Everything you need to know about Amazon Prime’s Jack Ryan

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is getting another outing, this time thanks to Amazon Prime Video. Before the release of the series tomorrow, here’s a look at everything you need to know.

If there’s one name you’ve likely heard of in TV, movies, and books, it’s Jack Ryan. Tom Clancy’s American answer to Britain’s James Bond is getting another outing, this time thanks to Amazon Studios. The Prime Original is set to drop tomorrow.

John Krasinski takes on the character this time, but he’s been played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford (personally, my favorite), Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine. There are 21 books, now on a Jack Ryan Jr. series because Tom Clancy died in 2013 and Mark Greaney has taken over successfully, and five movies.

So, where will this TV outing sit in the chronology?

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Honestly, it’s not going to be easy to follow the chronology of all the movies. The last movie is more of a prequel. Definitely confusing.

It’s best to take Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime as a separate entity that takes parts of the books and transforms them for the modern day. After all, the novels were originally released in the 1980s. So, with that in mind, here’s all you need to know about the Amazon Prime Original.

Watch Jack Ryan with Amazon Prime

Who and when

We’re starting from the very beginning. This is an origin story for Jack Ryan, showing him as a pen pusher in the CIA, who just happens to stumble across a terrorist organization. With no in-field experience, he’s teamed with James Greer, who has all the tactical experience you’d need.

These two are sure to make a good team with a lot of laughable, embarrassing, and cringe-worthy moments. Greer has been demoted to a desk job and is looking to prove himself. The last thing he wants is to babysit Jack but then realizes that, actually, this guy knows his stuff. He’s book smart and that can go a long way.

John Krasinski takes on the role of Jack Ryan with Suits‘ Wendell Pierce playing James Greer. The casting of the two was important, and it sounds like absolutely everyone is happy with casting Krasinski.

Focus on authenticity

Amazon hasn’t been shy about promoting Jack Ryan. One of the featurettes earlier this month was about authenticity in the series. Navy SEALs and others with tactical experience have been pulled in to help train the actors on clearing rooms, firing weapons, and much more. There’s a sense of these guys really being out there in the desert.

On top of that, the weapons are all real. They’re firing blanks of course, but the actors have the real weights the team would have out in the field.

Filming took part in various parts of the world to bring a sense of new place and culture. This is important since Jack Ryan is taken across Europe and the Middle East to take down this terrorist plot.

New characters for the series

Some of the characters are new to this particular series. This helps to add a layer of originality to the series, without taking away the focus from the original story. While we have Jack and James as the main characters, look out for a number of characters you’ll never have heard of before.

One of those is Matice played by John Hoogenakker. However, there are many more throughout.

Number of episodes and seasons

There will be 10 episodes in this first season. Rather than running a pilot to determine the potential storyline like network TV, Amazon opted to order straight to series for all 10 episodes and all will drop together on Aug. 31.

Four months before the Jack Ryan premiere, Amazon ordered a second season. This has been based on the success of the promotional materials so far. South America has already been confirmed as the setting for the second season and both Krasinski and Pierce will return.

Hoogenakker has been promoted to series regular for the second season, which is a bit of a hint of what doesn’t happen to his character in the first. Noomi Rapace, Cristina Umaña, Michael Kelly, Jordi Molla, Francisco Denis, and Jovan Adepo will also join as series regulars for the second season.

Production for Jack Ryan Season 2 has already begun.

What do you think of John Krasinski in Jack Ryan? Are you excited for the Prime Original? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

There isn’t long to wait now. Jack Ryan Season 1 will air on Amazon Prime Video on Aug. 31.