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Jack Reacher Film Series : All Jack Reacher Movies in Order

Tom Cruise Jack Reacher Movies in Order: Want to enjoy one of the best Crime-Thrilling-Action series based on Lee Child’s novel “One Shot” centering Jack Reacher, a title character and the protagonist of a series, starring Tom Cruise in the lead. After leaving the US Army as a major in its military police at age 36, Reacher roams the United States taking odd jobs and investigating suspicious and frequently dangerous situations. Reacher must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear his name. On the run as a fugitive from the law, Reacher uncovers a potential secret from his past that could change his life forever. Cruise gives a riveting performance as Jack Reacher, a nomad with a military past who frequently gets involved in solving crimes.

People are fans of Tom Cruise and if you are one of them and wish to watch this Tom Cruise movie i.e Jack Reacher then here is the best guide for you to watch Tom Cruise Jack Reacher Movies in Order and how many Jack Reacher films are there?

Also See: Mission Impossible Movies in Order

Order to Watch Jack Reacher Film Series Movies

1. jack reacher (2012).

Ex-military investigator Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) leaps off the pages of Lee Child’s bestselling novel and onto the big screen in this explosive thriller. 

In the film, A seemingly purposeless shooting rampage claimed the lives of five people in a typical town one morning. The investigation quickly zeroes in on a single possible suspect, a former military sniper, who is taken into custody without delay. The questioning of the individual results in one statement: Get Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise).

Reacher, a mysterious former Army investigator, is convinced that the authorities have the correct suspect, but he still agrees to work with the sniper’s defense attorney (Rosamund Pike). However, the more Reacher investigates the situation, the less black and white it seems to be.

2. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

Jack Reacher returns to enforce his bold brand of justice in the action-packed sequel based on the 2013 novel Never Go Back by Lee Child.

In the films, Jack Reacher, a former soldier and drifter, completes his mission to dismantle a human trafficking organization, he travels to Washington, DC, to meet with his liaison, Major Susan Turner, for dinner. But instead, he runs into her replacement, Colonel Sam Morgan, who tells him that Major Turner has been arrested on espionage charges.

Jack consults with Colonel Bob Moorcroft, her seasoned attorney, who reveals that Major Turner is also under suspicion for the deaths of two American servicemen in Afghanistan. In addition, he informs Jack that a woman has filed a lawsuit against him, claiming that he is the father of her fifteen-year-old daughter, Samantha.

Jack is thrown in jail after being falsely accused of murdering Moorcroft. He realizes that he and Turner are both in the crosshairs of two assassins and that they have been set up. But he comes to her aid, and they make their escape. It doesn’t take long before they figure out that army personnel and a powerful government contractor/arms dealer are involved in a plot.

Additionally, Jack finds out that Samantha is in danger, and he and Turner end up saving her. While they investigate the source of the conspiracy, they decide to keep her safe from the assassin who is after them. What or who can we put our faith in?

How many Jack Reacher movies are there?

The smooth, charismatic performance by Tom Cruise elevates the average crime thriller Jack Reacher to the next level. There are a total of TWO (2) films in the Jack Reacher film series. The ex-military cop that Jack Reacher is following in this thrilling thriller is investigating a sniper accused of five murders, and Reacher finds himself drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. The second half of Jack Reacher: Never Go Back involves Reacher and an Army major who has been falsely accused of espionage going on the run together and uncovering a sinister conspiracy.

All Jack Reacher Movies in Order of Release Date 

Here is the list of Jack Reacher films in order, they were released.

1. Jack Reacher — December 21, 2012

2. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back — October 21, 2016

Where to Watch Jack Reacher Movies?

Want to enjoy one of the best Crime-Thrilling-Action series centering Jack Reacher, a title character and the protagonist of a series. But Where Can I watch Jack Reacher movies in order? You are able to stream Tom Cruise Jack Reacher films in order by renting or purchasing on Amazon Prime because it is pretty much solely available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Are Jack Reacher 1 and 2 connected?

The two Jack Reacher movies with Tom Cruise in the title role are not related, despite sharing the same source material (Lee Child’s crime novel series) and star (Tom Cruise). In the first film, there is a case involving the deaths of five people after a shooting, and there is one clear suspect. When Jack gets involved, however, the investigation takes a more sinister turn, and he learns some unpleasant truths about the underbelly of bureaucracy. In the sequel, Jack and an army major who has been falsely accused of espionage go on the run together and uncover a nefarious government plot. So Jack Reacher 1 and 2 connected are not connected.

Lee Child Jack Reacher Books in Order

Known by his pen name, Lee Child, British author Jim Grant created the character of Jack Reacher for a number of works. Reacher has quit his job as a major in the Military Police and is now working odd jobs across the country. He travels to a new location, helps a stranger in need, eliminates the bad guys, and then leaves on the next bus out of town. Reacher doesn’t actively seek out trouble, but it seems to find him anyway. The Jack Reacher novels are presented here in the order in which they were written, though they can be enjoyed in any order.

