All Tom Clancy movies and television shows, including upcoming releases, originated from the legendary author’s impressive body of work. Clancy has also become a staple in the gaming world, with dozens of popular first-person shooter video games developed based on his characters and novels. Clancy is most famously known for creating the character Jack Ryan, who has been depicted by numerous big-name actors and has transcended decades over various mediums.
Although Clancy passed away in October 2013, his legacy is carried on through multiple installments of his namesake franchise. There is even a particular method to watch all Tom Clancy movies in order for the most avid fans of his filmography. Before Clancy’s death, giant video game publisher Ubisoft purchased the rights to his intellectual property, securing many future installments of video games, films, and television shows still to come under his legendary brand.
12 The Hunt For Red October (1990)
The Hunt for Red October tells the riveting story of a Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) who plans to defect to the United States with his submarine, the Red October, in order to avert a nuclear catastrophe. The film is the first on-screen appearance of the character Jack Ryan as a CIA analyst deciphering the mystery of Marko’s intentions, portrayed by a young Alec Baldwin. The story was based on Clancy’s best selling novel which was published in 1984.
11 Patriot Games (1992)
Patriot Games is the second novel and film installment in the Jack Ryan franchise, played on-screen by the impeccable Harrison Ford. Patriot Games introduces the combative element of the Jack Ryan character as a former Marine who becomes the target of a terrorist group after preventing the assassination of the British Royal Family. Both the novel and film expand on the Jack Ryan protagonist with expert military detail and authentic depictions of international espionage, ultimately laying the foundation for future Jack Ryan installments.
10 Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Clear and Present Danger is the second and final iteration of the Jack Ryan character played by Harrison Ford. Clancy’s bestselling novel of the same name was published in 1989 and was his fourth book that featured Ryan, who has been promoted to Deputy Director of Intelligence at the CIA. The compelling story follows Ryan as he uncovers a drug smuggling operation out of Colombia that leads him down a tangled path of government conspiracy and top-secret high-level cover-ups.
9 OP Center (1995)
OP Center is an Emmy-winning miniseries made for television that is based on a Tom Clancy-branded novel written by Jeff Rovin. In the series, the OP Center is a specialized US agency that monitors international crises. On his first day on the job, new OP Center director Paul Hood must lead his team to uncover those responsible for stealing nuclear missiles from the Soviet Union. Hood must find and prevent the terrorist thieves before an all-out nuclear war breaks out.
8 NetForce (1999)
NetForce is another popular Tom Clancy book series that was adapted into a television miniseries. The fictional FBI division NetForce is designed to combat cybercrime during the early days of the Internet and uphold law and order in a rapidly advancing digital world. A brilliant software developer is suspected of having sinister plans to take full control of the Internet’s infrastructure, which motivated NetForce special agents to stop him before he gains irreversible and powerful access.
7 The Sum of All Fears (2002)
The Sum of All Fears tells the CIA origin story of the Jack Ryan character portrayed by Ben Affleck. Ryan begins as a humble analyst who is thrown into the combative side of covert operations and espionage in order to prevent nuclear war. Ryan’s analytical skills help the President of the United States determine how to respond to a suspected terrorist threat from a group of Neo-Nazis who plan to detonate a bomb at a popular football game.
6 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruits (2014)
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruits stars Chris Pine as Jack Ryan as he uncovers and tries to prevent a Russian plan to tank the US economy with a terrorist attack. The film is not directly related to any of Tom Clancy’s books but serves as a reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise. Shadow Recruits retells Ryan’s origin story as a CIA analyst turned covert operative that takes several creative liberties to previously established qualities of the Jack Ryan character.
5 Without Remorse (2021)
Without Remorse introduces Michael B. Jordan as John Kelly, an elite Navy SEAL who aims to avenge the unjust murders of his wife. The film is based on Tom Clancy’s 1993 novel of the same name although there are several key differences that separate the two narratives. Without Remorse exists in the same creative universe as Jack Ryan despite the iconic character not appearing or being mentioned in the 2021 film.
4 Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (2018-2023)
The original Amazon series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is arguably the most successful iteration of the Jack Ryan character that has ever been made. John Krasinski stars as Ryan over the course of three 10-episode seasons, with a fourth scheduled to premiere at the end of June 2023. The success of the reboot series has many viewers wondering how the acclaimed series will end, generating multiple theories for Jack Ryan season 4.
3 Rainbow Six (TBA)
Rainbow Six is an upcoming Tom Clancy project that is in development and pre-production. Michael B. Jordan is expected to reprise his role from Without Remorse, although his character will be named John Clark instead of John Kelly. John Clark is the alias of the protagonist of the Without Remorse novel. Rainbow Six has been a popular video game franchise since 1998, with fifteen individual first-person-shooter games created based on Clancy’s original book.
2 Splinter Cells (TBAs)
Splinter Cell is an expected animated television series set to hit Netflix sometime in the near future. The series has confirmed a two-season, sixteen-episode deal with the streaming service and will be developed by John Wick writer Derek Kolstad. Splinter Cell is another successful video game franchise based on one of Tom Clancy’s original series, which has inspired seven separate video game titles based on seven books in the series.
1 The Division (TBA)
The Divisions has been stuck the in development stage for years despite having ties to Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain starring in the movie. The feature film is based on five original Tom Clancy books and a popular video game series. The plot of The Divisions might be the determining factor in the production’s stagnation since it focuses on a global pandemic virus. The film is expected to follow a group of civilians who are trained to search for survivors in a post-catastrophic world. If the film did get made, it would make a great addition to the universe with a star-studded cast that would elevate the Tom Clancy franchise to even greater heights.
