Entertainmentjohn krasinskijack ryan

John Krasinski On Playing The Iconic Jack Ryan: 'There’s Definitely Fear'

The actor will play the CIA hero in an upcoming series.
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By 

Entertainment Intern, The Huffington Post

John Krasinski has played every character from our favorite goofball Jim in “The Office” to a badass soldier in “13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.” But his newest character might be the biggest departure from his real-life personality yet.

Krasinski is the latest actor to take on the role of Jack Ryan, the CIA agent from Tom Clancy’s popular novels, in an upcoming Amazon series from “Lost” showrunner Carlton Cuse. With this role, Krasinski joins the crew of Hollywood actors who have played the part of Jack Ryan in the past, including Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, Chris Pine and Ben Affleck.

“He’s one of my favorite characters of all time,” Krasinski told The Huffington Post when he stopped by to talk about his upcoming role in the film “The Hollars,” which he also directed. “Tom Clancy’s books are phenomenal and I think that it’s such a huge role, not only for me personally, but I know for a lot of people.”

As for whether the show will follow the plot of the books completely, the actor said you can except some more modern dilemmas.

“They’re sort of more ripped-from-the-headlines type stuff, so the first year, the villain, or I don’t know what you want to call it, is it’s taking on ISIS for sure,” Krasinski told Collider.

The project, which will stream on Amazon, is a product of Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes production company. Krasinski and Bay first worked together on this year’s “13 Hours,” where Krasinski showed off his action chops.

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram via Getty Images

“There’s definitely fear, like you’re terrified to take on the role,” said Krasinski of portraying such an iconic character.

There was talk of the project being made into a two-hour movie, but Cuse and Krasinski agreed that it would not do Ryan justice.

“A two-hour movie for Jack Ryan may not be the best serving medium because the books, they’re so much longer,” said Krasinski. “It’s this great opportunity to do a longer-form storytelling where you can actually really delve into the character the way he was in the books, rather than jam it all in into two hours.”

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Before You Go

Best Movies of 2016 So Far
"The Meddler"(01 of10)
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Effortlessly charming, "The Meddler" gives us Susan Sarandon's best role in years. She plays a doting widow who moves to Los Angeles to be near her TV-writer daughter (Rose Byrne), who would rather she not show up unannounced at her front door with a bag of bagels and endless chatter. Instead, said meddler slowly discovers how to live life on her own, making Lorene Scafaria's semi-autobiographical dramedy a love letter to rediscovering yourself. [Trailer] (credit:Sony Pictures Classics)
"Swiss Army Man"(02 of10)
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Nothing that's appeared on the big screen in 2016 is more original or pure in its vision than "Swiss Army Man," the movie about a farting corpse that steers a suicidal loner home. Through a blend of magical realism and flatulent-adjacent philosophizing, The Daniels' showcase of kookiness carries a sense of wonder so rich that watching it is like discovering the world's allure the way a child would. And to see Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe in the surrealist buddy comedy ever made -- it's "Cast Away" meets "Weekend at Bernie's" meets "The Trouble with Harry" -- is to watch two actors embracing their inner weirdos and having a fantastic time doing it, which is the whole point of the film in the first place. [Trailer] (credit:A24)
"Green Room"(03 of10)
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"Green Room" is mostly a bottle movie, taking place largely inside a seedy Oregon club where the members of a punk band become potential casualties after witnessing a murder backstage. It turns out they've stumbled upon a neo-Nazi cartel that would gladly massacre the whole lot. "Green Room" becomes an escape thriller, with the young rock stars seizing whatever weapons they can find as the twists unfurl. Fire up this grisly Jeremy Saulnier-directed film in homage to the late Anton Yelchin, who -- alongside Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat and Patrick Stewart -- is a wonder. [Trailer] (credit:A24)
"Weiner"(04 of10)
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Part of the shock in seeing "Weiner" is gaping at the mere fact that it exists. Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg sought to capture disgraced congressman Anthony Weiner's 2013 New York mayoral bid -- and then another sexting scandal broke, and they chronicled his swift decline in real time. Several quandaries lie at the heart of "Weiner": the hubris of a self-aggrandizing politician, the agony of a notorious downfall, the culpability of a salacious media culture and the public's insatiable appetite for watching people fail. The documentary is the most revealing piece of political theater since "The War Room." [Trailer] (credit:Sundance Selects)
"Zootopia"(05 of10)
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"Zootopia" charmed its way to $1 billion at the global box office, coasting on a blend of humorous animal antics and subversive social commentary. As much as any intellectual adult drama, the Disney hit can prompt a conversation about race, prejudice and xenophobia -- or you can just bask in the delightful tale of Judy Hopps, who dreams of becoming Zootopia's first rabbit police officer. Ginnifer Goodwin gives a winning performance voicing Judy, but it's the interspecies humor -- highlight: sloths -- that make this gem more profound than it has any right to be. [Trailer] (credit:Disney)
"The Jungle Book"(06 of10)
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The impressive live-action/CGI hybridity of "The Jungle Book" unfolds like a daydream, tracking the adventures of young Mowgli and his pals' bare necessities through majestic landscapes. This is a serene take on the classic Rudyard Kipling story, especially for a blockbuster that aims to please restless kiddos and their franchise-hungry parents. Where director Jon Favreau could have gone for bloated action, he opts for quiet enterprise. The results are vivid. [Trailer] (credit:Disney)
"Krisha"(07 of10)
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The title character in "Krisha" arrives at her family's Thanksgiving festivities sober and seeking redemption, but first-time writer and director Trey Edward Shults never lets us believe she'll find it. Her story is richer for it. Presented with haunting claustrophobia and unrelenting sympathy, this micro-budget psychodrama starring Shults' aunt, Krisha Fairchield, went largely unnoticed when it opened in March. Fix that, people. [Trailer] (credit:A24)
"The Lobster"(08 of10)
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After winning favor at what seems like every major international film festival, this dystopian dark comedy capped off its success at the box office last month. Imagining a world where single people are transformed into animals if they don't find partners, "The Lobster" is an entrée you need sharp teeth to bite into. But you'll be glad you did, thanks to Yorgos Lanthimos' inspired vision and the droll performances of Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly and Ben Whishaw. [Trailer] (credit:A24)
"Love & Friendship"(09 of10)
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This tart adaptation strips all of the romantic fizzle from Jane Austen's work. In Whit Stillman's hands, "Love & Friendship" -- based on a lesser-known epistolary novel -- is a comedy of anti-manners in which the duplicitous Lady Susan (Kate Beckinsale) runs circles around the suitors she courts solely to secure her wealth. It's biting and savory, and each viewing uncovers another layer of jokes. [Trailer] (credit:Roadside Attractions)
"The Witch"(10 of10)
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Terrors real and imagined haunt the Puritan family at the center of this chilly fever dream. "The Witch" would be a masterpiece for the most accomplished director, so consider that it's the austere brainchild of first-time filmmaker Robert Eggers. In 93 minutes, the movie explores supernatural paranoia, religious oppression, feminine subjugation and personal liberation -- all against the spine-tingling outskirts of a town so remote that its very emptiness becomes one of the story's villains. You won't hear a score more haunting or find a fable more ominous than that of "The Witch." [Trailer] (credit:A24)
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