Alan Ritchson has established himself as the perfect Jack Reacher in the TV adaptation of Lee Child’s book series. With his towering figure at 6’3” and a muscular frame, Ritchson embodies the character fans have loved for years. Let’s be honest, Tom Cruise’s portrayal of the ex-military cop wasn’t the imposing mountain man with a twisted sense of justice required by the stories. Even author Child believes Ritchson was “born to play Reacher.”
The Prime Video series is quite successful, and for now, Ritchson is happy returning for the fourth season of ‘Reacher.’ But would he ever consider doing a movie in that universe? The actor has a good reason for saying no.
The Real Reason Alan Ritchson Thinks Jack Reacher Isn’t Suited For Movies
While Tom Cruise’s ‘Jack Reacher’ (2012) and ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ (2016) were a success overall, the actor’s appearance drew flak. Years later, the character had another go on screen – this time with Alan Ritchson. Fans finally got the physical powerhouse as described in the books – a giant of a man who travels through the country, encountering problems and solving them by hook or by crook. His humour might be deadpan, but it’s amusing nonetheless.
Considering the great reception the show has received, Men’s Journal asked Ritchson if he would do a Reacher movie down the line. The actor admitted that he has thought about it and discarded the idea, explaining, “I can’t speak to movies. I enjoy the format that we’ve got so much, and it works so well where we do a book a season. I think eight episodes seem to be the perfect amount of time to break out a book. I don’t know if I’d fight for films. I like being able to weave in what feels like two, three, or four films around ‘Reacher’ throughout the year. I’m happy with the way things are.”
It’s a trend to expand TV shows now with spinoffs and often return to the characters with films. Just think of ‘24,’ ‘Downton Abbey,’ and now ‘Heartstopper‘ is also wrapping up with a film.
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‘Reacher‘ will soon follow up on the no-nonsense tough girl Frances Neagley’s story with a spinoff as well. So, possibilities are endless even if Prime Video wraps up the original show after a couple of seasons, provided Ritchson is ready to return. His dedication to the role is commendable. He bulked up and how! No wonder fans love his Reacher. But the good news is, currently, the interest in keeping ‘Reacher‘ going is high on all sides.
Ritchson confirmed the goal is to adapt as many books as possible: “Reacher is part of my life once a year, and there’s no end in sight for me. Amazon’s super committed to this, and we’re going to keep going for a long time.”
‘Reacher’ Pushed Alan Ritchson Toward Testosterone Therapy
There is no doubt that Alan Ritchson loves being Jack Reacher. But being a “huge guy” as per Lee Child’s vision isn’t enough to play the character. The Herculean aura takes more than just beefing up at the gym.
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Ritchson revealed that he packed on 30 pounds of muscle and specially built a home gym to prepare for the first season. The process took eight months, and the actor him so drained that he had to opt for testosterone therapy when the second season rolled around.
“I ravaged my body. I had a torn AC joint in my shoulder… a huge hormonal imbalance. I was falling apart. By the end of season one, I had no testosterone left. For me, it’s about longevity. I want to do Reacher for 15 years. I don’t want to have to have surgery after every season,” Ritchson said in an interview with Men’s Health UK. Well, we are glad he embraced the help he needed after his body endured the serious toll.
