Reacher Trailer: Meet A Jack Reacher Who Is Much, Much Taller Than Tom Cruise

This one probably won't be considered much of a reach (sorry). After a relatively pint-sized Tom Cruise alternately shot, fought, and ran his way through two previous "Jack Reacher" movies, Amazon Studios' television series adaptation, titled "Reacher," has recruited a much more book accurate-looking lead. The various thriller novels written by Lee Child (the ubiquitously credited pen name of British author Jim Grant) describe the character as "...extremely tall, and extremely broad, and long-armed, and long-legged." This, you may have noticed, doesn't exactly describe the otherwise immensely charismatic Tom Cruise, who led the 2012 and 2016 installments to over $400 million combined at the box office. 

To the delight of fans, that oversight is finally being corrected with the casting of the hulking Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher for Amazon's streaming series. Check out the new trailer below.

"When I picture Reacher, let's say you're in a bar or restaurant, the door opens, he steps in, and the temperature in the room drops by a degree, because people think, 'What the hell is this?' Even if there's not an immediate threat, there's an impact. That's what I wanted." 

Lee Child's imaginative description of his character to Entertainment Weekly certainly sets a high bar for any new actor stepping into the shoes of Jack Reacher, and that's exactly what Alan Ritchson is hoping to deliver on. The imposing actor — previously known for his appearances on "Smallville," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," and especially as Hank Hall/Hawk on DC's "Titans" — leads Amazon's "Reacher" series on Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon Studios/Entertainment Weekly

Apparently, it took all of a few seconds for Child to give his blessing to Ritchson during auditions. In describing the importance of staying true to the original author's vision with this casting decision, showrunner Nick Santora ("Prison Break") told Entertainment Weekly:

"Lee created a beloved character, and I thought trying to help make that character live on TV was a great challenge. I knew I'd always have Lee there to make sure everything about Reacher and the story was exactly how he wanted it. If Lee liked the product, we were doing it right."

According to the report, season 1 of "Reacher" will be based on the very first Child novel released in 1997, "Killing Floor," which Childs describes as "...the foundational story in the Reacher myth. He's learning how to be Jack Reacher." The Entertainment Weekly article includes a whole set of new images of Ritchson in action, as well as several quotes from the actor himself about his excitement for the role and the extensive training and preparation he underwent. "Jack Reacher" premieres on Amazon Prime Video on February 4, 2022.