The Year That Was: 2014 in Film

Check out ALL of the PDC end of year lists!

Review: Ava DuVernay's 'Selma'

Starring David Oyelowo

Review: Rob Marshall's 'Into The Woods'

Starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Anna Kendrick

Tim Burton's 'Big Eyes'

Starring Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams

Showing posts with label Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Show all posts

Sunday, December 28, 2014

We've Probably seen the Last of Chris Pine as 'Jack Ryan'


Does anybody even remember Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit came out earlier this year? The film got kind of a raw deal from Paramount, getting booted from its original release date and dumped into January because of The Wolf of Wall Street. The attempted reboot of the Tom Clancy franchise didn't perform well at all, with only $50M domestic and $135M worldwide, and now star Chris Pine says we probably shouldn't look for any sequels...at least not with him in the starring role. While talking to Moviefone about the Disney musical Into the Woods, he had this to say about playing Jack Ryan again...

Pine: "No. I don’t think it made enough money for that to happen. That’s one of my deep regrets, that we didn’t totally get that right. It’s a great franchise and if it’s not me then I hope it gets a fifth life at this point. It’s just great. I love the spy genre. I hope it’s done again and with a great story."

It doesn't help that the film, which was directed by Kenneth Branagh and co-starred Keira Knightley, wasn't very good. Reviews were lukewarm at best, and it didn't seem like the perfect fit for Pine who has yet to prove he's got the kind of star power to lead a franchise. His best performances have all been in ensembles such as Star Trek, Into the Woods, Horrible Bosses 2, and Joe Carnahan's indie comedy Stretch.  It took more than a decade for another Jack Ryan film after Ben Affleck's The Sum of All Fears flopped, and who knows how long it will be before we get another one. Don't forget, this was going to be the start of a series of movies that would have included a spinoff of Kevin Costner's character.  All of those projects appear to be off the table now.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Box Office: 'Ride Along' Runs Over 'I, Frankenstein'



1. Ride Along- $21.1M/$75.4M
In its second week, the Kevin Hart/Ice Cube cop comedy Ride Along slipped 49% but held on to the top spot easily, thanks to only one (and apparently very awful) new release. At this point the film should easily cross $100M and we know a sequel is already coming up. Ride Along Too the Streetz?
2. Lone Survivor- $12.6M/$93.6M
3. The Nut Job- $12.3M/$40.2M
That may seem like a small number for an animated family comedy with talking animals, but Open Road Films is happy enough to crack open a sequel in January 2016.
4. Frozen- $9M/$347.8M
Now ten weeks into release, Frozen has hit $810M worldwide.
5. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit- $8.8M/$30.1M
Paramount's hopeful franchise only dropped 43%, but the damage was done in that mediocre first weekend. With only $76.6M worldwide it doesn't look like the international market is going to save this one. Looks like Chris Pine better keep his Starfleet uniform handy.
6. I, Frankenstein- $8.2M
Was there anybody who thought I, Frankenstein was going to be a hit? Was there anybody who was actually looking forward to it? Even if they were, there were no reviews since the studio hid it from critics; the TV spots and trailers were ridiculous; and there wasn't one star worth building a campaign around. The result is an $8.2M debut and zero chance of recouping the $65M budget.
7. American Hustle- $7.1M/$127M
8. August: Osage County- $5.04M/$26.5M
9. The Wolf of Wall Street- $5M/$98M
10. Devil's Due- $2.7M/$12.8M
Well, it only cost $7M.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Box Office: Record-Breaking Debut for 'Ride Along' as 'Jack Ryan' Washes Out




