Chris Pine has compared taking on the role of Jack Ryan to “jumping off a cliff”.
The actor realises the pressure that comes with following in the footsteps of stars such as Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford, who have played previous incarnations of the CIA analyst. However, Chris believes he will bring something new to the role.
“Once you kind of jump off that cliff, you’re off the cliff. I can’t be Alec Baldwin, I can’t be Harrison Ford; I can only really do my own thing and stay true to the pillars of this character,” he told Empire.
Chris is no stranger to taking on high-profile roles, having reinvented Captain Kirk for the 2009 movie Star Trek and the hotly-anticipated next instalment Star Trek Into Darkness.
Although the star feels a connection to both Kirk and Jack, he insists they are poles apart. Chris appreciates Jack’s cool and calm exterior, claiming he stands out from other action heroes.
“Where Kirk’s a man of brawn, Ryan’s a quieter guy. He’s not Jason Bourne, he doesn’t have 50 kinds of kung fu. He figures it out like MacGyver,” he explained.
Kenneth Branagh is directing Jack Ryan and has spoken about why the character is still relevant to cinemagoers today.
“This kind of character could be a dinosaur, but he becomes somebody who is intimately engaged with what it takes to be in the world right now,” he explained. “We have the freedom to reflect the current climate.”
The plot centres on Russian terrorist Viktor Cherevin – played by Kenneth – who is plotting to destroy the US economy.
“There is a lot of grey in this. What does it take to be a patriot in 2012′ Cherevin is prepared to do certain things for his country,” he added. “It’s very, very personal to him.”
