John Krasinski

Now that Amazon’s John Krasinski-starring Jack Ryan has a formal greenlight, it’s time to wonder what the new series brings to the table that decades of movies couldn’t. Krasinski himself offers a few hints, including movie-level budgets and stunts, and tackling a new ripped-from-the-headlines issue every year.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, now in its eighth year, has been known to kickstart a lot of otherwise unknown actors’ careers, and give some their big break while rebooting others’ careers. While Robert Downey Jr. definitely had the biggest name at the start, it wasn’t easy for Jon Favreau to convince the Marvel execs that he was right for Tony Stark, but we’re all so glad he did. Chris Evans’ only other blockbuster credit was as the Human Torch in Fox’s Fantastic Four (2005) and its ill-fated sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), but his chiseled jawline soon landed him the title role in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

Former Office star John Krasinski has been skewing closer to action hero than TV desk jockey in recent years, and the next mission will offer a merry mix of both. Krasinski will return to TV (ish), taking the title role of Amazon’s new Tom Clancy CIA drama Jack Ryan.

Matt Damon will be stepping behind the camera for the first time — following the example of Clint Eastwood, George Clooney and Ron Howard — for a film he co-wrote with ‘The Office’s’ John Krasinski. Both Damon and Krasinski will also act in this yet-to-be-titled drama, of which Damon is starring.