1. Ride Along- $41.2M
Kevin Hart has solidified himself as box office superstar as the cop comedy Ride Along got off to a record-breaking $41.2M start, ahead of Cloverfield's $40M during the 2008 Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Hart had been on the rise after the surprising success of Think Like a Man, plus his recent concert film Let Me Explain, but this puts him in rare comedy company. Of course having Ice Cube around didn't hurt, and we can probably expect the duo to return in an inevitable sequel.
2. Lone Survivor- $23.2M/$74M
3. The Nut Job- $20.5M
With Frozen finally losing steam, the family crowd had no choice but to seek out The Nut Job, which critics have mostly panned. Budgeted at around $40M, it should have no problem earning that back and then some over the next couple of weeks with little competition in the animation field.
4. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit- $17.2M
Paramount's attempt to revitalize Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan franchise has washed out of the program, failing to even crack $20M which any halfway-decent franchise should do easily. After an 11-year hiatus after the mediocre The Sum of All Fears, it's clear audiences still don't care about Jack Ryan. This is especially sore for star Chris Pine, who has yet to prove himself a bankable lead outside of Star Trek. How long before we get a reboot of the reboot?
5. Frozen- $11.9M/$332.6M
6. American Hustle- $10.6M/$116.4M
Hello, Oscar bump!
7. Devil's Due- $8.5M
Hey, it's another cheapie early year horror flick, and like the others it's already turned a profit on a measly investment.
8. August: Osage County- $7.59M/$18.1M
9. The Wolf of Wall Street- $7.5/$90.2M
10. Saving Mr. Banks- $4.1M/$75.3M

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Review: 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit', Starring Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, and Keira Knightley


Kevin Costner was courted to play Jack Ryan way back in The Hunt for Red October, the first film starring Tom Clancy's analyst. We all know how that story goes though, since they cast Alec Baldwin for the role instead because Costner was busy with Dances With Wolves. Ironically enough, Costner finally gets to be in a Jack Ryan movie, albeit not playing the title character himself. 

Kenneth Branagh brings us the reboot of the franchise with a little bit into Jack's background, a little bit of action, a little bit of suspense, and nothing that is ultimately memorable or new to fans of Ryan's stories except for the more modern global economy and readjustments to geopolitics.


Jack (Chris Pine) is an economics student working on his PhD. in London when 9/11 happens. Eighteen months later, he's a marine and flying with two others over Afghanistan when his helicopter is shot down. Ryan sustains a back injury that leaves him recovering and in physical therapy for eight months. It's there that he meets Cathy Muller (Keira Knightley), a med student studying to be an eye doctor, but is helping Jack get through physical therapy in order to complete her credits. It's there where he also meets William Harper (Kevin Costner), a man who works for the CIA and has read Jack's dissertation and other writings about economics, geopolitics, and whatnot. He convinces Jack to go to work for the CIA as a spy compliance officer on Wall Street, but only after he finishes his PhD. 

Ten years later, Jack is where you expect him to be after his conversation with Harper. There, he uncovers some shady information about stocks and Russia and other financial and economic things that I can't begin to explain to you in any competency. Basically, a man named Victor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh) intends to crush the U.S. dollar after staging a terrorist attack to bring down the U.S. economy. To try and get more information, Harper sends Jack to Russia to meet with Cherevin, but things get complicated when they try to have Jack killed because they suspect he knows about their plot and when Cathy, now his fiancé, shows up in Moscow because she suspects Jack is having an affair. 


The movie's faults don't lie with the cast so much as it does with the script, which has a decent build up, but kind of crashes its way to its finale with a bad guy who's too wooden in motive and personality to really ramp up the stakes. That's not to say that there aren't good suspenseful moments in the film. Because, if anything, Kenneth Branagh can play creepy and threatening pretty well, but there are too many layers missing for it to be credible. 

A lot of people hold Jack Ryan to high esteem. The guy is extremely intelligent and accomplished, so it's easy to understand why. He's a former marine, a PhD., a CIA analyst, and later a professor. But, Jack Ryan the character (at least in the films) isn't an overly exciting person. Some will argue that this is Chris Pine's fault, but the same can be said for when Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck all played Ryan in the past. It's not the actors, but the character himself that falls a little on the stale side of things. 