Jack Reacher Novels in Order:

• Killing Floor (1997)
• Die Trying (1998)
• Tripwire (1999)
• Running Blind / The Visitor (2000)
• Echo Burning (2001)
• Without Fail (2002)
• Persuader (2003)
• The Enemy (2004)
• One Shot (2005)
• The Hard Way (2006)
• Bad Luck and Trouble (2007)
• Nothing to Lose (2008)
• Gone Tomorrow (2009)
• 61 Hours (2010)
• Worth Dying For (2010)
• The Affair (2011)
• A Wanted Man (2012)
• Never Go Back (2013)
• Personal (2014)
• Make Me (2015)
• Night School (2016)
• The Midnight Line (2017)
• Past Tense (2018)
• Blue Moon (2019)
• The Sentinel (2020)
• Better Off Dead (2021)

Jack Reacher Books in Reading Order(In-story chronology):

Enter the gripping world of Jack Reacher, a wandering ex-military policeman with a penchant for justice and a knack for finding trouble. Follow his adrenaline-fueled adventures in the following reading order, meticulously arranged to delve into his compelling story from the very beginning…

• Second Son (short story, 2011)
• High Heat (novella, 2013)
• Deep Down (short story, 2012)
• Small Wars (short story, 2015)
• James Penney’s New Identity (1999 edited 2006)
• The Visitor – aka Running Blind (2000)
• Guy Walks into a Bar… (2009)
• Knowing you’re Alive (with Morgan Snow) (2011)
• Everyone Talks (2012)
• Not a Drill (2014)
• Good and Valuable Consideration (with Nick Heller) (2014)
• No Room at the Motel (2014)
• The Picture of the Lonely Diner (2015)
• Maybe they Have a Tradition (2016)
• Faking a Murderer (with Temperance Brennan) (2017)
• Too Much Time (2017)
• The Christmas Scorpion (2017)
• The Fourth Man (2018)
• Cleaning the Gold (with Will Trent) (2019)
• Smile (2019)
• The Sentinel (October 2020)
• Better Off Dead (October 2021)

Standing tall amidst the lingering shadows of justice, Jack Reacher, a nomad by choice, continues to roam the highways, seeking redemption and confronting the darkness that lurks in the forgotten corners of society.

Conclusion:

Jack Reacher Movies in Order present a thrilling journey through gripping crime narratives, with Tom Cruise embodying the enigmatic protagonist in a captivating manner. From his debut as the ex-military drifter in “Jack Reacher” to the relentless pursuit of justice in “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” each installment delves deeper into Reacher’s complex world. As fans immerse themselves in his quest to uncover government conspiracies and confront his past, Cruise’s portrayal elevates the tension and excitement with every scene. Whether it’s unraveling mysteries or facing adversaries, the Jack Reacher series delivers pulse-pounding action and intrigue, making it a must-watch for enthusiasts of riveting crime-thrillers.

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Ex-military investigator Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) leaps off the pages of Lee Child’s bestselling novel and onto the big screen in the explosive thriller the critics are calling “taut, muscular, gruff and cool”*.  When an unspeakable crime is committed, all evidence points to the suspect in custody who offers up a single note in defense: “Get Jack Reacher!”  The law has its limits, but Reacher does not when his fight for the truth pits him against an unexpected enemy with a skill for violence and a secret to keep. * Peter Suderman, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

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Jack Reacher

Where to watch.

Watch Jack Reacher with a subscription on Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Jack Reacher is an above-average crime thriller with a smoothly charismatic performance from Tom Cruise.

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Christopher McQuarrie

Rosamund Pike

Helen Rodin

Robert Duvall

Richard Jenkins

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Jack Reacher movies in order: How and where to watch all 3?

TRIDIP BOR BORUAH

Updated on: October 6, 2023

Those who love action-packed films with mystery and intrigue are sure to have come across the “Jack Reacher” film series. Based on Lee Child’s beloved novels, this franchise has captured audiences worldwide with its thrilling narratives and intense performances. Here we explore his world and answer this burning question: what are all of Jack Reacher movies available now?

Introduction: The Allure of Jack Reacher Movies

Table of Contents

Jack Reacher movies have made quite an impactful mark in action and suspense cinema. Following an enigmatic former military police major as he navigates complex mysteries and perilous situations, these flicks showcase Reacher’s skillset through many captivating adventures spanning more than 20 movies! But just how many are there in total?

You can also check out 19 Movies Like The Thing For An Unforgettable Thrill Ride or All About The 3 Friday Movies In Order: Where To Watch? or scroll through other Movies and Web Series .

“Jack Reacher” (2012)

Jack Reacher first came to life on the big screen in 2012 in Tom Cruise’s eponymous movie , which presented viewers with his rugged investigator with a strong moral compass – now known as Jack Reacher – while exploring an intriguing case involving an accused sniper accused of an unspeakable act.

Expanding the Universe: “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” (2016)

After the success of its first installment, “ Jack Reacher: Never Go Back ” expanded in 2016. Reacher finds himself embroiled in yet another complex conspiracy while using his unique set of skills to bring justice into light.

Reacher (2022-present): A New Chapter in the Jack Reacher Saga

“ Reacher, ” the TV series that continues the legacy of Jack Reacher universe, has captivated audiences since it premiered in 2022. Moving away from Tom Cruise’s portrayal as Jack Reacher in films, this series offers viewers a different take on this beloved character with captivating narratives and intense action – as well as uncovering previously unseen depths within him. As it progresses fans experience new depths to his persona that keeps Reacher’s spirit alive amidst new mysteries & intrigue keeping the spirit of Reacher alive through new eras!

