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AuthorTom Clancypublished many action and espionage novels in his long career, perhaps best remembered as the architect behind the various adventures of Jack Ryan - an American equivalent to James Bond who has appeared in more than a few movies and television shows. In addition to the hit Amazon Prime Video series titledTom Clancy’sJack Ryan(2018-), there are a number of iconic films based on Clancy’s work, includingThe Hunt for the Red October(1990),Patriot Games(1992),Clear and Present Danger(1994),The Sum of All Fears(2002), andJack Ryan: Shadow Recruit(2014). With a long list of successful adaptations over the years, it’s hardly surprising that Paramount is constantly coming up with new ways to make Tom Clancy’s various characters and storylines come to life.
The latest trip to Tom Clancy’s “Ryanverse” was in 2021, with a feature adaptation of the 1993 novelWithout Remorse. Here,Creedtrilogy starMichael B. Jordanportrays the character of John Clarke - a major figure from the Ryanverse who appeared in a supporting capacity in the adaptions ofClear and Present DangerandThe Sum of All Fears, but never in a lead protagonist role untilWithout Remorse. The events of the original film saw Clarke, who is a retired Navy SEAL that once went by the surname of Kelly, as he tracked down the people who murdered his pregnant wife. His quest for vengeance results in a wealth of flashy combat sequences, car chase scenes, and plenty of twists and turns, concludingwith an end credits scene that made fans of the novels very happy. As John Clarke has a meeting with newly declared CIA Director Robert Ritter (Jamie Bell), our hero explains his desire to build a multinational task force to combat terroristic plots across the globe. The task force’s name? Team Rainbow.
In case you didn’t figure it out already, the end credits scene ofWithout Remorsedirectly teases a long-awaited Tom Clancy adaptation -Rainbow Six. If the title sounds familiar, that’s because theRainbow Sixname has also been used for a hugely successful video game series of the same name. Beginning all the way back in 1998, Ubisoft hit game franchise has well over a dozen entries in its vast library. The most recent installment,Rainbow Six: Siege(2015), is arguably the biggest hit the series has had yet, still adding new content and attracting thousands of players to this day despite being nearly a decade old. The success of the games and the novel they’re based on really go hand in hand, as the first game was released only two weeks after the novel in 1998, with the game’s developers and Clancy working together to mutually benefit both the book and the game.
It was a brilliant move, as most fondly remember the acclaimed novel as a gripping Tom Clancy classic, filled to the brim with tension, conspiracy, and action. Now that the Ryanverse is set to return to the world of feature films withRainbow Six, with the returning star ofWithout Remorseand one of the best action filmmakers in the business right now, it’s easily become a hugely anticipated project. To find out more about what’s in store for John Clarke and his new team, here is everything we know so far aboutRainbow Six.
Related:Movies Based on Tom Clancy Books, Ranked From ‘Hunt for Red October’ to ‘Patriot Games’
Does Rainbow Six Have a Trailer?
Rainbow Sixis still in very early development, with principal photography not expected to begin for quite some time. Due to that, no footage exists for the film yet let alone enough for a trailer, so we’ll have to wait a while before we get our first look at what’s in store for John Clarke’s next mission.
Does Rainbow Six Have a Release Date Yet?
Again,Rainbow Sixis still in the early days of pre-production, and no specific release date or release window has been provided by Paramount following the film’s announcement. Hopefully will get more information on the film’s release as production on the project continues to ramp up.
Will Rainbow Six Be Released in Theaters or on Streaming?
Figuring out whereRainbow Sixwill be released is even trickier than figuring out whenRainbow Sixwill be released.
Essentially there are three probable options for what format the film will be premiering on. The first is a theatrical release, which was the format that the previous film,Without Remorse, was supposed to release in. The release plan changed due to the ongoing pandemic, and Paramount instead decided to partner with Amazonto releaseWithout Remorseon Amazon Prime Video. That leads to the second possible option which is a release on Amazon Prime Video, where releasing the sequel would make sense given it that’s currently the reclusive home ofWithout Remorse. Plus, Amazon Prime Video is also the home of another Tom Clancy property with the seriesTom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Finally, there’s the possibility that Paramount cuts out the middleman of Amazon altogether and decides to putRainbow Sixon their own in-house streaming platform of Paramount+.
That all being said, shouldRainbow Sixget a theatrical release, it will almost certainly become available on Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, or both sometime after its theatrical run.
What Is the Plot of Rainbow Six?
No official plot details have been revealed just yet, but given thatRainbow Sixis a sequel toWithout Remorseand will be an adaptation of the novel rather than one of the Ubisoft games (which have since heavily deviated from the source material), it seems fairly likely that the upcoming film will stick decently close to the plot of the book. We don’t want to spoil much in case you want to wait patiently for the film or want to read the book for yourself prior to the film’s release, so here’s a brief spoiler-free summary of the plot that the original Tom Clancy novel follows:
Ex-Navy SEAL John Clark is the newly named head of Rainbow, an international task force dedicated to combating terrorism. In a trial by fire, he must stop a terrorist group of men and women so extreme that their success could literally mean the end of life on earth as we know it.
Who Is Making Rainbow Six?
Without Remorsewas directed bySicario: Day of the Soldado(2018) filmmakerStefano Sollimaand written byYellowstoneuniverse architectTaylor SheridanandCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3scribeWill Staples. They won’t be returning for the sequel, butRainbow Sixis set to have some more than promising leadership with directorChad Stahelski. A former stuntman himself, Stahelski is certainly best known for directing all four entries of theJohn Wickfranchise and has become one of the biggest names in the world of action filmmaking.Rainbow Sixjoins a growing list of upcoming projects for Stahelski’s post-John Wickfuture. A list that also includes a remake ofHighlanderanda live-action adaptation of Playstation video gameGhost of Tsushima.
Stahelski will also be producing the project along with the film’s star, Michael B. Jordan.Rainbow Sixalso recently recruitedRun(2013) writersDaniel Fajemisin-DuncanandMarlon Smithto pen the film’s screenplay.
Related:Michael B. Jordan on What His Next Directing Project Will Be After ‘Creed III’
Who Is Starring in Rainbow Six?
Returning to the role of John Clarke is Michael B. Jordan, who has not just become a household name in the world of acting, but also a promising filmmaker. Not only did Jordan just star in the latest installment of theCreedsaga, but he also directed the third film andis now helping develop an extendedRocky-Creeduniverse for Amazon.
The rest of the supporting cast forRainbow Sixhas not yet been revealed.
