When Will Alan Ritchson Stop Playing Reacher? Only When He Gets Bored [Exclusive]
When "Reacher" season 1 debuted in 2022, no one could have expected it would become one of Prime Video's most watched shows of all time. But just a few days after it arrived on the streaming service, it had already been renewed for season 2. Now, that second season is upon us, and Jack Reacher will once again be venturing out to beat up bad guys for our entertainment. Judging by the trailer for "Reacher" season 2, this round of episodes will be every bit as brutal as the last.
But has anyone stopped to ask the question of how this show did so well in the first place? After all, it's not as if there's a dearth of premium action dramas on TV these days. Well, if you ask fans of Lee Child's books, on which the show is based, Alan Ritchson probably has a lot to do with it.
The 6-ft 3-inch, 235-pound Ritchson is every bit the hulking ex-military police officer from the books, which might seem like a small detail to the uninitiated. But for Jack Reacher fans who'd suffered through two Tom Cruise-starring movies with a relatively diminutive star in the lead role, Ritchson was the leading man they'd been waiting for. In other words, in a Ritchson vs Cruise situation, the former quite easily nabs the "best on-screen Reacher" title, and is a big part of why the show has performed so well thus far.
If you're one of those fans that was exhilarated when Ritchson took on the role, and want to see the who continue for as long as possible, there's good news...
Old Man Reacher
Not only has Lee Child authored 28 Jack Reacher books over the course of 26 years, he's soon to hand off writing duties to his younger brother, Andrew Child, with whom he's co-written four existing Reacher installments. What's more, in the novels, Reacher is canonically born in 1960, and ages in real time, which, at this point, technically makes the laconic protagonist of Child's books a sexagenarian.
With so much source material to draw from, Prime Video's streaming adaptation could conceivably last a long, long time. The key will, of course, be whether audiences continue to watch. As the Reacher quote from "Running Blind" that adorns the official Jack Reacher website says, "I'm a man with a rule. People leave me alone, I leave them alone. If they don't, I don't."
It seems the same holds true for Alan Ritchson himself, who, as a self-avowed superfan of the novels, is keen to play the character for as long as possible. Speaking to the 41-year-old actor at a "Reacher" press event, /Film Senior News Editor Jacob Hall asked about the star's plans for sticking with the character and whether he'd be open to telling "Old Man Reacher" stories. Ritchson replied:
"I could see that. I don't know. Who knows what my career holds or if the audience will stick around that long. Yeah, if audiences are still showing up 10 years in, why stop? I don't know. Who knows? I don't know what the future holds or where my head will be at that point, if I'll be bored at that point, but I'm ... So far I'm anything but bored. I thoroughly enjoy the character and I really want to see a lot of these books that I love brought to life as a fan."
Ritchson is Reacher
On top of the 28 Jack Reacher novels, there's also a collection of short stories and a guide to the world of Reacher called "Rules." Which means that as long as showrunner Nick Santora and co. are happy to keep producing "Reacher," they will likely never run out of source material — especially since Andrew Child is set to continue the book series in his brother's stead.
Again, the main factor at play is whether audiences continue to watch, but the show is in about as good a position as it could be right now. Not only did the series debut to record-breaking numbers for Prime Video, fans are delighted with their new leading man, who perfectly embodies the quietly powerful aura of the ex-military officer of the books. What's more, Ritchson himself seems devoted to the role in a way that perhaps Tom Cruise never was, admitting that playing Reacher has been his favorite role to date.
Oddly enough, Amazon was initially unsure it wanted Ritchson for Jack Reacher, but it turns out he might have been the key to making this series the success it has so far been. With that in mind, if the show does enjoy a long Prime Video tenure, you can bet that Ritchson will be in the lead for the duration, and that's a darn good thing.
"Reacher" season 2 premieres December 15, 2023, on Prime Video.