Future Opportunities: Rumors and Speculations

Fans have eagerly anticipated more of Reacher’s adventures, prompting speculation of potential sequels. Although nothing official has been confirmed yet, discussions continue around continuing his saga leaving eager fans buzzing with excitement.

The Small Screen: “Jack Reacher” TV Series

Recently, an unexpected twist of events saw the debut of a “Jack Reacher” television series. However, unlike its movie counterpart, this version takes an unconventional approach by having another actor portray Reacher instead of Tom Cruise, opening up further opportunities to explore Reacher’s universe more fully.

The Jack Reacher film series has made an indelible mark on the action genre. Packed with intricate plots, compelling characters and heart-pounding action sequences – not to mention hearty doses of humor – it has left fans craving more! Whether on screen or television – Jack Reacher continues to be captivating to audiences worldwide.

How many movies are in the Jack Reacher series?

As of now, there are two movies in the Jack Reacher film series: “Jack Reacher” (2012) and “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” (2016).

Will there be more Jack Reacher movies?

While there are rumors of potential sequels, nothing has been confirmed yet. Fans are hopeful for more Reacher adventures in the future.

Is Tom Cruise still playing Jack Reacher?

Tom Cruise portrayed Jack Reacher in the first two movies, but the TV series has introduced a new actor in the role.

What is the TV series about?

The “Jack Reacher” TV series takes a different approach and explores new stories within the Reacher universe, with a different actor in the lead role.

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The Ending Of Jack Reacher Explained

In the 2012 film "Jack Reacher," a horrible crime is committed in Pittsburgh: five people are coldly executed by a sniper. The case seems open and shut when the police discover a man named James Barr (Joseph Sikora), a former U.S. Army sniper with damning evidence in his home and his van. The authorities make a simple offer to Barr: a full confession and life in prison, or a guaranteed death sentence in court. Barr doesn't say a word, but takes a pen and a notepad and writes three words: "Get Jack Reacher."

Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) arrives in Pittsburgh after hearing of Barr's arrest for the murder. Reacher is a wandering drifter and former Army police officer who knows full well what Barr is capable of, but doubts he committed the actual crime. Joining forces with Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike), Barr's defense attorney, the two realize that the killing spree is actually part of a far more insidious plot.

The full confession of an innocent man

In "Jack Reacher's" final scene, Barr had been attacked in prison and left in a coma, one he awakens from with no memory. However, he believes that he must be guilty of the shootings. While innocent of the crime he was framed for, he talks about how he would have committed the crime exactly as Reacher himself described it during his investigation. Barr then demands to face his punishment. He is eager to own up to this crime because of his previous encounter with Reacher years before, where he had gone on a killing spree during his tour in Iraq but wasn't prosecuted for the crime because his victims were suspected of multiple instances of sexual assault.

As Barr confesses, he breaks down in tears, not of remorse or regret for his crimes, but for the fact that Reacher knows where he is, and if he gets away with this, he will find him and kill him. After all, Reacher doesn't care about the law — he only cares about what's right. As the film ends, we see a man verbally and physically threatening his wife on a bus, and Reacher quietly rises from his seat and starts moving toward him, further reinforcing his personal principles.

The deconstruction of the Action Hero

In "Jack Reacher," we see a take on the implacable, unstoppable action hero that's quite different from other examples within the genre. Cruise's Reacher isn't quick with quips like John McClane or a nearly indestructible powerhouse like Dom Toretto , but a quiet and determined operator who will absolutely, positively kill you dead if you're outside of his definition of right or wrong. The world of "Jack Reacher" isn't one where a person can fly into the windshield of a speeding car and walk it off: the violence is quick, lean, and brutal. Jack Reacher isn't a maverick cop or a charming rogue, but a trained killer who is very, very good at administering pain and executing his opponents quickly and efficiently.

The film illustrates that a man like Reacher, someone so close to what we conceive of as the archetypal action hero, one operating by his own code and acting as the ultimate arbiter of right and wrong, would be a terrifying figure even if he's ostensibly the "good guy."

How to Watch 'Reacher' Season 1: Where It's Streaming, Episode Details, and More

He doesn't have money, but what he does have is a very particular set of skills--skills he has acquired over a very long career.

If your father is alive, chances are he likes Jack Reacher . Reacher is the stereotypical "man’s man". He’s intelligent, decisive, and vigilant–oh, and he’s a trained killer. Reacher plays the mysterious stranger, roaming around the nation and running into wrongs only he can right. The behemoth military veteran–written as a six-and-a-half-foot hunk of muscle–with a strong moral center was surprisingly written as a subversion of trends in the written crime thriller genre at the time. Jack Reacher started as a Lee Child novel that spun into a series that numbers closer to 30 than 20 volumes now. The written character mirrors the invincible action hero embodied classically by actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone , and yet when he made his feature debut, he was played by Tom Cruise . Cruise, for lack of a better word, freaking killed it as the no-nonsense tough guy in both films– Jack Reacher and Jack Reacher : Never go Back –but since then the franchise has remained silent.

Six years later and Reacher is resurrected for a television series, this time starring Alan Ritchson ( Titans ). Ritchson definitely fits the look as a late 30-something beefcake himself. Fans dissatisfied with Cruise’s casting last decade finally have their hulking blonde hero, as Ritchson has starred as multiple superheroes and even a ninja turtle. When speaking with Empire , Ritchson talked about leaning into his size for the role saying:

Barefoot, I’m six [foot] three and a half-ish. When I put the boots on, I’m six [foot] five. And we decided we’re gonna come in at 235lbs. I walk around at 205, so I wanted to put on some weight–and it shows on screen. I look like an ox!

