Jack Ryan used to be a reliable film franchise. Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine all took cracks at the iconic CIA analyst over the years, but the last film to date, Shadow Recruit, was not the rousing success that Hollywood had hoped for.
As a result, Jack Ryan went to television. The character was the focus of the 2018-23 Amazon series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, which garnered light praise from critics and a steady fanbase via streaming. Deadline reports that Jack Ryan is headed back to the big screen for the first time in a decade, but the catch, here, is that the upcoming film will be a continuation of the Amazon series.
The film will be a continuation of the TV series
Apparently, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan continued to be a huge success for Amazon even after the conclusion of its final season. The thriller series clocked an impressive 1.15 billion minutes of viewing time, according to Nielsen, and the studio wants to extend the goodwill out in the form of a feature film.
John Krasinski will return as the CIA analyst, while Wendell Pierce and Michael Kelly are also slated to reprise their supporting roles. There are no details on the plot of the Jack Ryan film, but Deadline has stated that it will continue the storyline that has been established in the Amazon series.
John Krasinski will return in the title role
Krasinski discussed the sense of honor he felt playing Jack Ryan on TV, and how difficult it was for him to say goodbye to the character, during an interview with Entertainment Tonight:
"Jack Ryan was my favorite character in the books and the movies, and the fact that I got to play him for five minutes let alone five years is amazing."
The actor became emotional when asked to reflect on the end of the series, but the announcement of a new film means that he will get a chance to strap on the bulletproof vest and continue the story that obviously means very much to him (and fans).