Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan Is Headed to the Small Screen
Tom Clancy's CIA hero Jack Ryan is being rebranded for TV. Former Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse (Bates Motel) and writer Graham Roland (The Returned) are taking on the project and developing the project based on Clancy's novels into a TV series for Paramount TV and Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes.
According to Deadline, the idea was conceived by Cuse and Roland, and the show "is not a direct adaptation of the books as were the first Jack Ryan movies but a new contemporary take on the character in his prime as a CIA analyst/operative using the novels as source material."
Over the years I've enjoyed most of the films that have been made, especially The Hunt for Red October with Alex Baldwin as Jack Ryan as well as Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger with Harrison Ford in the lead role. Ryan has also been portrayed by Ben Affleck and Chris Pine, both of whom were pretty underwhelming in the role.
In the novels, Ryan, who retired following a helicopter crash, worked as an investment broker before taking on a position at the U.S. Naval Academy. He later joined the CIA and worked his way up through the ranks to Deputy Director. He eventually ended up being the President of the United States.
This has the potential to be a solid series if they bring on great team talent to bring it to life. A series like this could go either way. It could end up being a mediocre series that gets cancelled after the first season, or it could be something awesome that fans enjoy. Only time will tell if it turns out to be a dud or a success. As a long-time fan of the character, I hope it turns out to be awesome.