In a conversation with the Toronto Sun , author Lee Child heaped praise upon Ritchson saying, “It was all about the very first impression…Immediately, he nailed it.” He continued, “If you loved Reacher [the book series], Alan [Ritchson] nails it, and he just gets better and better.”

Here’s where, when, and how to check out Alan Ritchson’s turn as and on Reacher .

Related: ‘Jack Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson on Scoring the Lead Role in the Amazon Series and What Fans Can Expect

Where is Reacher Streaming Online?

Anyone with an Amazon Prime account has access to Reacher , which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Prime continues to position itself as the home of Tom Clancy ’s adaptations with Jack Ryan already approved for a fourth season, Without Remorse reaching almost 5 million households in the first 30 days of release, and a fresh reboot of Reacher arriving imminently.

When is Reacher’s Release Date?

Reacher arrives on Amazon Prime on February 4, 2022. The entire season is set to be released on the same day, so ravenous action and crime fans can have their fill of Reacher starting then.

Watch the Reacher Trailer

Amazon Prime Video released the official trailer for Reacher on December 2, 2021. The video starts off with a prison fight scene that's very reminiscent of the iconic elevator scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier . It firmly establishes what kind of a guy Reacher is and Alan Ritchson is delightful in the role. It's quite clear from the 2-minute clip that Reacher is going all-in on the character's almost-superhuman physical capabilities but playing it mostly for comedic effect. Check out the trailer for the first season above.

Related: 'Reacher' Shows a Prison Bathroom Brawl in New Clip for Action-Packed Series Adapation

How Long is the First Season of Reacher?

Reacher debuts with an eight-episode story arc adapting Lee Child’s first Jack Reacher novel, The Killing Floor . In The Killing Floor , Jack Reacher is framed for murder, and he vengefully seeks out those who sought to imprison him. It’s essentially the introductory story of the Reacher mythos, showing how Jack becomes the man we know and love. Additionally, that makes this both the perfect jumping-on point for new fans and a return to the classics for old ones. Each episode runs about an hour-long according to early reviews, so expect more Reacher in more ways than one. The first eight episodes are as follows:

• "Welcome to Margrave"
• "First Dance"
• "Spoonful"
• "In a Tree"
• "No Apologies"
• "Papier"
• "Reacher Said Nothing"
• "Pie"

Directors on the series include Norberto Barba , M.J. Bassett , Sam Hill , Omar Madha , Christine Moore , Lin Oeding , Stephen Surjik , and Thomas Vincent . Lee Child has a writing credit on the series, as does the show's creator Nick Santora . Other writers include Cait Duffy , Aadrita Mukerji , and Scott Sullivan .

The first season is officially described as:

When retired Military Police Officer Jack Reacher is arrested for a murder he did not commit, he finds himself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy full of dirty cops, shady businessmen, and scheming politicians. With nothing but his wits, he must figure out what is happening in Margrave, Georgia.

Do You Need to Watch the Jack Reacher Movies to Understand Reacher?

No, you do not! Reacher is basically a reboot of the franchise and completely unconnected from the Tom Cruise movies. You could still check them out, just to see what they're like, but they are not required watching to understand Reacher. The first Jack Reacher movie is currently available for streaming on Hulu and you can rent both Jack Reacher and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back on all the major online video stores.

Critical Reception

Early reviews of Reacher (including our own ) have been more or less positive, and it's been described as a faithful-if-flawed adaptation of Lee Child’s knight errant. Ritchson is as intimidating as he is wryly comedic as Reacher, and the supporting cast, including Malcolm Goodwin ( American Gangster ), Willa Fitzgerald ( Little Women ), and Hugh Thompson ( Sea of Love ) bring depth and warmth to the series. The show currently averages 82% on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes.

Reacher was developed for TV by Nick Santora, a writer, director, and producer known for his work on the shows Prison Break and Scorpion . As one of the writers behind 2008’s Punisher : War Zone , Santora is no stranger to darkly comedic tales of fury and justice. Santora is joined as an executive producer by Reacher creator Lee Child and the director of the first Jack Reacher film, Christopher McQuarrie , among many others.

For more Jack Reacher , check out the two Tom Cruise outings, and check out our list of Reacher ’s best books . And don’t miss Reacher streaming starting February 4, 2022, on Amazon Prime Video.

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This Jack Reacher Is Going to Be Big

Fans of the Reacher books were underwhelmed when Tom Cruise was picked to play the hulking hero in two movies. A new series, and Alan Ritchson, may remedy that.

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By Elisabeth Vincentelli

Jack Reacher is one popular action hero. Hatched by the British writer Lee Child , Reacher has so far righted wrongs in 26 novels and a slew of short stories; the books have collectively sold more 100 million copies worldwide.

Their readers form a surprisingly wide-reaching bunch, and include the novelist Margaret Drabble and the “His Dark Materials” author Philip Pullman . But ask any of them the first thing that comes to mind about Reacher, and the answer is likely to be that he’s big. Real big. Reacher is a 6’5” bruiser who clocks in at around 250 pounds, most of that muscle.

