All Jack Ryan Movies & TV Shows: How To Watch The Tom Clancy Character In Order

Perhaps the most famous Jack Ryan film, The Hunt for Red October, stars Alec Baldwin as the first to play the titular hero. His mission is to board a Soviet nuclear sub and confirm that they are sailing to the East Coast to defect, but things aren’t as easy as they sound.

The Hunt for Red October is a staple in spy thrillers and still has some of the best acting between Baldwin and Sean Connery. If there’s one Jack Ryan film you have to watch, it’s The Hunt for Red October, especially if you like high-stakes action with a compelling plot to ground it.

Patriot Games was the first time that Harrison Ford played Jack Ryan, and he didn’t disappoint. More closely adapting the less hands-on approach of the character from the books, Patriot Games follows Ryan retiring from the CIA. However, the men from his last mission start targeting his family.

Patriot Games takes on a more personal narrative for the character and is still a great way to get into his head. This is a great film that shows Ford in one of his best roles, which has a great balance of action and drama.

The final film starring Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, Clear and Present Danger, sees Ryan as the acting director of the CIA when he learns of a covert and illegal operation that he has to expose. Ford continues to deliver a more book-accurate portrayal of Ryan, and it works out for the best.

Clear and Present Danger is a fun spy film and a product of ‘90s spy thrillers in the best way. It’s a slow-burn, but it has payoff, making it a must-see for Jack Ryan fans who loved Ford’s take on the character in Patriot Games.

The first reboot for Jack Ryan, The Sum of All Fears, stars Ben Affleck as a younger Jack Ryan who Morgan Freeman’s character tasks with stopping the detonation of a nuclear bomb in the United States. The film is the definition of tension, and it delivers in an explosive way.

Based on Tom Clancy’s novel of the same name, the film adapts many key elements, and Affleck gives a serviceable portrayal of Ryan. But the one thing that keeps audiences tuning in is the impressive nuclear explosion that has to be seen to be believed.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit sees Chris Pine as the titular character and serves as yet another reboot of the franchise. In this one, the focus is on Ryan working undercover and learning of a scheme he has to stop, or it could collapse the US economy.

Pine does a fantastic job playing a reluctant hero who gets in over his head to do the right thing. In many ways, he feels like a prototype of what John Krasinski would bring to the role in Ghost War. However, it didn’t have quite enough substance to continue this iteration of the character.

Though it doesn’t follow the book version of Jack Ryan that Tom Clancy created, the Jack Ryan TV series still delivers some of the best spy action of the past decade. Serving as a pseudo-origin for the character, John Krasinski plays Ryan as an analyst who is more in the field and tries to use his wits to stop terrorists.

With four seasons, Jack Ryan is one of the most consistent spy action shows out there right now, and fans of Reacher (2022) and Man on Fire (2026) will find this a great complementary series to watch after those. Should you choose to, the entire series is available on Prime Video.

Following the conclusion of the series, Jack Ryan: Ghost War sees John Krasinski’s titular character being picked up by his old friend, James Greer, after retiring from the CIA. Per usual, a simple job gets out of hand, which sees Ryan taking the fight to a secret cell of agents that want to create chaos.

Ghost War is one of the most anticipated spy films to come out, as fans of the Jack Ryan series, myself included, have wanted a proper conclusion to Krasinski’s more action-focused version of the character. To catch the film, you can watch it as a Prime Video exclusive.