John Krasinski has had a hell of a career over the last several years thanks to a ton of amazing gigs. Between directing the first two installments of A Quiet Place (along with appearing in both movies, albeit briefly in the sequel), as well playing Jack Ryan as part of the lineup of Amazon Prime shows, the former The Office star has shed his Jim persona quite effectively.
With the latest developments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe offering him a potential new gig in the world of movies, the news that Jack Ryan is ending isn’t too surprising. Though what is pleasantly making news is the fact that a potential spinoff starring MCU alum Michael Peña could spell big news for Prime Video’s Ryan-verse. Be warned, there are SPOILERS for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ahead!
Jack Ryan Season 4 Will Be The Last For John Krasinski
Though Season 3 is still waiting for an official premiere date, Deadline has reported that Season 4 of Jack Ryan will be its last. Apparently John Krasinski was committed to only four seasons anyway, so this is more of a logical departure point than a surprise cancellation.
Of course, that contractual obligation came at a, shall we say, fantastic time, seeing as Krasinski made his big debut as Reed Richards in last weekend’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Despite his character’s untimely fate, the world is still questioning just what’s going on with John Krasinski and the MCU.
One piece of the potential puzzle may be solved, as a failure to renew the popular Jack Ryan series seems to hint that Krasinski will continue playing one of Fantastic Four’s key leads. Even better still, some think that this new opportunity might go a bit deeper, allowing him to also direct the Marvel movie, filling the vacancy left by recently departed director Jon Watts.
Windows and doors seem to be closing and opening with Jack Ryan’s countdown to the end. As for Michael Peña, it's unclear if he'll be returning to the MCU in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, but even if that happens, he too might a new gig that involves a shift in the Marvel Studios ecosystem. Should this go through, it could mean huge things for the Ryan-verse’s continuation.
A Potential Spinoff With Michael Peña’s New Jack Ryan Character Could Mean Big Things
Apparently Jack Ryan’s forthcoming Season 3 finale is the key to a new spinoff that’s being developed. Michael Peña is allegedly showing up in that episode, playing a character Tom Clancy fans should recognize in name alone: Domingo “Ding” Chavez. A fixture in several of Clancy’s novels, there’s one possibility that feels ripe for the taking, should this be the character that Peña is indeed playing.
Most notably, there’s “no firm concept or script” for this spinoff, and all that’s been officially announced is that Michael Peña will be in Jack Ryan Season 3. That being said, if Ding Chavez is joining the party, then Michael B. Jordan’s excitement over potentially Rainbow Six adaptation may be justified. As the ending to Without Remorse clearly laid the groundwork for that to happen, these unconfirmed rumors of a Peña-led spinoff in development seem to align with movement on that front.
If this is the case, then John Krasinski is leaving his Jack Ryan days behind at the right time. Seeing as Tom Clancy’s legendary character eventually becomes President and serves in that post during Rainbow Six’s events, it’s starting to feel like a plan is in motion. Maybe there’s still hope for an eventual Splinter Cell movie/series after all, should Prime Video stick the landing.
For now, the first two seasons of Jack Ryan are currently available to stream for Amazon Prime subscribers. Season 3’s debut is still awaiting an official premiere date. Speculation says it should drop in 2022, with Season 4 concluding things in 2023, but we'll have to wait and see what official news comes down the line.
