Left for dead? Never count out Jack Ryan. A week after the long developing/suffering Jack Ryan reboot AKA “Moscow” lost director Jack Bender, Paramount has re-upped with a helmer who not only knows how to deliver blockbuster action on a dime, he’s an Oscar nominee too.
Variety reports that Kenneth Branagh, who got a taste of the multiplex as the man behind “Thor,” is now attached to direct the movie. But moreover, with a director now back in the mix, Paramount is apparently hoping to get this rolling in the fall, once Chris Pine is done doing his work on “Star Trek 2,” also for the studio. But all this comes amidst rumors that while the studio has been happy with the script, they haven’t been too hot on the budget, which they still think is too high. And indeed if that’s still an issue, the hiring of Branagh seems a smart move as he’s already familiar with working with constraints, as Marvel have never been known to spend what they don’t need or want to.
However, this likely means Branagh’s planned adapatation of Henning Mankell‘s “Italian Shoes” with Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench — originally planned for a late 2012 or early 2013 production start — will likely get pushed back, putting the reunion of those two actors — who only worked once together previously on “84 Charing Cross Road” in 1987 — on hold for now. Will this hire finally get Jack Ryan back in front of audiences? We’ll soon see.