What is good about this film, however, is that it doesn't throw aside Jack's intelligence. Director Kenneth Branagh (he's pulling double duty) describes Jack as the "every man," which means he doesn't have James Bond's license to kill, nor Jason Bourne's very honed fighting skills. He's just a guy who tries to do good things and finds himself in not-so-good situations. 

The film does have a good cast. Chris Pine fills in the Jack Ryan shoes pretty well. Although as an actor, he's much more entertaining to watch when he has more to do. And this role doesn't give him much in the way of great dialogue, but he can play the action hero really well. He does have great chemistry with Keira Knightley and they're endearing together. 

Their relationship is one of the stronger aspects of the film and there should have been more of it because they are some of the best parts to watch. Their relationship is very equal and much more layered than in the previous films, which is why the personal attack later in the movie is more... well, personal. Knightley has a pretty good American accent, too. And while she falls briefly into the damsel-in-distress category, she's brave enough to want to help Jack out, and that says a lot about her character. 

Kevin Costner gives the tough love in this film and keeps Jack from falling off the proverbial thin line he's walking. He's the type of guy who sees a mission through to its end and doesn't just sit around at his desk giving advice. And Kenneth Branagh has seemingly mastered his Russian accent and plays the baddie like its second nature even when there isn't anything deeper to his character besides being semi-threatening. There's a hint of something else, but we never get any of what's behind it. 

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is much less boring than the previous Jack Ryan movies and much less Jason Bourne-esque than a lot of people assumed it would be, it's ultimately very mediocre. There isn't anything amazing about it or its characters. And while the story tries hard to make us all care that some Russian guy is attempting to bring down our economy, it lacks a more fluid execution and suspense build up. 

It has more action and hyped suspense, and while they do well to portray Jack's nervousness and fear at being in a situation out of his depth, the entire film just feels a little underwhelming. If you enjoyed the previous movies though, then you'll probably like this one as well. It has its semi-entertaining moments, but it's nothing we haven't seen before and is really more of the same when it comes to the typical action/suspense films.






Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Kevin Costner Gets Lethal in New 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' Clip


In anticipation for its release this week, Fandango has posted a new clip from the film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. This one's only thirty five seconds long, but gives a little bit more of a glimpse into Kevin Costner's character. Costner's seen here being Jack's eyes as the older man shoots the lackeys gunning for Jack. Costner's character is extremely accurate and competent in doing his job, so it'll be interesting to see all his characteristics play out on the big screen. 

You can check out the clip below! 

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit hits theaters January 17 and also stars Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, and Kenneth Branagh. 

Synopsis: The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial Intelligence Unit of the modern CIA where he becomes an analyst, under the guardianship of his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner). When Ryan believes he's uncovered a Russian plot to collapse the United States economy, he goes from being an analyst to becoming a spy and must fight to save his own life and those of countless others, while also trying to protect the thing that's more important to him than anything, his relationship with his fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley). 


Wednesday, January 8, 2014

'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' Features Keira Knightley in One of Two New Clips


In a little over a week, Paramount will regale us with the tale of Jack Ryan. Except this will be a newer, more modern version of Jack Ryan and more of an origin story for the well-known Tom Clancy character. It'll be the first movie that isn't based on any of Clancy's previous books about the CIA analyst and Chris Pine will be the fourth actor to step into the character's shoes. 

Two new clips from the film have been released, each dealing with two different but probably important aspects of the plot. The first one is titled "Couples Therapy" and, as you guess, is relationship-based. Ryan's fiance Cathy (played by an American-accented Keira Knightley) is angry with him after finding out that he's been lying to her about who he works for the last three years and Kevin Costner reminds them that this isn't couples therapy. Knightley pulls off a pretty good American accent, too. 



The second clip sees Costner's character, who plays an almost-mentor/handler to Pine's Ryan, let's Jack know that he's no longer just an analyst anymore, but operational. The second clip is pretty straightforward, but everyone may not be as they seem. Especially if the character posters are anything to go by, which you can view here and here. 

