Author Lee Child opens up on Tom Cruise facing criticism for Jack Reacher role

For the fans, there is no role that Tom Cruise cannot pull off but when the Mission: Impossible star was cast as Jack Reacher in two movies, there was some criticism to his casting from the people who had read the character fleshed out by the author Lee Child. A new series on Amazon Prime Video has been released based on the character and Child opened up on why Cruise’s casting was rejected by the book lovers. 

In the books, Reacher, a former soldier, is described as a 6’5” tall man, who is ‘extremely tall, extremely broad, long-armed and long-legged’, in addition to having a ‘thick’ neck and ‘hands the size of dinner plates’. While Cruise is reportedly 5’7”. Opening up in the difference of size between the character that was written by him and Cruise in the films, Child told Metro.co.uk, “I think that the size thing is important to certain parts of the narrative. Reacher has got to scare people and you can do that so much easier with one glance of this huge animal rather than a normal-sized actor.”

However, he admitted that those who did not read the books found Cruise a natural in the role of Jack Reacher. He went on to describe Cruise as a ‘legend’. Cruise featured in two Jack Reacher films, one that was released in 2012, followed by a sequel in 2016. 

Meanwhile, the latest adaptation of Jack Reacher features Alan Ritchson in the titular role, having previously starred in productions including Smallville, Titans and The Hunger Games.

Here’s the trailer of the new series, consisting of eight episodes that premiered on Amazon Prime Video. 

Meanwhile, Cruise will be seen in the upcoming Mission: Impossible sequel, which is set to release on July 14, 2023. It has been delayed several times during the pandemic. He will also be seen in Top Gun: Maverick.