The Jack Ryan universe is a forgotten pillar of dad culture. Tom Clancy’s novel once felt like the American answer to James Bond, and Hollywood certainly did its best to imbue the title character with the same pomp and intrigue. The ‘90s and early ‘00s are littered with Jack Ryan films, with actors like Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck, and Harrison Ford playing the role. But all those efforts to establish an action franchise with the Ryan name never really bore fruit on the big screen, with the last movie, 2014’s mediocre Shadow Recruit, putting a stop to such adaptations.
Amazon’s Jack Ryan series, which stars John Krasinski as the CIA operative, may be the saga’s most successful permutation. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is the textbook definition of a gritty reboot, splitting the difference between the grounded prestige of a show like Homeland and the heady wish fulfillment of Reacher, another Amazon hit. It ran for four seasons on Prime Video, ranking among the streamer’s top shows worldwide. You’d be forgiven for never tuning in, but it deserves some credit for revitalizing the Ryanverse. The series carved out a new niche for a 40-year-old, hyper-patriotic property, and while it ended in 2023, Amazon isn’t quite ready to say goodbye.
