Literary Action Heroes John Krasinski Needs to Play
John Krasinski might be known as the adorable Jim Halpert from The Office, but don’t let that fool you. This Emmy-nominated actor is far more that just a likeable prankster, and at the end of this month, he’ll be proving his action hero talents by starring in Jack Ryan, a new series from Amazon. The series is based on the literary adventures of the titular character, lifted from the pages of Tom Clancy’s Ryanverse thrillers. Ryan is a CIA Analyst, an ex-Marine and past history teacher, and he’s been delighting fans of Clancy’s works for decades (first appearing in 1984’s Hunt For Red October).
Krasinski is sure to impress as Jack Ryan, if the trailer for the series is anything to go by! He’s a lot more serious in this series than fans of The Office may expect, and he also seems to spend quite a bit of time with his shirt off, displaying the results of what must be some serious time logged with a personal trainer! Jack Ryan may be the next big role for John Krasinski, and in honor of his latest project, we’ve come up with a few more major literary action heroes he could take on.
James Bond (Ian Fleming)
Rumors may be swirling that Idris Elba is next in line to play the iconic 007, but should this (phenomenal) casting choice fall through, John Krasinski could easily step into Bond’s highly polished shoes for a movie or three. He’s got the tall, dark and handsome look (and the acting chops), and being married to a British accent (Emily Blunt) should help ensure that he can get that perfectly clipped accent down pat.
Harry Bosch (Michael Connelly)
Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch is the star of over twenty crime novels by Michael Connelly, with the majority spent as a LAPD homicide detective. The Harry Bosch novels explore his time working cold cases and Hollywood murders, as well as exploring the backstory of the detective, whose mother was a murdered escort, and whose (absentee) father was a lawyer working for the mob. While Bosch is hardly lighthearted, his disregard for authority figures is definitely a characteristic that Krasinski could nail!
Cotton Malone (Steve Berry)
Not all literary action heroes are straightforward cops and spies, and Cotton Malone is a perfect blend of the typical action hero and a detective of all things historical and mysterious. A former Justice Department operative, Cotton keeps finding himself back in the saddle, investigating modern day murders and disappearances that end up being connected to the mysteries, myths, and conspiracies of decades past.
Charlie Hardie (Duane Swierczynski)
Unlike most of the other characters on this list, Charlie Hardie hasn’t appeared in dozens of novels…yet! However, he has plenty in common with the other major literary action heroes: he’s an ex cop and he’s dealing with the fallout of past trauma (in this case, the revenge killing of his ex-partner’s family). But unlike many others, he decides to leave it all behind and become a high end housesitter! And wouldn’t you know it, even this seemingly simple gig puts him up against an army of assassins, The Accident People.
Noah Wolfe (David Archer)
Finally, we’ve got a challenge for the brilliantly expressive John Krasinski. He's a man without emotion, who has spent his life learning how to blend in by imitating others: Noah Wolfe. A soldier who has to choose between execution and being an executioner, the Noah Wolfe novels are the perfect read for anyone who loves stories of assassins, and we’d love to see them brought to life with Krasinski front and center.
Who are your favorite literary action heroes? Let us know @quirkbooks on Twitter!
