Reacher Star Alan Ritchson Responds To Tom Cruise Comparisons

He may have two critically acclaimed seasons of "Reacher" and a huge win for Prime Video under his belt, but the show's star, Alan Ritchson, still can't shake the shadow of who played the role before him. Speaking to Jonatan Blomberg in December 2023, Ritchson admitted that comparisons between his performance and that of former Jack Reacher Tom Cruise continue, but he welcomes them regardless.

"Being compared to the most legendary actor of all time? The last film star? I would never tire of being compared to somebody of his stature." Ritchson said, acknowledging the spotlight his predecessor helped shine on the "Jack Reacher" franchise. "Look, he did his thing. He brought a lot of eyes to this project that wouldn't be here otherwise. There's some great IP. The books are great; a lot of people have read them and enjoy the show because of them. But I think a lot of people enjoy the show because he made them aware of it."

Cruise shouldn't get all the credit, though. Ritchson's input has undeniably impacted "Reacher" Season 2, which surpassed Season 1's viewership in three days. It might be some help that the new Reacher embodies Lee Child's literary hero in size and stature (though Ritchson stands at 6'2" instead of his character's height of 6'5"). But that hasn't stopped the show's humble star from being aware of Cruise's contributions and expressing his gratitude to the point where he even wanted to reach out to the Hollywood icon.

While promoting "Reacher" Season 2 on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Alan Ritchson was vocal about his immense thanks for the OG Reacher, Tom Cruise. "We would not have the success that we have without it. So, out of gratitude, I write him a loving, heartfelt letter, a page-long letter, and I give it to Don Granger, a partner of his at Skydance, who's my boss."

Sadly, Ritchson's plans were scuppered when Granger told him that the letter would remain undelivered. "He said, 'We're not going to give it to him. It's a terrible idea. He's fine with it because he's moved on in life. He's moved on, and you need to move on, too.'" While Kimmel allowed Ritchson to express his gratitude on the show, there's still no confirmation whether Cruise saw it or if he's watched Ritchson's new take on the character.

One great thing to come out of all of this for now is that Ritchson's schedule has only gotten busier following the success of "Reacher." Besides the show being picked up for Season 3, Ritchson will also appear alongside Cruise's "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" co-star, Henry Cavill, in "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." From there, who knows? Maybe the paths of the current and former Jacks will eventually cross.