The creators of the new Amazon series “Reacher,” based on the first book, “Killing Floor,” from 1997, were aware they had to get that sheer mass right or risk displeasing fans, who were largely skeptical, to put it mildly , of Tom Cruise’s casting in two earlier Reacher adaptations.

“I know a lot of people had their thoughts on the movies,” said Nick Santora, the series’s showrunner. “When I sat down with the studio, we just started talking about Reacher’s epic and mythical size. It was always a conversation that he would be big — we needed to find an actor that fits the books.”

“But that doesn’t mean that Tom Cruise didn’t do a fantastic job,” Santora quickly added.

Enter Alan Ritchson, a 6-foot-3 actor with biceps the size of Serrano hams, fresh from three seasons of playing the crime-fighting Hawk on the “Titans” series. Child was impressed.

“Before I was a writer, I worked nearly 20 years in television, so I know what goes on,” Child said in a recent video call. As the production advanced, he could see that “it was turning out better than I could dream.”

“How often does that happen?” he added. “Almost never. And that was down to Alan principally — not to make him too bigheaded.”

As for Ritchson, 39, he was downright starry-eyed. And intimidated — not usual for a man his size.

“Meeting Lee was one of the most nerve-racking experiences of my life,” he said in a joint call with Child. “He’s lived with this character for 25 years. Am I going to be enough?”

Finding an actor who would be credible as an imposing, hyper-analytical, seemingly indestructible ex-military police officer — a man who doesn’t technically have super powers but might as well — was an important box to check, but not the only one. A major appeal of the Reacher books is their familiarity: Over the years, they have amassed a canon of beloved recurring details, and it was important for the TV team to get them right.

“We had a list of dos and don’ts,” Santora said. “Don’t ever ask for cream and sugar in Reacher’s coffee; he drinks black coffee. Don’t ever have Reacher treat a woman as a second-class citizen because she might be smaller than he is — the truth is, everyone’s smaller than he is. There’s this very nice simplicity to the man, even though he’s a complex character.”

Ritchson, who had done his homework, came to the role of a similar mind. “I want to be as authentic as possible,” he explained, “and I don’t want to be ridiculed by the many die-hard fans who are going to remember that detail from the book and think that we got it wrong.”

And when there was any uncertainty, Santora had access to the ultimate authority: Child himself, who was an executive producer and involved in the entire process.

Having the creator on tap was handy, especially when it became clear that filling an eight-episode arc would require beefing up the plot of “Killing Floor.” The novel has Reacher — who is essentially homeless and rambles around the country, mostly by bus, with just the clothes on his back and a toothbrush — stumbling into some very bad people in a fictional Georgia town. For the TV series, Santora and his writers imported a key character from other novels.

They also added a small subplot involving a dog.

“We wanted to show a little bit of Reacher that’s not in the book but true to him,” Santora said. “And it also shows Reacher’s morality.”

Child did not mind (and approved the changes). After all, word-for-word adherence to the source material may not, in itself, translate automatically to good television, especially since there is a huge potential audience out there that has not read a single line about Reacher.

“It was a very faithful adaptation, in my opinion, compared to a lot of other stuff that you see,” Child said, “but it’s absolutely inevitable that you need to bring in other things to explain the character.”

“This is not necessarily about the book readers — we already got them,” he added. “We’ve got to keep them happy, which I think we totally have done, and at the same time make a show that anybody can just drop in and love.”

One thing about Reacher that does not need explaining to the book’s fans — or to newcomers, after about half the pilot — is that he is a fighting machine who always ends up in a brawl or three. The outcome is as predictable as Reacher’s coffee order, but still, it had to be clear that he does not relish violence for violence’s sake.

“He wouldn’t go out and seek a fight,” the supervising stunt coordinator, Buster Reeves, said in a video chat. “He’s always the biggest guy in the room and he knows it, so when he got into an altercation, he wouldn’t go overboard to take out an opponent. He would just do what was necessary.”

Even if you are new to the Reacherverse, you might have figured out by now that he is on the side of good. Child usually compares Reacher to the knights-errant who wandered Europe in the Middle Ages, or the samurais of ancient Japan. (The writer has long said that he set his books in the United States to give Reacher more room to roam.)

Creating him was partly a reaction against the troubled anti-heros that had become so fashionable that a kind of one-upmanship was setting in.

“The detective was an alcoholic, which was great the first time out, a real issue, real characterization,” Child said of some contemporary noir stories. “But then the next guy is a divorced alcoholic. Then a divorced alcoholic whose teenage daughter hates him. Then a divorced alcoholic whose teenage daughter hates him, and he’s accidentally shot a kid in the dark so he has to go and live in a cabin in the woods for the rest of his life.

“So I deliberately made Reacher much more of an old-fashioned guy. I wanted to get rid of misery because, ultimately, nobody likes miserable people.”

In hindsight, Child also seemed to anticipate a renewed desire for shedding some of modern life’s unnecessary baggage, which may also help explain why many women are drawn to the books.

“The character is a perfect female fantasy,” Jenny M. Davidson, an English and comparative literature professor at Columbia University and a Reacher superfan , wrote in an email. “The man we want to be with, of course, but also the man we want to be — someone with no domestic ties, none of the burdens of emotional labor, none of the vulnerability that we all really do have in our ordinary day-to-day lives.”

