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[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for The Terminal List.]

Based on the best-selling novel by former Navy SEAL Jack Carr (who’s also an executive producer), the Amazon Studios original series The Terminal List follows James Reece (Chris Pratt), as he tries to piece unreliable memories together after his entire platoon of Navy SEALs is ambushed during a dangerous mission. Back home, questions surround who’s responsible for what happened and the deeper that Reece digs, the more he uncovers, further endangering the lives of those he loves.

During this interview with Collider, Pratt (who’s also an executive producer) and co-star Taylor Kitsch (who plays Reece’s best friend, Ben Edwards, a former SEAL now working for the CIA) talked about the appeal of this project, ensuring authenticity for the military aspects of the series, having a deep respect for real military guys, how much of his character’s story arc Kitsch knew ahead of time, and whether Pratt would like to continue telling Reece’s story, since there is a series of books.

COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Collider: Chris, this is a military thriller, it’s a mystery, it’s a revenge story, it’s about grief, it’s about uncovering your own memories and trying to figure out if you can even trust yourself. With all of those layers going on, what was the biggest draw for you, in doing this project and playing this character?

CHRIS PRATT: First of all, thank you for pointing out all of those aspects. That’s absolutely what it’s about. All of those things and more were the biggest draw. There were a multitude of draws for me that were emotionally driven, relationally driven, practically driven, and career driven. I wanted to surprise people. I wanted to do something I’d never done before. I wanted to produce something. I wanted to take something that was a book and turn it into something that lived on screen, and be a part of every single aspect, every step along the way. That was a challenge, and something I’d never done before. I wanted to shoot something in Los Angeles because I live here and I keep going off to Atlanta or London to shoot something. I wanted to find a story that could be told in Southern California. And I wanted to team up with my buddy, (co-producer) Jared [Shaw], who was my roommate when he came across the book. He’s a former Navy SEAL. I met him on Zero Dark Thirty, and he was in my wedding. He’s a very, very dear friend of mine now. So, for all of those reasons, this felt like the one to do, and now the rest of the world gets to see this secret that we’ve been sitting on the last couple of years.


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Taylor, you’ve worked in this world before. What did that teach you? How did that help you in doing this? What kind of insight did it give you, that you could carry over to this project?

TAYLOR KITSCH: Anytime you get asked to be a part of this world, you have to be flattered. We have such a deep respect for these guys and what they do, what they go through, and their families. The beauty of these guys is that they come in all shapes and sizes and personalities. Ben is one of those guys. He’s a surfer, and he’s a guy you’re gonna walk by on the street and not have a clue of what he’s actually capable of doing. That was a lot of fun to play. The brotherhood that Reece and Ben have, throughout the whole show, really drives the narrative. If that doesn’t work, the show doesn’t work. I love playing those stakes, to lead and mislead you throughout this whole show and through our relationship. That was fun, to walk that fine line. And it’s the company you keep. To go work with [Chris] Pratt and (director/executive producer) Antoine [Fuqua], to have this elevated psychological thriller, and to be surrounded by Navy SEALs throughout the process, it was a no-brainer.


This series is brutal, it’s methodical, it’s meticulous, it’s intense, and the fact that you were surrounded by SEALs and military guys for this really explains a lot of that. Does that give you a sense of safety, knowing they’ll tell you if something doesn’t feel authentic, or does it also make you extra nervous, wanting to live up to their expectations?

PRATT: Certainly, the former. The very reason for being so surrounded by those folks is that there are things that we just wouldn’t be able to pick up on. It hits their radar, and we don’t see it. It could be a tactical error. It could be something that someone says, or a look that someone gives, or a choice to sit in a certain seat that you wouldn’t sit in. There’s not just military tactical authenticity. There’s also trade craft authenticity to someone who’s never has his head buried in the sand. These are folks who are completely situationally aware, at all times, and who can’t turn it off. To be able to make a show that when the spec ops community watches it, they don’t find anything wrong with it, was our intention. Now, whether or not we accomplished that, I don’t know, but it certainly will not be for lack of effort. We had checks and balances with military personnel, both in front of and behind the camera.


Taylor, did you always know the full story for your character? When you do something like this, is that something that you always have to keep in mind, or do you try not to think about it? How does that influence the way you approach something?

KITSCH: Yes, I knew before I signed on where Ben was going. You’re maybe overly conscious of what you give or don’t give, on the day, when you’re driving the story. I love playing against the grain. I loved and hope this is a crazy surprise and reveal that guts you. It’s a scene that you, as an actor, you love the challenge to root something so morally wrong, and reason that and emotionally marry yourself to something like that. That was my homework, to be honest. And then, you take a swing throughout and take risks. Maybe sometimes you give a little too much. I love giving a lot less, if I can, on the day. Just because you’re so conscious of it, you don’t wanna oversell. At the end, it should gut you.


Chris, you’re an EP on this, and this is a series of books, so have you thought about whether you’d like to continue telling the story of James Reece?

PRATT: Yeah, of course. I’m a huge fan of the books. I’ve read all five of them. I just finished In the Blood. I think it’s the best one yet. It’s really, really great. The first book is fantastic. Jack [Carr] is a prolific writer. A new novel every year is pretty intense, but that’s just the work ethic of these guys. Every person that we employed that was a former spec operator, they’re the first to arrive and the last leave. They’re doing their job, plus volunteering to do anyone else’s job. It’s all hands on deck. It’s why our military personnel makes such an amazing transition into the film and television industry, and I hope to see more of that. We employed a lot of veterans on this show. But yeah, I’d love to [do more]. There are certain aspects that may be complicated. If you follow the series of books, the second book takes place on location. For me, I have a little bit of a rule with my own family at home, where I have to limit the amount of location work that I do. I was able to squeeze this in between two location jobs because it shot in L.A. If we continue the series, and it becomes location work, I have to justify whether or not I’m gonna be giving up a movie to do a season of this show, which I very well could. Time will tell. I would love to. I think it would be fantastic. I love the character. The stories get better. I love the bonds and the relationships that I forged with the creative team, making this, and I’d love to move forward, working with them. It’s just a matter of how full my dance card is and when I can fit it in.


Just so you know, my father was in the Air Force and a fireman, and he always watched things like this very meticulously, and as a result, I also do that. He would have really appreciated the authenticity of this.

PRATT: That means so much to me. Thank you so much. That’s great. That means a lot to us.

The Terminal List is available to stream at Prime Video.

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