Reacher
author Lee Child should know better than most how Jack Reacher can be brought to life on screen in the best way possible. While the author has never stopped showing his appreciation for Tom Cruise
, he also knows that there was no possible way for the Hollywood icon to ever match Alan Ritchson
in the role for the most obvious reason.
Cruise brought Reacher to life on the big screen in two films: 2012’s Jack Reacher and 2016’s Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. However, despite the movies being successful at the box office, both films had their fair share of criticism, not least for the lead star’s lack of physical presence. While Cruise has proven beyond doubt that he is in a league of his own when it comes to performing stunts, there was no way of getting around the fact that he was just not the 6’5”, 250-pound specimen that Jack Reacher is described as in the novels. For this reason, despite his continued admiration for Cruise, Child has to concede that Ritchson is much more made for the role he has now made his own on Prime Video.
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Do you agree, or would you like to see another of Child’s books brought to life?
Speaking to The Independent ahead of Reacher’s return to Prime Video last week, Child explained:
“I thought the first movie in particular was excellent. It was a really crisp hard-edged thriller. Working with Tom was a pleasure and a privilege – he’s a really smart guy, he’s a smart filmmaker, he’s real fun. But you cannot escape the fact that Reacher is a huge guy.
“I mean, that is a component in his entire approach to the world and the world’s approach to him. He’s huge, he’s implacable, he’s scary, and for all Tom’s ability in getting the internals of Reacher out, he is not huge and he’s not scary. So the readers were terribly upset about it and I think, ultimately, the readers were right.
“Alan was born to play Reacher and I think he knows that.”
Alan Ritchson Is Jack Reacher – Period
When Cruise signed on to play Reacher, Child was more than happy to see his novels finally being adapted for the big screen, and with a Hollywood heavyweigh to boot. But the casting did lead to Child being asked many times about the huge difference between the mental image fans had built of Reacher, and Cruise’s on-screen appearance in the role.
There have been no such complaints when it comes to Prime Video’s Reacher series, as from the moment he stepped on screen as Jack Reacher, Alan Ritchson was Jack Reacher. Those mental images were suddenly matched by someone who was much better suited to filling the very large boots, trousers, and shirts of the man-mountain drifter. Now, there will be no one reading a Reacher novel without having an image of Alan Ritchson in their head.
Reacher Season 3 has just landed on Prime Video to an incredible reception from critics, and another strong 78% Rotten Tomatoes score from audiences. Although there was very little doubt that Reacher is here to stay for a while yet on Prime Video, Season 3’s impressive debut has virtually guaranteed the future of the series. For those who are still interested in seeing Cruise’s two outings as the character, they can currently be streamed on Paramount+.
Source: The Independent
Reacher
- Release Date
-
February 3, 2022
- Network
-
Prime Video
- Showrunner
-
Nick Santora
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