Michael B. Jordan in ‘Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse’
It is based on the character in Clancy’s Jack Ryan Universe, which Jordan discovered while growing up due to the popular Rainbow Six video game.
“We took Greer’s character and made her capable and badass and a soldier that was able to be in the boardrooms with the high brass and generals, but also be in the field next to Kelly and be just as capable,” Jordan says.
Jordan is the first Black actor to take on this role, previously played by Willem Dafoe (1994’s Clear and Present Danger) and Liev Schreiber (2002’s The Sum of All Fears). He is well aware of what representation can mean for audiences, particularly younger viewers.
“It’s important for people to see themselves in roles they normally wouldn’t see,” says Jordan. “What that does to the next generation, to a kid or somebody that didn’t think that is something that they could achieve — now they’re thinking about it and daydreaming about it.”
Jordan pushed himself to do his own stunts, with the physically demanding role requiring military-style training and a boot camp with his fellow actors.
“I wanted to dive into all the action opportunities out there,” says Jordan. “The opportunity to be a little bit more physical and do my stunts in a real way.”
Superman
Jordan’s action experience have audiences wondering if he will play Superman.
Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates is writing a Superman script that will center on a Black Superman. Jordan tried to develop a Black Superman movie in 2019 when he began his deal at Warner. The actor and producer also has ties to Coates, as the writer’s run on the Black Panther comics helped convince Disney’s Bob Iger to greenlight the film, which saw Jordan play the villain Killmonger.
Jordan says he is excited to see what Coates has in store for Superman, but he will not be suiting up.
“It’s smart of DC to grab Ta-Nehisi to go ahead and adapt that project,” says Jordan. “He’s incredibly talented. It’s going to be worth checking out. I’m flattered that people have me in that conversation, but I’m just watching on this one.”
The actor is juggling a busy slate through his Outlier Society banner. There’s a Muhammad Ali project for Amazon, season two of Netflix’s Raising Dion, Warner-Denzel Washington-directed A Journal for Jordan.
There’s also his directorial debut in Creed III, set for release November 23, 2022, in which he will star again as Adonis Creed. “I’m just really excited about stepping behind the camera and being able to tell a story from my perspective.”
As far as the Creed franchise without Sylvester Stallone, who will not be returning for the third film, Jordan calls it bittersweet but necessary evolution.
“I think you’re always going to get a little bit of that residual Rocky-isms that’s been instilled into Adonis,” says Jordan, “but at the end of the day this is a Creed franchise moving forward with people enjoying the story of Adonis Creed.”
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, from director Stefano Sollima, debuts on Amazon Prime on Friday.
