Following last week's update that saw formally-attached director Jack Bender departing Paramount Pictures' still-untitled Jack Ryan project, comes word, via Variety, that Kenneth Branagh has now taken the reins.

Chris Pine is still attached to play the Tom Clancy character, which has previously appeared in the novel-to-screen adaptations The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and The Sum of All Fears.

Producer Mace Neufeld previously spoke with ComingSoon.net about the next chapter in the popular franchise.

"We pick him up when he's on Wall Street," he said. "...[but] the Jack Ryan movies have never been action films. They're kind of 'thinking man's thrillers.' Jack is referred to as a 'water-walker' because of his ability to jump ahead to conclusions. That's very big in all the Jack Ryan films and that's how we want to portray him. He's a teacher. He's a historian. He's a linguist. And he's really smart."

Branagh, who most recently directed Thor, is also attached to direct The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society for 20th Century Fox with Kate Winslet in the lead. Which project moves forward first, though, remains to be seen.

(Photo Credit: Ian Wilson / WENN.com)