And now the TV series brings him to life as a wish-fulfillment action hunk.

“He just travels; he sees things he wants to see; he eats food he wants to eat,” Santora said. “He talks to people he wants to talk to and ignores the people he has no interest in talking to. He’s kind of living everyone’s dream life!”

An earlier version of this article misstated the height of Alan Ritchson. He is 6-foot-3, not 6-foot-2.

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Reacher review – the house-sized action hero Tom Cruise will never be

This rollicking adaptation of Lee Child’s man-mountain ex-military sleuth is hugely fun, packed with punchups and far better than Cruise’s movie efforts

D ear fellow fans of Lee Child’s inimitable creation: all you need to know about Reacher (Amazon Prime Video), the new television series based on the books , is that for the first six and half minutes of the opening episode, Reacher says nothing.

This, for the uninitiated, is both the defining feature of Jack Reacher – our ex-military police, lone-wolf hero and man-with-virtually-no-name – and a recurring line in the series of books about his violently noble and nobly violent adventures. Silence is the essence of the man. Most of the outrage surrounding the casting of Tom Cruise in the role for the two film adaptations (of the ninth and 18th books) dwelt on the fact that Reacher is a 6ft 5in, 250-pound wall of muscle and Cruise is … not. But it should have been at least as much about the fact that Cruise’s essential energy is that of a chirrupy people-pleaser and Reacher is living proof that a man can be an island if he just puts his mind to it.

Now, at last, we have everything. A production team that understands that, like Harry Potter fans, we need the books – precision-engineered already to deliver exactly what is expected – translated to the screen as fully and as smoothly as possible. And Alan Ritchson, an actor the size of a house and roughly as expressive unless called upon to be otherwise. He has all of Reacher’s stillness and confidence. He exudes exactly his brand of weary patience. And somehow – and of all these gifts, this one surely had the producers falling upon him in weeping gratitude – he is capable of delivering Reacher’s occasional but vital monologues about how exactly he is going to break the next seven people’s heads.

The inaugural Reacher series is based, as is right and proper, on the first book in the novel sequence – Killing Floor. If you have read Killing Floor, you now know – and this is a promise of delight, not disappointment – exactly what happens in it. But, again, for the uninitiated: our enormous hero gets off a bus (on a whim – this, and drinking black coffee, is what he does) in the tiny town of Margrave, Georgia, and is quickly arrested on suspicion of murder. Now he must stay in Margrave and prove he didn’t do it. And, when he finds out who has been killed, the matter becomes a personal “find everybody responsible and kill every last one of them”.

In the process, he gets put in the bad part of a prison to await arraignment and must use his finely honed fighting skills to stay alive (to see Ritchson walking serenely out of a bathroom littered with bleeding bodies is to know a very special kind of peace), befriends a lady (Reacher is allowed one lady per adventure) and forges a mutually respectful alliance with the investigating officer who is reluctantly impressed by both Reacher’s intellect and street smarts, which combine to give him almost Sherlockian powers of deduction. Ritchson’s delivery (with just a flicker of knowing humour about the eyes) of these litanies of deduction on screen recall – gloriously – the heady days of Paul Gross doing similar monologues as Constable Benton Fraser in Due South, albeit with the slightly more surreal atmosphere of the show to help him sell it. Ritchson works alone.

Amazon’s take on Reacher is as solidly made as he is and delivers the rollicking yarn as efficiently as the man himself can dispatch a Glock-wielding gangster. It is great, great fun and will come as a great, great relief to the Reacher devotees who will surely – at least at first – form the bulk of viewers. It will please them endlessly but is still drawn broadly enough as a crime drama to attract others. Pour yourself a black coffee, sit back and enjoy.

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Reacher season 3: Everything we know so far

T he era of Jack Ryan may be over, but Reacher is carrying on as one of the best shows on Amazon Prime Video . This action thriller is based upon Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels, which previously featured Tom Cruise in the leading role of two different movies. But for Prime Video, Alan Ritchson has stepped into the role of Jack Reacher, a former member of the United States Army Military Police Corps who drifts from town to town and takes justice into his own hands when the local law enforcement isn’t enough.

Prime Video didn’t waste any time before renewing Reacher for a third season last year. And while new episodes are still several months away, we’re sharing everything we know about Reacher season 3.

Which Reacher novel will season 3 be based on?

Lee Childs has written 28 Reacher novels to date, with a 29th arriving later this year, so fans weren’t sure which book would be used for Reacher season 3’s storyline. Thankfully, Ritchson confirmed in January 2024 that the third season will be based on the seventh novel, Persuader .

And if you need some story hints, this is the official synopsis for Persuader :

“Jack Reacher lives for the moment. Without a home. Without commitment. And with a burning desire to right wrongs—and rewrite his own agonizing past. DEA Susan Duffy is living for the future, knowing that she has made a terrible mistake by putting one of her own female agents into a death trap within a heavily guarded Maine mansion.

Staging a brilliant ruse, Reacher hurtles into the dark heart of a vast criminal enterprise. Trying to rescue an agent whose time is running out, Reacher enters a crime lord’s waterfront fortress. There, he will find a world of secrecy and violence—and confront some unfinished business from his own past.”

Which cast members will return?

