movie news: First still of Chris Pine as Jack Ryan

I’m a fan of Chris Pine. This is a true fact. Yes, yes, I’m pro-Chris Pine.

Unfortunately for me and his legions of other fans (I assume I’m not alone on this camp site) news on Mr. Pine is fairly thin on the ground. After stepping up as a leading man in Star Trek 2009 it looked like we were going to see him all over the place and then… nothing.

Well, not nothing exactly.

Later in 2009 we got Carriers, released by Paramount’s arthouse wing Paramount Vantage, then in 2010 we got the big budget Denzel Washington vehicle Unstoppable… but then nothing in 2011. He was off doing Star Trek II (or is that Star Trek 12, or what is it) and when that was pushed back it all went quiet.

Until… This Means War earlier this year. Which was a grand ole flick if you like eating popcorn. He’s also got a family drama called People Like Us on the way in November, if you like that sort of thing. This is hardly enough to sustain a fan like me. ‘Tis cruel I tells ya.

Anyway, finally, today there’s news. It turns out he’s all done on Star Trek: The Next Star Trek Starring Chris Pine and he’s now filming the latest Jack Ryan film, called (at the moment) Jack Ryan.

Jack Ryan is a Tom Clancy creation who was portrayed in a number of films in the ’90s. Alec Baldwin had him covered in The Hunt for Red October while Harrison Ford stepped in for Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. In 2002 Ben Affleck resurrected the character for The Sum of All Fears.

This new Jack Ryan film is being directed by Kenneth Branagh, fresh from his foray into blockbuster territory with Thor. Chris is being kept company by Keira Knightley and Kevin Costner with Kenneth Branagh stepping in front of the camera to play the villain.

I don’t really have much by way of detail on the plot. It appears the film will be a prequel to Tom Clancy’s series of novels. The synopsis on IMDb reads “Jack Ryan segues from the Marine Corps to a position as a financial consultant for a Russian billionaire, where he’s framed in a terrorist plot and forced to go on the run.” and Keira Knightley has been revealed as his wife though it is not yet clear what role Kevin Costner is playing.

I have to admit now that it’s a pretty nondescript still to base a whole news post on…

… But it gave me an excuse to write about Chris Pine, so here you go.