Reacherhas essentially ruled out a remake of one of the Tom Cruise movies, but this may have been a premature move.Tom Cruise’s casting inJack Reacherwas deeply controversialat the time - and has remained so. Cruise was nobody’s idea of the hulking avenger, so when Alan Ritchman inherited the part for Amazon’sReacher, devotees felt much better. There are plenty of other differences between the projects;theJack Reachermovies were saddled with PG-13 ratings, while Amazon’s show could be as violent and profane as they wish.
Each season runs for eight episodes, which also allows the show to be more faithful toLee Child’sJack Reacherbooks. Cruise’s movies coveredOne ShotandNever Go Backrespectively, whileReacherseason 1 adaptedKilling Floor,while series 2 broughtBad Luck and Troubleto life. The upcoming season 3 is adaptingPersuader, where Ritchson’s title character goes deep undercover with a gun smuggler and his family. Each season has mixed up the basic formula, bringing out different shades of Reacher as a character.
Reacher: Why Neagley Is the Perfect Character for a Spinoff
Frances Neagley is getting her own spinoff show in the Reacher franchise, and she’s the perfect choice.
Reacher Season 2 Confirmed The Events Of One Shot Happened Offscreen
Cruise’sJack Reacheradapted the ninth novel, where Reacher looks into a mass shooting and uncovers the ugly conspiracy behind it.One Shotwas a great thriller and one that allowed the character to be a detectiveandkick plenty of asses. Cruise’s recasting with Ritchson as Reacher had to be handled delicately, and the show all but ruled out a fresh take onOne Shotduring the second season. During the episode “What Happens in Atlantic City,“Reacher states to his team he ran into sniper James Barr between series and that “He owes me now.”
Bad Luck and Trouble(2007)
Reacher: Season 3(2025)
Persuader(2003)
In theOne Shotbook and its 2012 adaptation, Barr was the infantry sniper framed for the killings, and Reacher helped clear his name.With this throwaway reference,Reacher all confirmed the events ofOne Shothappened between seasons 1 and 2, so they could avoid the inevitable comparison between Cruise and Ritchson. This feels like a smart move ultimately, and since there are close to 30 novels to cover, there’s no danger of Amazon’s series running short of source material.
Jack Reacherdirector Christopher McQuarrie later lamented that he wasn’t allowed to make his film R-rated, as he wanted it to pay homage to the gritty thrillers of the 1970s (viaEmpire).
One Shot Could Have Shown Off The Detective Side Of Alan Ritchson’s Reacher
Reacher has the mind of Sherlock Holmes with the body of Dolph Lundgren
The first two seasons ofReacherhave seen Ritchson’s protagonist use his brains and brawn - though not entirely in equal measure. In the novels, Reacher is a more reserved, interior figure, to the point where the classic line “Reacher said nothing” is almost a mantra. Readers get inside his thought process far more than either the movies or show can depict, butOne Shotwould have been a perfect book for Amazon’sReacherto get into the detective side of his brain.
BothKilling FloorandBad Luck and Troublehad mysteries of their own to solve, butOne Shotis a good, old-fashioned yarn that lets Jack dust off his 110th Special Investigator skills. Season 3 will be an interesting switch-up, asPersuaderis practically about Reacher becoming a method actor, and how he barely stays one step ahead of being discovered by his new employers. It’s an intense, claustrophobic thriller, butReacherseason 4 giving viewers more of a mystery box - likeOne Shot- to unpack would be a nice change of pace.
Why One Shot Would Have Been Worth Adapting, Even After Tom Cruise’s Movie
Maybe Reacher season 4 should get more Personal
It would be a case of risk versus reward, but outside the endless articles that would compare Ritchson’s version to Cruise,Reachercould still have taken another crack atOne Shot. There was only so much the 2012 film could cover, while Amazon’s show could have restored deleted characters and subplots. If anything,it would have been interesting to contrast how the movie and series took different approaches toOne Shot, and where they deviate.
… One Shot is almost certainly never getting readapted - though season 4 could attempt a soft remake.
Season 2’s easter egg meansOne Shotis almost certainly never getting re-adapted - though season 4 could attempt a soft remake. The 19thReachernovelPersonalsees the anti-hero chasing after a sniper who also has a vendetta against him.Personalcovers some similar beats toOne Shot, so if a future season wanted to mash the two together, they could remake the Cruise filmin a very roundabout way.
In all likelihood, that won’t happen. Followers of Child’s creation would rather see live-action takes onTripwire,61 HoursorWorth Dying Forbefore that. Whatever gripes certain fans might have about Cruise’s casting, the firstJack Reacheris a great little thriller and did a good job condensing the story to feature length. It would be intriguing to seeReacherre-adaptOne Shot- but like the titular nomad, the franchise is moving onto new adventures.
Reacher
Cast
Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator, as he navigates civilian life. Without a phone and carrying minimal belongings, Reacher drifts across the country, experiencing the nation he once served, and encounters intriguing challenges along the way.
Jack Reacher
After a mass shooting takes place, homicide investigator Jack Reacher digs into the case to hunt down the sniper who committed the heinous act. Jack Reacher stars Tom Cruise as the titular character and was directed by Christopher McQuarrie. The success of the 2012 film led to a sequel, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, releasing in 2016.
