Jack Ryan Season 4 marked the end of John Krasinski's stint as the Tom Clancy character, leading everyone to ask if Season 5 is possible despite the show's ending.
Jack Ryan revolves around the titular CIA operative as he embarks on dangerous missions to protect the United States. The series boasts a star-studded cast headlined by Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Abbie Cornish, and Michael Kelly.
Jack Ryan made its debut on Amazon Prime Video on August 31, 2018. The series was then renewed for a second season in April 2018 which was released on October 31, 2019.
Amazon then announced a third season for Jack Ryan, which then premiered on December 21, 2022. Before Season 3, Prime Video renewed the show for Season 4 in May 2022 while also announcing that the latest batch of episodes will be its last.
Is Jack Ryan Renewed for Season 5?
The short answer is no, Jack Ryan has not been renewed for Season 5.
In fact, John Krasinski was pretty firm in a previous interview with Reuters in June that Season 4 is the show's final season, pointing out that the episodes are poised to "really culminate these characters:"
"We wanted to do a season that was exciting and action-packed. But also, really culminate these characters, these relationships in a way that would be satisfying to the audience."
Despite strong reception from fans and critics in previous seasons, some viewers expressed their disappointment toward the final season, pointing out aspects, such as the show's lazy writing and unrealistic action.
However, the fact that Jack Ryan Season 4 ended on a high note story-wise may indicate that its ending is for the best.
In a July 2023 interview with USA Today, Krasinski, who is also an executive producer of the series, explained the decision behind ending Jack Ryan on Prime Video in Season 4, acknowledging that "it was time" for the show to end:
"As soon as (Amazon) gave us Season 3 and 4, we felt like we had won the lottery. We've been around the business long enough to know not to assume there'll be more. Everyone wants to exit before you're asked to exit. It was time."
Aside from the show's conclusive story, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) shared that the cost per episode ranges from around $8 million to $10 million. While many would assume that the show being expensive contributed to Jack Ryan's end, Krasinski's comments may suggest otherwise.
Will There Be a Season 5 of Jack Ryan?
Jack Ryan Season 4's finale ended with a perfect swan song for John Krasinski's titular character.
In the final episode, Jack finally returns to Washington, giving him a chance to reunite with his CIA family while also reconnecting with his longtime love interest Cathy Mueller.
In the same interview with USA Today, Krasinski described the finale as a "wonderful culmination" for the character:
"Coming home to Washington seemed like a wonderful culmination for Jack. And the best way to way to say goodbye."
Despite Jack Ryan's perfect ending which completely negates a fifth season from happening, there are still more stories to tell.
In June 2023, Louis Ozawa, who plays Chao Fah in the series, spoke with RadioTimes to reflect on the show's final season and the Jack Ryan franchise as a whole, pointing out that it "has more potential to carry on than not:"
"I think this chapter might be closed but if I were a betting man, I would say the 'Jack Ryan' universe has more potential to carry on than not."
There is at least one spin-off coming soon, starring Michael Peña's Domingo "Ding" Chavez. The character played an important role in Season 4, and he is a major player in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six stories.
Krasinski also told The Wrap in June 2023 about the show's possible ending:
"We wanted to keep the action and thrills and all that for the audience, but I think most importantly to me was – if we were going to end it – to make sure that the audience also had a culmination of these characters and these relationships that they connected to, and that they felt that they were saying goodbye as well."
There's a strong chance that the spin-off would revolve around Ding's Rainbow Six, a team of an elite counterterrorism task force set out to protect the United States from threats.
In July 2023, though, Michael Peña played coy about the idea of a Rainbow Six spin-off, telling Digital Spy, "That's between Amazon and the Clancy estate."
Given that Krasinski's titular character didn't die and there's a spin-off that could release, it's also possible that Jack Ryan will pop in for an appearance.
Speaking with USA Today recently, Krasinski is open for a potential cameo in future projects:
"If someone had an idea to pop me in somewhere else, I am not saying no. I love playing this character."
After all, you can't put a good CIA operative like Jack Ryan down.
All four seasons of Jack Ryan are streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
