The Jack Reacher movies starring Tom Cruise were moderately successful action films based on the popular book series by Lee Child. However, after two films, it appears there will not be a Jack Reacher 3 with Cruise returning to the role.
The first Jack Reacher film was released in 2012 and earned over $200 million at the box office globally. It saw Cruise play the title character, a former military police officer who investigates a sniper attack. While fans of the books criticized Cruise’s casting due to his lack of physical resemblance to the character described in the novels, the film was still a financial success.
A sequel titled Jack Reacher: Never Go Back was released in 2016 and earned over $160 million, showing there was still an audience for the character and Cruise’s portrayal. However, in the years since, there has been no movement on a second sequel. Cruise has instead focused on other major franchises like Mission: Impossible, while also returning to Top Gun with the 2022 smash hit Top Gun: Maverick.
So why does it appear Jack Reacher 3 will never happen with Cruise back in the role? There are a few likely reasons:
Reason 1: Cruise is Too Busy With Other Franchises
As mentioned, Cruise remains very busy with the Mission: Impossible series, which has kept him occupied since 2015’s Rogue Nation. The seventh installment, Dead Reckoning Part 1, is set for a 2023 release. He also has other action vehicles like Top Gun: Maverick under his belt now, making Jack Reacher less of a priority.
Reason 2: Amazon Reacher Series Recast the Role
In 2022, Amazon Prime Video launched a new TV series called simply Reacher, which adapts the Lee Child book series. However, the role was recast with Alan Ritchson playing the title part instead. The show has been a big hit for Amazon, seemingly replacing the movie series as the main adaptation of the character currently. This likely ends any chance of Cruise playing Reacher again.
Reason 3: Author Lee Child Wasn’t Fully On Board with Cruise
While Child defended Cruise’s casting initially, in later years he admitted the character’s hulking size in the books was an important trait that was missing from the movies. The author seems much happier with Ritchson’s portrayal in the streaming show, which may have been another nail in the coffin for Cruise’s version.
Reason 4: The Sequel ‘Never Go Back’ Underperformed
While Never Go Back earned a decent amount at the box office, it failed to match the first movie’s gross and also received poorer reviews from critics and fans. This may have diminished interest in continuing the big-screen franchise, especially with Cruise’s busy schedule and the new Amazon series offering an alternate take.
So in summary – while early indications after the first Jack Reacher movie pointed to an ongoing franchise for Tom Cruise, circumstances have changed. Between his commitment to Mission: Impossible films, the new streaming show recasting the character, and diminishing returns/interest in the movie sequels, Cruise’s time as Jack Reacher seems to have reached its end.
The Amazon series starring Alan Ritchson will continue to adapt the Lee Child book series. A third season has already been confirmed to be in production. But as for Cruise returning to play Reacher on the big screen again, it unfortunately doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Fans will have to settle for rewatching the first two movies, which do remain solid action thrillers in their own right, even if a third movie is now highly unlikely to happen.
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What do you think? Should there be another Jack Reacher movie with Tom Cruise, or is the role better suited for someone else at this point?