Of course, Alan Ritchson is back as Jack Reacher. There’s no show without him. So far, the only other cast member confirmed to return is Maria Sten as Frances Neagley. While there could potentially be more returning characters, the narrative of Reacher usually means that each season will feature an almost entirely new cast.

Who’s joining the cast of Reacher season 3?

Anthony Michael Hall’s Zachary Beck appears to be the primary villain of Reacher season 3. However, Beck may share that role with Francis Xavier Quinn, as played by Brian Tee. Quinn is a man whom Reacher believed to be dead, and the reveal that Quinn survived and escaped justice is what will push season 3’s story forward.

Sonya Cassidy is also joining the cast this season as DEA agent Susan Duffy, with Roberto Montesinos as DEA agent Guillermo Villanueva and Daniel David Stewart as DEA agent Steven Elliot. Johnny Berchtold will also play Richard Beck, the son of Zachary Beck.

When will Reacher season 3 premiere?

The smart money has Reacher season 3 arriving in December 2024, roughly one year after season 2. However, since Ritchson said that production was almost finished in February, Prime Video could potentially release it sooner.

The post Reacher season 3: Everything we know so far appeared first on The Manual .

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Jack Reacher (2012)

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Tom Cruise als Jack Reacher en de onthulling in ‘The White Lotus’: dit mag u niet missen op tv vanavond

Elke dag tipt de tv-redactie van De Morgen de beste en meest opvallende programma’s van de dag en ontdekkingen op Netflix, Streamz en co. Het volledige overzicht met de reguliere tv-programmatie vindt u in de tv-gids van De Morgen .

De tv-tips van vandaag

The White Lotus

Fictiereeks. Ethan wordt achterdochtig tegenover Cam. Tanya geeft Portia een onduidelijke waarschuwing over Jack. Lucia helpt de Di Grassos zoeken naar hun verre Siciliaanse familieleden.

Om 20.35 en 21.45 uur op Play4.

DM Zapt. Het slot van het tweede seizoen van ‘The White Lotus’ is bijzonder bevredigend, op een explosieve manier

Reportage. ‘The White Lotus’ lokt extra (en bemiddelde) bezoekers naar Taormina: ‘Het toerisme hier wordt luxueuzer’

Il traditore

Film. Begin jaren 80 bereikt de strijd tussen de verschillende maffiaclans in Sicilië een hoogtepunt. Tommaso Buscetta, een hooggeplaatst lid van de Cosa Nostra, duikt onder in Brazilië. Intussen worden zijn vertrouwelingen één voor één vermoord. Wanneer Buscetta opgepakt wordt door de Braziliaanse politie en vervolgens uitgeleverd aan Italië, neemt hij een beslissing die de geschiedenis zal veranderen: hij zal als eerste de omerta doorbreken en de interne werking van de organisatie publiek maken

Om 21.30 uur op VRT Canvas.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Film. Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) vertrekt naar zijn vroegere militaire basis in Virginia, waar hij heeft afgesproken met Major Susan Turner. De ontmoeting wordt uitgesteld wanneer blijkt dat Turner is gearresteerd. Ondertussen wordt Reacher beschuldigd van een misdaad waarvan hij zich niets kan herinneren. Reacher moet vervolgens op zoek naar Turner zodat hij zijn naam kan zuiveren voordat het leger, de FBI en een aantal criminelen hem weten te achterhalen.

Om 20.35 uur op VTM 2.

The Hateful Eight

Film. Wyoming, enkele jaren na de Amerikaanse Burgeroorlog. Premiejager John Ruth is met een voortvluchtige, Daisy Domergue genaamd, op weg naar een dorpje dat luistert naar de naam Red Rock om haar voor het gerecht te brengen. Onderweg komen ze twee mannen tegen, ex-majoor en berucht premiejager Marquis Warren en Chris Mannix, een zuiderling die beweert de nieuwe sheriff van het dorp te zijn. Vanwege een hevige sneeuwstorm zien ze zich gedwongen te schuilen in een kleine herberg.

Om 22.30 uur op Play6.

Het beste op Netflix, Streamz en co.

Het tiendelige Shōgun , met de relatief onbekende Brits-Amerikaanse acteur Cosmo Jarvis als Blackthorne en Hiroyuki Sanada ( John Wick: Chapter 4 ) als Toranaga, is een reeks van een epische grandeur, die echo’s van Ridley Scotts recente Napoleon en – vooral – Game of Thrones laat zien. Ze is onverschrokken in het tonen van de vaak onmenselijk wrede tradities waarop dat feodale Japan was gestoeld. De seks is even kuis in beeld gebracht als in het straks 45 jaar oude origineel, maar het geweld gaat een paar octaven hoger; al is het eerder uitzinnige grandguignol die u krijgt geserveerd dan dat Shōgun probeert te shockeren met zijn bruutheid.

Op Disney+.

De Belg achter ‘Shogun’, de elegantste tv-reeks van het moment: ‘Ik zie 35 jaar onderzoek tot leven komen’

Vóór de atoombommen werden afgevuurd en heel Amerika in een radioactieve woestenij veranderde, was de opportunistische mutant-premiejager Cooper (Walton Goggins) acteur in ouderwetse rechttoe-rechtaanwesterns, gespecialiseerd in de ouderwetse rechtschapen cowboy.