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is directed and also stars Kenneth Branagh and hits theaters January 17. 

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Chris Pine and Kenneth Branagh Posters for 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit'



We've seen Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit posters featuring Kevin Costner and Keira Knightley that hint at the multiple agendas of their characters, and now we have two more focusing on Kenneth Branagh and Chris Pine. Branagh, who plays the villain and also directs, is labeled "Capitalist. Terrorist. Patriot.", while Pine is a "Recruit. Agent. Target.". Obviously these characters are more than they appear, but perhaps it's more accurate to say nobody is quite so easily defined.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens January 17th.

PLOT: Based on the character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, “Jack Ryan” is a global action thriller set in the present day.  This original story follow a young Jack (Chris Pine) as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial Intelligence Unit of the modern CIA where he becomes an analyst, under the guardianship of his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner).  When Ryan believes he’s uncovered a Russian plot to collapse the United States economy, he goes from being an analyst to becoming a spy and must fight to save his own life and those of countless others, while also trying to protect the thing that’s more important to him than anything, his relationship with his fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley).

Friday, January 3, 2014

*UPDATE* First Clip and Character Posters for 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit'



If it wasn't for Martin Scorsese's troubles with The Wolf of Wall Street, we'd already be talking about how Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit fared over the holidays. But instead it was bumped down to later this month when it will be one of the year's first potential blockbusters. The first action-packed clip, clocking in at over four minutes has been released, joined by a pair of character posters featuring Keira Knightley and Kevin Costner.  Hers is particularly interesting as the "Accomplice. Asset. Weapon" descriptors suggest she'll be a lot more than just Jack Ryan's wife, but we can probably assume everybody is more than who they seem to be. The clip, very much in the vein of Jason Bourne, shows Ryan putting his fighting skills to the test and making his very first kill. Sure there will be plenty more where that came from.

Directed by and co-starring Kenneth Branagh, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens January 17th.



PLOT: Based on the character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, “Jack Ryan” is a global action thriller set in the present day.  This original story follow a young Jack (Chris Pine) as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial Intelligence Unit of the modern CIA where he becomes an analyst, under the guardianship of his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner).  When Ryan believes he’s uncovered a Russian plot to collapse the United States economy, he goes from being an analyst to becoming a spy and must fight to save his own life and those of countless others, while also trying to protect the thing that’s more important to him than anything, his relationship with his fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley).

Monday, December 2, 2013

New Posters for 'Rio 2', 'The Immigrant', 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit', and 'Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones'


Rio 2 opens April 11th 2014.

PLOT: The entire cast of the animated smash RIO returns in RIO 2, and they are joined by a new flock of top actors and musical talents. Rich with grandeur, character, color and music, RIO 2 finds Jewel (Anne Hathaway), Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and their three kids leaving their domesticated life in that magical city for a journey to the Amazon. They encounter a menagerie of characters who are born to be wild, voiced by Oscar nominee Andy Garcia, Oscar/Emmy/Tony-winner Rita Moreno, Grammy winner Bruno Mars, and Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth.


Directed by James Gray and starring Jeremy Renner, Marion Cotillard, and Joaquin Phoenix, The Immigrant opens in 2014.

PLOT: 1920. In search of a new start and the American dream, Ewa Cybulski and her sister Magda sail to New York from their native Poland. When they reach Ellis Island, doctors discover that Magda is ill, and the two women are separated. Ewa is released onto the mean streets of Manhattan while her sister is quarantined. Alone, with nowhere to turn and desperate to reunite with Magda, she quickly falls prey to Bruno, a charming but wicked man who takes her in and forces her into prostitution. And then one day, Ewa encounters Bruno’s cousin, the debonair magician Orlando. He sweeps Ewa off her feet and quickly becomes her only chance to escape the nightmare in which she finds herself.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens January 17th 2014, starring Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, and director Kenneth Branagh.

