Jack Reacher is one of those heroes who just refuse to die both in his stories and in our pop culture. We just love seeing this confident agent taking down various enemies and protecting the world from terrorists. The new TV adaptation announced by Amazon made some fans really happy. Two movies starring Tom Cruise were quite successful and managed to fire up many readers of novels. While we would love to see the Hollywood A-lister to keep playing the part, Tom Cruise won’t return as Jack Reacher on the silver screen.
The natural question for all of us is who will take the mantle of this amazing hero and reprise his role. Tom Cruise’s appearance did not suit the hero but he managed to make his acting convincing to appease the fandom. What are some of the differences? For starters, Jack Reacher is a massive guy with 6’5” and Tom is noticeably shorter. Showrunners hired by Amazon said that this is one of the details that they will definitely stick to when choosing the most suitable actor.
We all know Jack Reacher as a very smart guy who does not like being around people. In the novels, he is in closing in on his fourth decade while maintaining his strength and looks. Here are several actors who can play the role convincingly and hit all the boxes.
1. Joel Kinnaman from The Killing and Altered Carbon
Handsome and menacing, Joel Kinnaman recently starred in The Suicide Squad that was disliked by most critics and many fans of the DC universe. The movie could have pushed the actor to the next level in his career. The guy is quite tall (he is 6’2”) and looks like a really tough man who survived a lot of dangerous situations. He also looks quite good in military outfit and definitely looks the part. Kinnaman is known for his ability to play characters with cold demeanor and he has already worked for Amazon during filming of Hanna.
2. Joe Manganiello from True Blood
A big guy with a gaze that can kill, Joe Manganiello quickly became fan favorite in True Blood. However, he has been quite underrated and does not have any big projects as of right now. He is very tall (exactly 6’5”) and can deliver a really convincing performance at least from the physicality point of view. Joe is fit and knows how to move his body as evidenced by his notable performance in Magic Mike which can translate to an action TV show very well.
3. Kevin Durand from Lost, Vikings and Smokin’ Aces
When you are looking for an actor who can look really dangerous and put a really creepy smile on his face, Kevin Durand is the one you simply cannot miss. He knows how to convey a killing instinct and looks like a guy who has seen enough to be a menace to anyone. He is also even taller than Jack Reacher (Kevin stands at 6’6”) and can be a good fit in terms of physicality. At the moment, Kevin is quite busy but will unlikely turn down an opportunity to play such a famous character as Reacher.
4. Timothy Olyphant from Justified and Hitman
While his height is “only” 6’0”, Mr. Olyphant knows how to carry himself on camera. He delivers the intensity and menace convincingly meaning that his looks alone will be enough to make Jack Reacher memorable. He is not attached to any big project and considered by many a dependable actor who can play any role. If showrunners will ignore their strict physicality requirements for the part, Timothy Olyphant may be the best fit for Jack Reacher in the upcoming series!
5. Alexander Skarsgard from True Blood and The Legend of Tarzan
One of the actors from the famed Skarsgard family, Alexander is well known for his charisma and good looks. He is also very tall (6’4”) and has this ability to come off as very vulnerable yet dangerous. He proved himself on both the silver screen and in blockbusters. His talents are undeniable and we would all love to see Alexander reprise the role of a stoic hero from the Jack Reacher book series. The only problem is that he is already attached to Godzilla vs. Kong that is wrapping its filming and also works on The Stand. We can only hope that he will find a gap in his tight schedule!