In de serie Fallout, gebaseerd op de gelijknamige, briljante videogamereeks, geven de incidentele flashbacks naar Coopers pre-apocalyptische acteursleven een haarscherp beeld van het moreel grijze gebied waarin deze onbeschaamd pulperige parabel over hebzucht, groepsvorming en overlevingsdrang zich afspeelt.

Op Amazon Prime Video.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Met Donald Glover als scenarist en hoofdrolspeler van Mr. & Mrs. Smith verwacht je een bevreemdend, Lynchiaans universum als dat van diens successerie Atlanta. Niets is minder waar. Mr. & Mrs. Smith wortelt in klassiekere fictie, meer bepaald een spionagewereld zoals die van James Bond, Jason Bourne en Mission: Impossible . De gelijknamige film uit 2005 met Brad Pitt en Angelina Jolie is een heikel vergelijkingspunt. Dat vermakelijke Hollywood-lichtgewicht moest het hebben van de vonken tussen de hoofdrolspelers en de spectaculaire shoot-outs. Pitt en Jolie speelden er een echtpaar spionnen-huurmoordenaars, zij het voor rivaliserende werkgevers. Op een dag krijgen ze van hun respectievelijke bazen de opdracht elkaar te vermoorden.

Het uitgangspunt van Glovers Mr. & Mrs Smith is behoorlijk anders. In de serie krijgen hij en een superbe Maya Erskine een riant New Yorks rijhuis als uitvalsbasis van een geheimzinnige organisatie. Zij moeten door het leven gaan als John en Jane Smith, een getrouwd koppel, beiden computerprogrammeurs.

Wie is Mrs. Smith uit de nieuwe ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’? ‘Acteurs zíjn spionnen’

The Brothers Sun

The Brothers Sun vliegt explosief uit de startblokken in de Taiwanese hoofdstad Taipei, waar Charles Sun (Justin Chien), zoon van de leider van een van de lokale triaden, zichzelf moet weren in een brute aanval door leden van een andere misdaadbende. Maar het merendeel van het verhaal en de actie voltrekt zich in Los Angeles, waar Sun naartoe moet trekken om zijn moeder (Michelle Yeoh) en zijn goeddeels zonder herinneringen aan hem opgegroeide jongere broer Bruce (Sam Song Li) in bescherming te gaan nemen.

Wat volgt is een hoogst vermakelijk spervuur van snelle verhaalwendingen en actiescènes die – in meerdere opzichten – snedig in beeld komen.

Op Netflix.

Van Matthias Schoenaerts tot Mrs. Smith:  dit heeft 2024 voor u in petto op televisie

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Screen Rant

Reacher's new look fixes the worst tom cruise casting mistake.

The 2012 adaptation of Lee Child's novel series Jack Reacher made the mistake of casting Tom Cruise. Amazon Prime's new series Reacher fixes this.

The new Reacher series on Amazon Prime finally fixes one of the worst casting mistakes for Tom Cruise . Jack Reacher is, of course, the 2012 film based on the character of Lee Child’s novel series starring Cruise as the titular character. The film has garnered relative success, enough to warrant a sequel in 2016, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back . Unfortunately, the second run for Cruise’s version of the character failed to achieve any significant traction, and his time as the character came to an end, but for some Reacher fans, that couldn't come soon enough.

Jack Reacher , the series by Child, is about an ex-military officer who now spends his time as essentially a nomad, meeting all kinds of trouble in each big city and small village he wanders into. The film with Cruise adapts One Shot , the ninth novel of the series.  Reacher , which is Amazon's television reboot , has plans of adapting one book per season, a considerable feat with the fact that there are a total of twenty-seven books so far in the series. This first season adapts the events of Killing Floor .

Related: Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher Was Way More Book Accurate Than You Realized

Other than the release format and pacing of the series, there’s one significant difference in this new version, which fixes a big mistake in the casting of Cruise as Reacher . The character is supposed to be a physically impressive, imposing figure that embodies the military stoicism of his experiences and his current nomadic lifestyle. However, Cruise’s Reacher was unfortunately always too short to exude the intimidation that is needed for the character. That was also something Jack Reacher writer Lee Child himself admitted to. His size is a big aspect of the Reacher character, as is his general aesthetic, and Cruise’s version was simply too polished for someone who describes themselves as a “hobo”. This casting blunder is one of the main reasons why the original films fail to capture the success of the novels.

The new series stars Titans ’ Alan Ritchson in the lead role who, thankfully, is far closer to the novel’s description of Reacher. Based on Ritchson’s previous works, he also has the charisma to pull off this unnerving but very captivating character. In the Reacher trailer so far , he already proves that he fits this role well by exuding a lot of the rough edges and silent threat that is typical of the novels. Ritchson is also still quite young, and there’s a lot of potential for his version of the character to go all the way. Cruise’s age is another mistake in his previous casting that this new series rectifies. With Ritchson being closer to Reacher’s age in the actual novels, the actor can grow alongside the series as it moves on from one book to the next.

While Cruise’s Jack Reacher  was far from terrible, there is a lot of things missing there to truly capture the essence of the character. Reacher is the second try at adapting the novel series to screen, so there’s a lot of pressure to get this version right, especially if Ritchson has to live up to someone like  Tom Cruise, synonymous with stunts and action . Fortunately, there is promise in his portrayal so far, which bodes well for the future of the series.

Next: Top Gun 2's Original Movie Differences Show How Tom Cruise Has Changed