PLOT: Based on the character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, “Jack Ryan” is a global action thriller set in the present day. This original story follow a young Jack (Chris Pine) as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot. 

The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial Intelligence Unit of the modern CIA where he becomes an analyst, under the guardianship of his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner). When Ryan believes he’s uncovered a Russian plot to collapse the United States economy, he goes from being an analyst to becoming a spy and must fight to save his own life and those of countless others, while also trying to protect the thing that’s more important to him than anything, his relationship with his fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley). 


The Latino-themed spinoff Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones opens January 3rd 2014.

PLOT: After being "marked," Jesse begins to be pursued by mysterious forces while his family and friends try to save him.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

New Posters for 'Anchorman 2', 'About Last Night', 'Divergent', and 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit'



An epic-sized sequel like Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues deserves a marketing push that's kind of a big deal. Four new larger-than-life character posters have been released featuring everybody's favorite Channel 4 News Team: Ron Burgundy, Brian Fantana, Champ Kind, and Brick Tamland. What? No Harrison Ford as Mack Harken? Gotta get on that, Paramount! Anchorman 2 goes live on December 20th.

I don't know if calling these new one-sheets for About Last Night characters is totally accurate, but they sure are clever. Um, and a little plucky. Starring Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Michael Ealy, and Joy Bryant, the Steve Pink-directed comedy is a remake of the 1986 rom-com about two couples trying to turn their flings into mature relationships and not having a lot of luck. If that "wingman" image of Hart and Ealy doesn't make you want to see this then nothing will. About Last Night opens next Valentine's Day.

It's nothing but character posters today as Summit Entertainment has released a new one for Divergent. We've seen two similar ones featuring stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James, and now it's Maggie Q's turn. She plays Tori, a member of the Dauntless faction and the one who discovers Tris (Woodley) is a powerful Divergent and doesn't fit into any faction. Directed by Neil Burger, Divergent arrives next year on March 21st.


Left twisting in the wind for a few weeks while Paramount decided what to do with Martin Scorsese's delayed The Wolf of Wall Street, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit was finally bumped from next month to January 17th 2014. Should we be worried about the studio's willingness to drop the Tom Clancy property into the cinematic waste bin? Or will its obvious star power and franchise cred boost it to greater heights with less competition? Those are the questions, but in the meantime a new poster has been issued. Starring Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, and Kenneth Branagh (who also directs), the film has Jack Ryan attempting to stop an act of economic terrorism perpetrated by the Russians. Oh, that Putin. Such a cut up.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' Bumped to January 2014; Gets IMAX Release


Even before Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street was moved from November to a Christmas release date there were rumblings that Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit would get moved to next year. The month of December is packed with both Oscar contenders and high-profile blockbusters, and the film was being lost even with a fresh marketing campaign just kicking off. And now Paramount has gone ahead and made things official by bumping it to January 17th 2014 when it will hit theaters and IMAX.

Chris Pine is the latest to play the popular Tom Clancy character in a mission that has him trying to stop an act of economic terrorism. Kenneth Branagh directs and co-stars as the villain, joined by Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, Colm Feore, and David Paymer.

It's unclear whether this move raises the film's prospects, though. While there is definitely less competition to deal with, audiences tend to avoid the movies altogether in the early part of the year. They turn out mainly for lower-budgeted genre films, but the numbers those movies haul in wouldn't be enough for 'Jack Ryan' to make Paramount happy.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

'The Wolf of Wall Street' Moving to Christmas; 'Jack Ryan' Possibly to Early 2014



Questions have been surrounding the release of Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street for months as the director has struggled to wrap up the final edit with longtime collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker. Meeting its November 15th date was off the table, but Scorsese promised to have it ready by November 25th, which would have meant a December release and enough time for Paramount to launch a late-season marketing campaign. And now it looks like that's exactly how the situation will play out, according to a report by the LA Times.

