Post-Cruise, the Jack Reacher franchise is doing just fine
When it was announced a decade-plus ago that Tom Cruise would play Jack Reacher in a film adaptation of Lee Child’s hugely popular thriller series, some devotees of the novels were apoplectic.
“To fans of ‘Reacher/Child,’ this is a joke,” wrote one, adding: “Playing a role that he is comically unsuited for will only hurt Cruise’s career, and a lot of Lee Child fans feel betrayed for letting this happen.” Wrote another: “‘Tom Cruise? He’d be a perfect Jack Reacher!’ said no one ever...”
Their beef was not with Cruise’s acting chops, or, for that matter, with his ability to portray an action hero — something he has proven rather good at in the “Mission Impossible” and “Top Gun” movies.
No, their problem had to do with Cruise’s stature. He stands 5 feet 7 inches tall. The hulking Reacher — a former special investigator in the US Army who roams the land righting wrongs, his only possession a toothbrush — stands 6 feet 5 inches and weighs in the neighborhood of 250 pounds. His height and bulk are key parts of Reacher’s ability to intimidate the bad guys.
When a series titled “Reacher” was launched on Amazon Prime Video, Alan Ritchson was signed to play the role. Presumably those irate fans are happy now. They ought to be.
Season two of “Reacher” has just dropped, and it confirms that the choice of Ritchson was inspired casting — for reasons that have more to do with presence and aura than with height. Ritchson brings to the role a deceptive air of taciturnity and unflappability that camouflage’s Reacher’s absolute in-the-moment readiness.
In fact, Ritchson is “only” 6 feet 2 inches tall. But he’s an imposing presence. He seems even bigger than he did in season one. In an interview with Men’s Health UK published on
Wednesday, Ritchson spoke candidly about the testosterone therapy he received between seasons.
Before filming season one, the actor had to put on 30 pounds in eight months. To bulk up, he engaged in workouts that “ravaged my body,” he told the magazine. “I was falling apart. So while I made it happen, it’s probably true that it shouldn’t happen that fast, that way.”
“Getting on testosterone was huge for me,” Ritchson added. “I had none by the time I was done with season one, due to the stress and the fatigue and what I had done to my body. For me, it’s a long game. I want to do ‘Reacher’ for 15 years. ... I don’t want to have to have surgery after every season, and testosterone helps.”
As for Cruise, he ultimately played Reacher in two movies, “Jack Reacher” (2012) and “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” (2016). Somehow the earth was able to keep spinning on its axis. And Cruise’s career? It seems to be going along just fine.