If Reacher season 3 happens, it has a unique chance to revisit the Tom Cruise controversy and see if his casting really was a mistake. Jack Reacher is the creation of British author Lee Child, with the hulking loner wandering across America and righting wrongs wherever he finds them. The Reacher books are unique for being mystery thrillers that feel like the hero of an '80s action movie has wandered into them. Two actors have played the role to date: Tom Cruise in a Jack Reacher movie duology, while Alan Ritchson took over for season 1 of Amazon's TV series.
The show adapted the first Reacher book Killing Floor and was greeted with great reviews and ratings. Season 2 was quickly announced, which will tackle the 1th novel Bad Luck And Trouble. Considering there are over 25 books, the series could conceivably run for a long time, but it has the unique chance to revisit the controversy that greeted the first film. Cruise's Jack Reacher adapted Child's One Shot, but the fact the star didn't resemble the 6 foot 5, muscle-bound giant of the books spoiled the experience for some fans. Reacher season 3 could re-adapt One Shot, to see how Ritchson's interpretation compares to Cruise's.
Despite The Controversy, Cruise Was Great In Jack Reacher
One of the barriers to a movie happening at all was finding an actor with the physique of Reacher from the books. While the likes of Dwayne Johnson tested for Jack Reacher, it was decided to ditch the physical aspect and focus on casting a name actor who could portray the single-minded determination and intelligence of the character. In that goal, Cruise was a great choice, managing to make Reacher likeable despite his more intense, alienating traits.
Given his background, Cruise also pulled off the various fight scenes with aplomb, though even Child has since agreed that Reacher's size was part of his appeal. Seeing Cruise's Reacher threatening a group of thugs that he would easily dismantle them just lacked the appropriate menace. If Ritchson was playing that same scene, the mood would be totally different. Of course, Reacher is unlikely to tackle One Shot exactly because it would pull up comparisons between Cruise and Ritchson versions. It might also be seen as being needlessly petty, and imply that One Shot was being remade with the RIGHT Reacher. Cruise's Reacher casting might still be controversial, but he still turned in great work.
The Success Of Jack Reacher Allowed The Show To Happen
It's also worth noting that the success of the Jack Reacher films helped expand the character's fanbase. The books might have been bestsellers already, but having two successful films fronted by a major star only helped their visibility. The movies proved there was a big audience for the property too, and part of the excitement for Amazon's show was seeing how a new actor would perform as the former military policeman. Reacher season 3 re-adapting One Shot would be an intriguing concept - but viewers shouldn't expect it anytime soon.