Some casting possibilities just screw entertainingly with your head. For a day now I've been chewing on the news that Spider-man director Sam Raimi—Mr. Evil Dead—will head a franchise revival of Jack Ryan, the CIA agent created by author Tom Clancy and played by three actors in four different movies. Alec Baldwin played Ryan first in 1990's The Hunt for Red October. Harrison Ford, sixteen years older than Baldwin, replaced him in 1992's Patriot Games and 1994's A Clear and Present Danger. Then Ben Affleck, thirty years younger than Ford and fourteen years younger than Baldwin, stepped into the breach for 2002's The Sum of All Fears. Confused? Not me, as long as the movies hit the sweet spot. They mostly did, grossing nearly $800 million worldwide. My fave is A Clear and Present Danger, especially the scene in which Ford's Ryan dresses down the President. The Hunt for Red October is also a goodie, but Baldwin is upstaged by Sean Connery—it's hard to resist a Russian submarine captain with a Scottish accent. And Affleck basically got lost in the pyrotechnics of The Sum of All Fears.
Which leaves me with two critical questions:
1. Who is your favorite Jack Ryan so far? I'm going with Ford, then Baldwin, then Affleck
2. Who is your pick to play Ryan in the new, younger-skewing franchise? (Hell, they're doing it with Daniel Craig as James Bond, why not here?) I wouldn't kick if Ryan Gosling took a shot at the role. He's immensely talented and hasn't done a franchise film character as yet. That lets out Matt Damon, who is the once and forever Jason Bourne. Christian Bale is Batman. Jake Gyllenhall, maybe. Or Joaquin Phoenix? Could Casey Affleck pull it off and show up his older brother? Or how about Terrence Howard in the age of Obama? Or even Cate Blanchett, in the age of Hillary, and she can play it as either sex? Suggestions, please.
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STARGATE | September 27, 2008 6:26 PM
Josh Duhamel. He proves that he can do action in Transformers and I think he could pull off the more sophisticated parts too. Perfect Jack Ryan.
UMCanes | May 22, 2008 8:34 PM
Jack is an analyst, yet former Marine, but not 007.
Irish-American and has black hair with blue eyes in the books.
I'd vote for Edward Norton or Ryan Philippe w/dark hair (a la "Breach"). Ryan P proved he could pull off an intelligence role, whereas Norton just gives off this young Jack Ryan vibe.
cassey affleck | March 31, 2008 2:17 PM
F u c k y o u
ben affleck was the worst jack ryan
jack nicholson | March 31, 2008 1:50 PM
ryan gosling sux!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rachel McAdams | March 28, 2008 4:52 PM
Ryan gosling has reported to having rhinoplasty ,not that i care but it's hard to think as Jack Ryan as a girly man , i'm just saying...
marlon brando | March 28, 2008 2:53 PM
Ryan gosling is way overated
as a actor He plays it "cool" to much and ,yes lars and the real girl went aganst that style of acting.. He's 26 and getting better i've studied acting for 30 yr's this is alot of Hype he's the it boy
right now ,you have everyone sayng he's a great actor and before any movie he does next there already saying he's great
let him do something first,
and Half Nelson way overrated ,
the Beliver was very good ..
timalex | March 27, 2008 12:39 AM
Why not Ryan Phillipe, he could flourish in such a character role.
Grammy | March 24, 2008 4:26 PM
Will Smith is awesome at saving the world and looking fine while doing it.
JD | March 24, 2008 12:24 PM
Its funny, a lot of people are saying Ryan Gosling. When i first saw the heading, i was breaking up my favorite after-school snack and thought "Ryan Gosling" before even reading the article.
john a | March 24, 2008 1:50 AM
I think John Cusack would be perfect for the role. he has the right amount of everything to bring to it. he can do the buttoned down agent thing good but also has a some tough guy bravado to get by. plus he can be funny too, which the franchise could use a little humor in the right spots
Garak | March 22, 2008 7:53 PM
the guy who plays Hawkins from Jericho.. he is African American but no one said Ryan had to be white... and he is very very good
Anonymous | March 22, 2008 3:50 PM
Aaron Eckhart
Libby VP | March 21, 2008 10:33 PM
it depends on how young you want the guy to look. If James McAvoy could get a baby shot of balls, then maybe he could. Maybe. Otherwise Clive Owen always sounds good. And hey, if all else fails you can haul in Johnny Depp...kidding.
Humpydog | March 21, 2008 6:31 PM
Er...Thomas, the NYT's Helen Thomas. And I was just so excited and pleased.
Humpydog | March 21, 2008 6:27 PM
My vote? In the new Clancy Ryan series "The Teeth of the Tiger" starring Robert "Bob" Novack as Jack Ryan Sr. and Verne Troyer as his bastard son Jack Jr. The shameful love child of a drunken tryst between Ryan (Novack) and an underground news paper reporter Haley(the NYT's Helen Cooper). Like "Mulholland Drive" meets "Rambo VI"
ALIASd | March 21, 2008 6:03 PM
Ryan Gosling was the first name that leapt to mind when I saw the story a few days ago.
