Reacher star Alan Ritchson revealed his initial plans to reach out and thank his predecessor, Tom Cruise. Based on the best-selling novels by Lee Child, Ritchson assumed the titular role of the physically imposing former military policeman for Prime Video’s 2022 streaming series. Long before Ritchson ever had a chance to prove himself in the role, the character had previously been brought to the big screen by Tom Cruise for 2012’s Jack Reacher and its 2014 sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.
On a recent episode of The Rich Eisen Show, Ritchson spoke about Cruise’s time in the role and his desire to reach out to the star out of respect for his work. Revealing that he originally wrote Cruise a letter thanking him for what he had brought to the character, he admits he was talked out of sending it by his producer Don Granger who had also worked on Cruise’s Jack Reacher films. Check out his comments, which begin after 3:20 in the video below:
“You know, Don Granger, who runs Film at Skydance, produces all of Tom Cruise’s stuff, has been partners with Tom Cruise for many years and helped put this together with Tom, is my boss and is a producer on the show. I said, “Should I reach out to Tom out of respect?” I wrote him a letter and I was like, “Should I give this to him? Would it be inappropriate?” And he goes, “I think it’s best — he wants to just move on from this, he gave it his blessing, he’s totally fine with what’s happening now, I think we should just leave it.” So, no, I never talked to him about it. I just felt it was a respectful thing to do. “Dear Mr. Cruise, I appreciate what you did for the brand.” I think a big part of why Reacher is so successful is the eyes he brought to it. Say what you want about whether he was right for Reacher or not, most people know about Reacher because of Mr. Cruise. I have a huge debt of gratitude for him and what he brought to the show.”
Why Tom Cruise Was Underrated As Jack Reacher
When Tom Cruise was first announced to play Child’s muscular hero, his casting was met with a considerable degree of consternation among readers of the original books. Described as being 6 feet-5 inches and weighing over 250 pounds, the book version of Jack Reacher was an intimidating figure whose size was often used to lethal effect. By contrast, Cruise’s five-foot-seven-inches was considered to be grossly inadequate for the role.
Nonetheless, Cruise’s casting would eventually win Child’s approval, suggesting that Reacher’s size was “a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way.” While Cruise did not possess quite the same stature as other potential contenders for the role, such as Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, he possessed the requisite intensity and charisma necessary for a highly skilled warrior that used brains to equal effect as brawn. Moreover, his considerable star power also played a significant part in appealing to a larger audience base than those who had read the original novels.
While many critics and viewers praise Ritchson’s more book-accurate portrayal of the character, the actor has a valid argument that his tenure would not have been possible without Cruise paving the way. While the big screen Reacher did not have the immediate sense of threat exuded by his television counterpart, Cruise excelled in playing his version of the character as someone who had developed his impressive skills and deductive reasoning through years of experience. It is heartening to discover that the new Reacher star also honors and respects the work of the man who came before him.