The financial world film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and based on the Jordan Belfort memoir about his rapid rise and fall from grace as a stockbroker in the '80s and '90s, is being moved to Christmas Day when it will become a key entry into the Oscar race. The jam-packed date will have it squaring off against fellow Oscar contenders The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Jason Reitman's Labor Day, and August: Osage County, along with non-contenders Grudge Match and Keanu Reeves' 47 Ronin.

Wait, doesn't Paramount have Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit slated for that day, as well? While no decision has been made, the story suggests that it could get moved to the early part of 2014, possibly January. Generally considered a cinematic dumping ground, the Chris Pine-led actioner could face less competition, but it's also a time when audiences tend to stay indoors and away from the movies.

A final decision is expected to come down in the next few days.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

New International Trailer for 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit'



Paramount took their time unveiling Kenneth Branagh's Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, but with the film set to open in just a couple of months they're pulling out all of the stops. After the first trailer debuted just last week, a second one has hit and reconfirms that Tom Clancy's most popular CIA analyst has now become a Jason Bourne clone.

At least that's the takeaway from all of the footage that has been revealed, with star Chris Pine beating up bad guys and taking the field to foil explosive terrorist plots. It's a very different sort of film than we got in The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games , Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum of All Fears, but it's one that may play better to audiences looking for more action than political intrigue. The flip side is that there's very little about the film that stands out as special.

Branagh directs and co-stars alongside Kevin Costner and Keira Knightley, and we can expect to see Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit in theaters Christmas Day.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Relax, Martin Scorsese Plans to Have 'The Wolf of Wall Street' Ready for 2013


A couple of weeks ago it was beginning to look like Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street would follow the same path as fellow Oscar hopefuls Grace of Monaco and Foxcatcher by moving to 2014. The problem had to do with Scorsese's initial cut of the film which still needed some extensive editing, enough that it was unlikely the film would be ready by its November 15th release date. Paramount essentially tied its fate with that of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, suggesting the Tom Clancy thriller could get moved to next January if Scorsese's film is delayed until December. But it sounds like the crisis may have been averted.

Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker are aiming to have the film in the can by November 25th, which would give Paramount ample time to start pumping up the marketing campaign. It began a few weeks ago with a fairly insane trailer, but the push has been halted recently while Scorsese figured out his next move.  The date is important because he leaves to judge the Marrakesh Film Festival soon after, so the film basically has to be completed by then.

So nothing is set in stone and there's still a chance that Scorsese doesn't get it finished. The Wolf of Wall Street should have a major impact on the Academy Awards race one way or another. [Showbiz411]

Thursday, October 3, 2013

First Trailer for 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit' Starring Chris Pine


Inevitably, there were some who speculated that Paramount's release of the first Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit poster was a way of using Tom Clancy's death as a launching pad for the marketing campaign. If that were the case it'd be beyond tacky, and there's no proof it was ever in their thoughts even if it couldn't have hurt to draw some added attention. Traditionally, the poster always hits a day or two before the trailer emerges, and that's exactly what we have now.

The first trailer for the unfortunately-titled Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit has arrived, starring Chris Pine as Clancy's most popular character (sorry, Sam Fisher fans!). He picks up the mantle left by Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, and Ben Affleck, playing a younger version of Ryan investigating his boss who plans to commit an act of economic terrorism. Kenneth Branagh directs and sports a Drago accent as the villain, while Keira Knightley is Ryan's wife who discovers his double-life as an agent. We get glimpses of action and a lot of Kevin Costner as Ryan's CIA handler, and he instantly seems like more of a central figure than Pine, which could be a problem. While he's done quite well as part of the Star Trek ensemble, Pine has yet to prove he can be a major box office draw. Personally, I think he's boring as dry toast and if this film fails it will be because of him.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit opens on Christmas Day.


Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Trailer (Chris Pine, Keira Knightley & Kevin Costner) by cinemur