Who’s on Jack Ryan reboot now?

Paramount have had just as big an adventure trying to get a fifth Jack Ryan movie off the ground as the fictioinal CIA hotshot’s had on his cinematic missions combined.

At the start of the year “City of God” director Fernando Meirelles was hired (after “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger” helmer Phil Noyce briefly flirted with the project) to develop the project – the first Ryan film not based on one of Tom Clancy’s books.

Meirelles left the project just before a call to Sam Raimi was made. The “Spider-Man” director must’ve come up with a good pitch for the new film, because Paramount were all but ready to hand over the keys to the kingdom to him. And Raimi was gung-ho about the project too – right up until he realized he couldn’t fit it into his schedule.

It’s then that the studio must’ve called Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mace Neufeld to help them see the project through to fruition. Paramount staple di Bonaventura (“Transformers”, the upcoming “Beverly Hills Cop IV”) and Neufeld, who produced the other Ryan instalments, are said to be heading up the film now. Obviously the studio was still keen to resurrect the Ryan character, and with or without Raimi, but needed someone to help find the bubbles for the cola.

And last we heard, the film’s producers were possibly looking at “Dark Knight” star Aaron Eckhart as a potential Ryan (even though Harrison Ford, whose played the role in two movies, has since expressed interest). But since there have been quite a few names mentioned for the role – including Ryan Gosling – it’s safe to say no ink’s been spilt on any hire sheet just yet.

And today, we’ve a new update. According to the trades, Oscar Winner Hossein Amini has been tapped to write the screenplay (Yeah, shows how fast this project isn’t progressing – they’ve yet to get a script they like). Who, you ask? He’s the chap that directed “Jude”, “Wings of the Dove” and the whatever-happened-to box-out potential“Killshot”.

Interestingly enough, its said that Amini is apparently planning to write an ‘origin’ story – so you can forget about the Eckhart and Ford incarnations of Ryan this time ‘round. Let the Ryan Gosling rumours begin..again.. hey? – featuring a younger (younger than Affleck, who played the role in “Sum of All Fears”?) version of the character. Somehow I just don’t see Zac Efron as Jack Ryan – – – and I think I’ll stop right there before the studio thinks they’ve struck idea gold.