BREAKING MOVIE/TV NEWS

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

"Spider-Man" Raimi Doing "Jack Ryan"...


Paramount Pictures is in negotiations with Sam Raimi to lead a franchise revival of CIA agent 'Jack Ryan', created by author Tom Clancy.

Raimi would develop and direct a series of films to be produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Raimi's Buckaroo Entertainment partner Josh Donen.

The new films would feature Ryan at a younger, more formative point in his career than previously depicted.



Paramount wants the Ryan movie ready for release by summer 2010.

Actor Alec Baldwin originated Ryan in 1990's The Hunt for Red October with Harrison Ford replacing him in 1992's Patriot Games and 1994's Clear and Present Danger. Ben Affleck played Ryan in 2002's The Sum of All Fears.



The four films grossed $781.5 million worldwide.

Clancy is completing another Ryan novel, but Paramount hasn't decided if it will use the new book or come up with an original story.

Paramount controls rights to the Ryan character, and gets first look at the new novel.

Raimi was drawn to the project because he loves the character. The studio was attracted by Raimi's skill in navigating a franchise, following a trio of Spider-Man blockbusters.

The idea is to make the Ryan character more marketable in line with Paramount's other pop
franchises Indiana Jones and Star Trek...