Moritz replied,

"We really feel like he's the next star. We just think he has immense talent as a leading man and he's someone who can do humor. He's paid his dues. He' s built a great resume of co-starring roles and he's ready to be a lead. He's not some guy being plucked from nowhere and told he's the next big thing."

He goes onto call The Intern's Handbook: A Thriller,

"...A franchise made for a price with new emerging talent. [The book has] a great attitude. It's a look at what it's like to be an intern, but in reality you're so much more. The mantra is that interns are invisible, which makes them so good as assassins. No one sees them coming."

The Intern's Handbook: A Thriller comes to theaters in 2016 and stars Dave Franco.