Jack Ryan season 2 is already a go at Amazon!
We are still quite far from the 31st August debut of Amazon’s Jack Ryan television series, which depicts John Krasinski – in a form that’s surreal to fans of his classic TV run as Jim on The Office – as an early-career version of author Tom Clancy’s iconic thwarter of terrorism and geopolitical conflicts. However, Amazon does not intend to wait out the feedback, instead opting to give Jack Ryan season 2 a preemptive greenlight for an 8-episode run (just like season 1).
As Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke explains of the move:
“With so much early anticipation for Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan from our customers and personally having the pleasure to preview the exhilarating, action-packed first season, we are excited to greenlight a second season of the series months ahead of its debut. The new season will take our unexpected hero to a new, exciting and dangerous world.”
Of course, all this talk about the second season makes one forget that we’re still (as of this writing,) over four months away from the first season. Yet, the early renewal for the series will – regardless of how it actually turns out – give Jack Ryan a must-see reputation. Indeed, co-showrunner Carlton Cuse states of the early hype:
“We’re thrilled that the first season has generated so much enthusiasm. We couldn’t be happier to be working with Amazon and to be filming very near the Amazon to tell the next great Jack Ryan adventure.”
Yet, a lot of the Jack Ryan momentum has to do with star John Krasinski himself, who is coming off the inventive – potentially bellwether – horror movie, A Quiet Place, for which he served as its star (alongside his wife, Emily Blunt,) and its director. The film, which is currently (as of this writing,) riding the top spot of the box office, not only proved to be a lucrative hit, but established Krasinski as quite the action/horror Renaissance man. Consequently, Amazon probably wanted to lock him into Jack Ryan season 2 as soon as humanly possible.
As Amy Powell, president of producing studio Paramount Television, says of Krasinski:
“From day one we only had one actor on our casting board for this series – John Krasinski. We are so excited that he is our Jack Ryan and we get to make another season with this incredibly talented team. We have been blown away by what our whole team has delivered for season one and we can’t wait for everyone to see it this summer.”
However, Amazon has another reason to justify the Jack Ryan season 2 renewal, pointing to a 400% increase in Prime Members in the aftermath of its Super Bowl ads, necessitating a boost in original content.
As for the plans for Jack Ryan season 2, it appears that things will stay the course regarding the personnel. The showrunners in executive producers Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) and Graham Roland (Fringe, Prison Break) will remain in place, and star John Krasinski will also maintain his status as executive producer.
Additionally, Wendell Pierce (Unsolved, Selma, The Wire), who plays James Greer in season 1, is confirmed for a return in season 2.