Amazon: John Krasinski to star in new Jack Ryan series

John Krasinski is the next Jack Ryan… on Amazon.

The Office vet has signed up to headline Jack Ryan, a drama series based on Tom Clancy’s novels featuring the day-saving exploits of the CIA superstar, EW has confirmed.

The show, which is being developed by Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) and Graham Roland (Fringe, The Returned) and produced by Paramount Television, has secured a series commitment. Although Jack Ryan has not been greenlit yet, the plan is for it to eschew the typical Amazon pilot route and go straight to series. Michael Bay, who worked with Krasinski on the recent big-screen action drama 13 Hours, is among the show’s executive producers.

The show is being considered a fresh take on the Jack Ryan character, and the novels will serve as source material. Five Jack Ryan movies starring four different actors — Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford (x2), Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine — have been made, dating back to 1990’s The Hunt for Red October. The most recent, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, was released in 2014.

Krasinski’s recent credits include 13 Hours, the indie comedy-drama The Hollars, which he directed and stars in, and Aloha. He also executive-produces Spike TV’s Lip Sync Battle, which grew out of a bit that he did on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Krasinski has existing ties to Amazon: At Sundance this year, the streaming service snapped up the indie film Manchester By The Sea, which Krasinski executive-produces and stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, and Kyle Chandler.

Deadline first reported the news.