Season three of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is on Prime Video December 21. John Krasinski stars. There are eight episodes.
We spoke with Vaun Wilmott, executive producer, about Krasinski, who of course played Jim Halpert on The Office. “He brings a real humanity, a likeability, a believability to the character,” said Wilmott.
In the new season, Ryan is working as a CIA case officer in Rome when he is tipped off that the Sokol Project, a secret plan to restore the Soviet empire, is being resurrected. Ryan aims to confirm the intelligence, but things go awry and he is implicated in a larger conspiracy.
"Accused of treason, with a Red Notice out for his arrest, Jack is forced to run from his own government, if he has any hope of uncovering the rogue faction before it’s too late," said Prime Video. "Crisscrossing Europe as he is hunted by former allies and new enemies alike, Jack races against the clock to stop the cascade of destabilizing conflicts from leading to global catastrophe."
Crisscrossing Europe, indeed. The show ventures all over the globe, including Italy, Greece, Austria and the Czech Republic. Wendell Pierce portrays CIA officer James Greer and Michael Kelly plays former CIA officer Mike November. As much action as the show offers, Wilmott said it’s the quieter moments between Ryan, Greer and November that he enjoys the most. He mentioned "when things slow down and there’s a fun moment between friends."
Krasinski is an executive producer too. Wilmott called him a key voice in helping "shape the world, the storyline and the episodes" of the series.
Executive producers along with Wilmott and Krasinski are Andrew Form, Allyson Seeger, Brad Fuller and Michael Bay. Tom Clancy and Skydance Television’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bill Bost executive produce the third season, along with Mace Neufeld and Carlton Cuse.
Author Clancy died in 2013.
Clancy's books work on the screen, Wilmott said, because of their "clear moral compass" that the viewer can get behind. "You like Jack Ryan and you root for him and support the good-versus-evil drive the character has," he said. "In today’s world, everything is gray, not black and white. It’s nice to follow a character where you know where he stands and he always tries to do the right thing, even if he has to do some wrong things to get there."
Wilmott added, "You always know his heart is in the right place." ■
