The Hunt for Red October (1990)Alec Baldwin was the first to play Jack Ryan and brought a brooding, troubled, even soulful quality to the character that worked well.
Ryan first appeared in The Hunt for Red October in 1984 and since appeared 21 books, with no fewer than seven appearing in the last four years, no mean feat given that Clancy died in 2013.
Writing duties have since passed on to Mark Greaney, Grant Blackwood, Mike Maden and Marc Cameron and the character shows no sign of stopping.
A more contained revenge narrative than either Clear and President Danger or The Hunt for Red October, Ryan is here up against IRA terrorist Sean Miller (Sean Bean), fixated on the American’s assassination.