After reporting last week that Keira Knightley was in the running for the lead role in the upcoming Jack Ryan film, alongside Evangeline Lilly and Felicity Jones, we can now confirm that Knightley has indeed beat out the other two. THR tells us that the actress is now in final negotiations to join actor Chris Pine in Paramount’s upcoming film.
Keira Knightley will play Ryan’s wife in the film, which sees the titular character (played by Pine) as a “a Marine-turned-financial-analyst, discovering a plot by his Moscow employer to bring down the U.S economy, and going on the run to save both his country and his missus (Knightley).”
Set to direct is Kenneth Branagh, who will also be starring opposite Pine as the film’s main villain. But, aside from Pine, Knightley and Branagh, we don’t have any further casting to report.
The talent already on board for Jack Ryan is looking pretty good and you can be sure that those three names will undoubtedly attract some more A-list actors.
No release date yet either but expect a Christmas 2013 drop for this one, as Paramount is hoping to turn it into a blockbuster in hopes of creating a whole series of Tom Clancy films, which may all link together one day in similar fashion to how Marvel did it with The Avengers.
The Jack Ryan universe is a big one so there are a ton of possibilities if Paramount indeed hopes to follow in Marvel’s footsteps. Though this film is just the first stepping stone in the studio’s plan, it looks like it’s going to be very promising.
