Without Remorse Surges on Streaming, Sequel Gathers Steam

It’s easy to reckon that Taylor Sheridan’s projects always hit the mark, but that’s not quite the full story. While the bloke behind Yellowstone has built a reputation for churning out hit after hit—think Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and Landman—not every venture has been a runaway success. One of his forays into the action genre, in particular, didn’t exactly set the world on fire at launch. Still, a few years down the track, it’s finally getting a second wind thanks to streaming punters.

Directed by Stefano Sollima and penned by Sheridan alongside Will Staples, Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse had all the makings of a solid action flick. With Michael B. Jordan stepping into the boots of John Kelly (also known as John Clark), a top-tier US Navy SEAL out for payback, the cast was stacked with talent—Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Luke Mitchell, Jack Kesy, Brett Gelman, Lauren London, Colman Domingo, and Guy Pearce all joined the line-up. Despite this, the film copped a fair bit of flak from critics and audiences alike, landing Rotten Tomatoes scores in the low 40s. But now, it’s found its stride, breaking into the top 10 on MGM+ and drawing in a fresh crowd.

Plot and Characters

The official synopsis sums up the story:

An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife in Tom Clancy's Without Remorse, the explosive origin story of action hero John Clark -- one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan universe. When a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret op, Sr. Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) pursues the assassins at all costs. Joining forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell), Kelly's mission unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Torn between personal honour and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy.

Originally, the plan was for the film to hit cinemas under the Paramount Pictures banner. But with the pandemic throwing a spanner in the works, it ended up going straight to streaming via Amazon Studios. The mixed reception didn’t stop folks at home from tuning in, and the film’s recent surge in popularity shows there’s still plenty of interest in seeing Michael B. Jordan lead the charge in the Tom Clancy universe.

Sequel in the Works

With the renewed buzz, a follow-up is now on the cards. The sequel, currently titled Rainbow Six—a name that’ll ring a bell for Clancy fans—is set to be directed by Chad Stahelski, the bloke behind the John Wick series. Stahelski has spoken highly of Jordan’s knack for action roles and is keen to do right by the franchise. Back in 2024, he shared his thoughts on the project:

"It's a big property. It comes from a big IP. So it's, you know, the development to do it right. You've seen how both video games and in Hollywood are sometimes tricky. It's always about doing it right and finding the right I, so it gives room for the fans to love what you're doing. But also you have to give margin to expand out and go. We're taking our time. A lot of good ideas of being flushed around. It's been a lot of good development work. We just want to get it right."

There’s not much else out in the open about the sequel just yet, but with Stahelski at the helm and Jordan back in action, expectations are running high among fans of the genre.

Sheridan’s Next Moves

As for Taylor Sheridan, he’s not stepping away from action any time soon. He’s set to return with another thriller, F.A.S.T., starring Brandon Sklenar, which is slated for a cinema release on 23 April 2027. With his track record, locals will be watching closely to see if this next outing lands with a bigger splash than Without Remorse’s original debut.