Robert H. | March 21, 2008 5:03 PM
My vote is for Ryan Gossling. He has the chops to make it interesting and he showed in Fracture that he can play a likable character in a drama role.
In terms of past Ryans, obviously Harrison Ford was the best. He can do vulnerability/intensity/inteligence better than anyone. However, hunt for red October was the best movie by far.
However, my question is, what Jack Ryan movie is worth making now that the cold war is over? I think the Cardinal of the Kremlin is the best Clancy book that hasnt been made into a movie (minus red storm rising but thats not Ryan). The post cold war Clancy novels are all trash. As soon as Ryan made it into the White house the series became laughable.
PL | March 21, 2008 5:00 PM
Why not Harrison Ford again. These movies, which I own all of on DVD are mostly "intelligence" work so age shouldn't be that much of a factor. Harrison Ford is "Jack Ryan." If this can't happen, why not give an older and more mature Ben Affleck another chance at Jack Ryan.
Baldwin was Jack ryan | March 21, 2008 3:45 PM
Alex Baldwin is to Jack Ryan as Sean Connery is to James Bond.
Harrison Ford is to Jack Ryan what Roger Moore is to James Bond
Affleck, well I cannot decide if he is more Lazenby or Dalton.
I think Josh Brolin would be excellent, as would Ryan Gosling.
James | March 21, 2008 1:50 PM
Edward Norton would definitely be cool. The age thing is tough to pin down because as noted, it tends to jump all around. Red Dragon showed in Norton in a great serious US agent role. At any rate it has to be someone who plays subtle well. The great thing about the Jack Ryan series is that he doesn't always have the answers so it can't be someone who only knows how to play overconfident or who overplays being confused. I think Casey Affleck actually did a great job of this kind of role in Gone Baby Gone.
J Sean | March 21, 2008 11:59 AM
Ryan phillipe is a good choice if you want to go younger. Also, Mark Ruffalo could bring some depth to the role, as well as believability as a CIA agent.
zach s | March 21, 2008 8:54 AM
I think traver's suggestions for casey affleck and terrance howard are good ones. both actors would do a great job. I would also agree with Joaquin Phoenix. What about Ryan Reynolds? He is really showing his acting chops, like in Smoking Aces, and could prob do a good job. Or, and I know everybody seems to be hating him, what about Colin Ferrel. He is a really good actor no matter what people give him shit about. I just saw In Bruges and he was amazing in that!!!! He just hasnt been able to get good roles, and this could be a good franchise to finally get him some credibility.
E! | March 21, 2008 7:33 AM
Clive Owen, plain and simple, although Mark Wahlberg could be a fine, properly 'stern' fit as well.
Along with Christian Bale, Owen is the future of cinema. They're the DeNiro/Pacino of the coming years.
366songs.com | March 21, 2008 7:21 AM
I think a pretty obvious pick would be Eric Bana, who showed that he can handle action and emotion in Munich. I don't think it's likely we'll be seeing a Munich sequel (at least I hope not... that would be ridiculous), so it's not like he's tied up in that spy franchise.
kickin | March 21, 2008 6:53 AM
how about Josh Brolin?? he seems to be goin up n up.. Valley of Ellah, No country, American gangster..
Phil | March 20, 2008 11:33 PM
Since he's probably not going to play Captain America (a nearly unforgivable casting error, I'd say), how about Nathan Fillion? He can combine the brawny swagger of Ford with the goofy intellectualism of Baldwin. Best of both worlds, just like Locutus.
brucecampbellrocks | March 20, 2008 9:10 PM
#1: The Hunt for Red October is my favorite Ryan movie, so I have to go with Alec Baldwin as my favorite Ryan.
#2: My Jack Ryan wish list:
1) Eric Bana: If he can steal scenes as Hector from Brad Pitt's Achilles in Troy and hold his own with Robert Duvall in Lucky You, this Aussie and former Hulk deserves a shot at being the new face of an American franchise. His age may be a factor, though.
2) Tie: Edward Norton and Peter Sarsgaard. Age may count against them as well, but they certainly have the intellect and the daring for the Ryan role.
3) Tie: Ryan Phillipe and Chris Cooper. These Breach co-stars skew to the younger (Phillipe) and older (Cooper). Even if Cooper isn't Jack Ryan, it would be a plus if the Ryan franchise finds characters for Cooper and David Strathairn and Joan Allen, Cooper's terrific Bourne franchise co-stars.
Finally, the big question for me is what role does Sam Raimi have in mind for his Michigan buddy Bruce Campbell? Part of the fun of Raimi movies is spotting Campbell, and I trust Raimi's Ryan franchise will be no exception.
Andrew | March 20, 2008 8:30 PM
Billy Crudup...Barry Pepper
JG | March 20, 2008 7:49 PM
My vote goes for Steve Zahn. He is comming up, I just saw him in the mini-series "Comanche Moon" WOW!
Erica G. | March 20, 2008 7:05 PM
Mark Wahlberg? He's got the All-American look down-pat from
Shooter and Three Kings...
justin d | March 20, 2008 5:46 PM
Clive Owen?
I personally think he should've nabbed the spot for the new Bond, but hey, this would work too.