While the upcoming Jack Ryan movie is exciting, it is hard not to see how the original John Krasinski show creates a massive challenge for it. The film could become the best installment in the Prime Video franchise, but it will have to overcome a few major hurdles before it can be appreciated as a worthy extension of the TV series.
Although it has been quite some time since the new Jack Ryan movie was confirmed, not a lot seems to be known about its plot details. What is known is that it is being helmed by Andrew Bernstein, while its screenplay has been a collaborative effort between Aaron Rabin and John Krasinski.
As reports have confirmed, the movie’s filming began in January 2025 before wrapping up six months later in July. Surprisingly, though, nothing about its title, release date, and story has been revealed yet. While this alone raises many questions about what is happening behind the scenes, the film also has to face another challenge to prove it deserves to exist.
Prime Video’s Jack Ryan Show Already Told A Complete Story
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on Prime Video has walked the titular John Krasinski character through four complete and self-contained missions. While season 1 focused on the global attack plotted by terrorist mastermind Suleiman, season 2 centered on a political conspiracy in Venezuela.
Season 3 followed Jack Ryan’s pursuit of racing against time to stop World War III from happening by preventing a rogue faction within the Russian government from restoring the Soviet Union. Finally, Jack Ryan season 4 ended the series on a conclusive note by showing how Krasinski’s character faces one of his biggest challenges when he sets out to investigate reports of internal corruption as the CIA’s deputy director.
Like each installment of the show, even the upcoming movie could adopt a standalone narrative and feature another singular mission for Jack Ryan. However, considering its limited runtime and the fact that the show’s season 4 raised the stakes significantly, the film might struggle to deliver a story that feels both fresh and substantial in terms of scale.
The show’s long runtime allowed it to thrive on multi-episode arcs, giving it the freedom to take a slow-burn approach with many political undertones in its story. Owing to this, the final story beats in all seasons, especially season 4, had a satisfying pay-off. Owing to its limited runtime, it is hard not to wonder if the movie will be able to achieve the same.
What Should Jack Ryan’s Arc In The Upcoming Movie Be?
If the movie really hopes to etch its identity as a worthy addition to the franchise, it must risk portraying the John Krasinski character in a slightly different light. In the show, Jack Ryan always seems like an ideal, morally righteous hero. His moral scale, so far, has rarely faltered, but the film could depict him as a more conflicted character.
It could potentially achieve this by featuring him in a whole new role: the US President. This would not only leave room for the film to bring more nuance to his characterization but also allow the franchise to end with a major arc and on a high note. Although the movie could leverage the show’s success by also continuing existing character beats, that may not necessarily be a good idea.
The upcoming Jack Ryan film will serve as the sixth film focusing on the fictional spy character and third reboot in the overarching Jack Ryan series.
With a theatrical release, the movie might garner the attention of a whole new audience that may not be familiar with the show’s developments. Owing to this, having too many connective threads with the show could potentially alienate new viewers. It must be noted, though, that the film is expected to introduce an M16 character, which might serve as a bridge between the existing Jack Ryan universe and a larger espionage landscape.
Unlike the show, the movie could also present a loyal adaptation to Jack Ryan books like Debt of Honor and The Cardinal of the Kremlin. In both, the character is forced to navigate ethically gray situations, revealing a lot more about him than the show has in four seasons. All in all, the movie can head in myriad directions, but its success will depend on how it makes its story stand out from the show’s seasons.
Amazon’s Jack Ryan Movie Is Facing A New Streaming Challenge
It is not common for TV franchises to suddenly jump to the big screens, like Jack Ryan. Before Jack Ryan, only a few franchises, like WandaVision/Multiverse of Madness, have taken the leap and transitioned from one storytelling medium to another. Multiverse of Madness benefited from being touted as a Doctor Strange movie rather than a standalone Wanda film.
The superhero film’s whole narrative also tied into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, which gave audiences a solid reason to check it out. The same cannot be said about Jack Ryan. The Mandalorian and Grogu is another highly anticipated movie extension of the acclaimed 3-season show The Mandalorian, but it faces the same roadblocks as Jack Ryan.
To have broader theatrical appeal, both movies will have to find creative means to stand on their own instead of coming off as forced extensions of their parent shows. At the same time, they should also be able to riff on the elements that made their shows successful in the first place. Despite all the concerns surrounding how the Jack Ryan film will turn out, though, John Krasinski’s involvement with it is a reassuring anchor.
