Last year’s Jack Reacher film adaptation did decently in the box office despite many fans of the novel panning lead actor, Tom Cruise’s portrayal. Now it is confirmed that the film is getting a sequel based on author Lee Child’s most recent Jack Reacher novel “Never Go Back,” published this fall.
In “Never Go Back,” Reacher goes back to his old Virginia military base to have dinner with a female colleague who he learns has been arrested, and soon, Reacher finds himself being charged with crimes himself. Once again, he needs to learn the truth the way that only Jack Reacher knows how, which often means violence.
The film ended up grossing roughly $80 million domestic and another $138 million overseas, so it is no surprise that Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions are moving ahead with the sequel.
However, Christopher McQuarrie will not return to write the sequel though Paramount hopes he may return to direct. It is assumed that Cruise will reprise his role as the titular character once production on Mission impossible 5 (MI:5) concludes.
Fans of the novel series became vocal over the casting of Cruise due to actor’s stature not matching the description of Reacher in the novels most notably Cruise being rather short compared to the beast of a man that the Reacher character is described. Explaining the casting decision, author Lee Child said that it would be impossible to find a suitable actor to play the giant Reacher and to recreate the feel of the book onscreen, and that Cruise had the talent to make an effective Reacher. Child also said, “Reacher’s size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way.” Of Cruise’s relatively small stature, Child said, “With another actor you might get 100% of the height but only 90% of Reacher. With Tom, you’ll get 100% of Reacher with 90% of the height.”
