Michael B. Jordan makes an action-packed entrance into Tom Clancy’s universe in the first trailer for Without Remorse. Clancy’s 1993 book of the same name is the origin story of John Clark, a former Navy Seal, who is a recurring character in the Jack Ryan series. While Jack Ryan has been played by several Hollywood A-listers over the years, Clark only appeared in Clear and Present Danger, as a supporting character. Played in that movie by Willem Dafoe, there was hope he’d reappear in an adaptation of Without Remorse back in the 90s. But the property languished in development hell at Paramount for decades before they finally attached director Stefano Sollima to the project.
Michael B. Jordan takes the reins in this reboot of the character, and the trailer looks promising. He’s called John Kelly, so expect to discover how he acquires the John Clark persona. Read the synopsis below.
“An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, the explosive origin story of action hero John Clark – one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe. When a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret op, Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) pursues the assassins at all costs. Joining forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), Kelly’s mission unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy.”
Paramount canceled their original plan to release Without Remorse in theaters due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Amazon Studios purchased the rights to stream the film on their platform, which opens up the possibility of a shared universe with Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, the headlining show on Amazon Prime. Look out for Jamie Bell, who plays Robert Ritter, another character with a long association with Jack Ryan. The possibility of Jordan, Bell, and John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan inhabiting a shared universe is too good to pass up.
Without Remorse hits Amazon Prime Video on April 30, 2021, in 240+ countries and territories.