Jack Reacher: Never Go Back was the second and final entry in the Tom Cruise movie franchise; here's why it didn't work. Reacher is a hulking avenger who made his literary debut with 1997's The Killing Floor by author Lee Child. In the decades since, Reacher has fronted over 20 novels, with the series being an addictive combination of Murder, She Wrote-style mysteries with a protagonist who could be played by Dolph Lundgren.
Adapting the Reacher novels took a long time, with the casting process itself being surprisingly controversial. The inability to find an A-list actor with Reacher's muscular physique - as described in the novels - was a major stumbling block. When it came time to adapt Child's One Shot - with the movie later being retitled Jack Reacher - producers ditched the height/muscles criteria, leading to Tom Cruise being cast. While having one of the most popular movie stars on the plane would be a boon to most projects, fans were extremely unhappy with the decision.
While Cruise was able to convey the other qualities of Reacher, he didn't fit anybody's mental image of the character from the books. Child himself would defend the decision but later admitted that Reacher's size was an important aspect of the character. Amazon's Reacher later cast Alan Ritchson in the titular role, with the actor receiving praise for bringing the character to life. In the years since its 2012 release, the Christopher McQuarrie-helmed Jack Reacher has attracted a fanbase of its own for its crisp direction, snappy dialogue and great ensemble - especially Werner Herzog's eerie villain. Sadly, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back got everything wrong that the original got right - and the lack of McQuarrie might explain why.
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