# Sacrilege: Jack Reacher to be played by...Tom Cruise?



## Fredster (Apr 11, 2011)

Seriously. Tom Cruise? TOM CRUISE?

(and I say this as someone who likes Tom Cruise!)

http://www.hitfix.com/articles/tom-cruise-confirmed-to-play-jack-reacher-in-one-shot


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Yeah, I think there was a thread around here several months ago about it.

It's absurd.

Mike
Not a Tom Cruise fan


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Matt Damon maybe....but not Cruise.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Even Damon isn’t quite tall enough. I think Reacher is 6' 5". And blond (but that could be fixed).

I'm thinking more like Ron Ely back in his Tarzan days. I can't think of any contemporary actors to fit the role at the moment.

Mike


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## trixiedog (Feb 13, 2009)

I like Tom Cruise also, but Geez.  I don't think of Reacher when I think of him....

I don't know who would fit..... I think Jason Stratham is pretty tough though and I think taller.  (hope I spelled his name right)


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## tim290280 (Jan 11, 2011)

I was going to blog about this soon as I'm not impressed. Although Lee wouldn't care, he knows the stats on books to movies.

My pick for who could play Reacher:
Tahmoh Penikett (Dollhouse, Battlestar Galactica)









Tahmoh is quite tall, has a big presence, good actor, and is actually capable of beating the crap out of several people.


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## Meb Bryant (Jun 27, 2011)

Yes, I do believe Tahmoh Penikett has all the qualities to play Jack Reacher. 

Should we start an author fan club for him?

Of course, Ben Affleck is tall....


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## barbara elsborg (Oct 13, 2010)

I can only assume that the people who chose Cruise - think that those who go to see the film will not be the ones who read the books. I wouldn't go if they put Cruise in as Reacher. It's nonsense. He's far too short.


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## mattlynn (Jun 10, 2011)

Crazy. Should be Daniel Craig


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## Fredster (Apr 11, 2011)

As I said to my wife last night: Casting Tom Cruise to play Jack Reacher is like casting Warwick Davis to play Rubeus Hagrid.


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## RobSpalding (Jul 15, 2011)

My first thought on hearing the news a few months ago was that it was ridiculous.

Then I saw Lee Child's comment about how Reacher's size was a metaphor for how unstoppable he is and that Cruise does unstoppable on screen in a different way.  And he's right about that, Cruise has built up a steady flow of characters that just get things done.
If he manages to be the intimidating MP when he needs to get down to it, then his height won't matter so much.

I'm still liable to mutter every so often anyway.


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## ljcharles (Jul 6, 2011)

Tom Cruise is just wrong for the role of Reacher. But this Penikett dude...oh, yes. That works. 

L. j.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

ilvyorkies said:


> I don't know who would fit..... I think Jason Stratham is pretty tough though and I think taller. (hope I spelled his name right)


I'd eliminate Stratham on the height. He's less than six feet tall. Otherwise, he'd be a good choice, I think.

Mike


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## Fredster (Apr 11, 2011)

Hugh Jackman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are both 6' 2". I'm just sayin'.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I would just like to blaspheme for a second and say that I originally geeked out with hatred over Tom Cruise as Lestat de Lioncourt in *Interview with the Vampire* (given that he's neither blond nor over 6'). But, when I went to the movie opening night with all the serious fans, I didn't hate him in the role.... there, I said it.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Ewww.  No.  Just...no.  I'm so over Tom Cruise.  Not seeing him as Reacher at all.  Reacher needs intensity.  Cruise has it, but it's the wrong kind of intensity - not Reacher-like at all.  At least not IMO.


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## RobSpalding (Jul 15, 2011)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan?
Now there's a name I'd never considered and yet, perfect.


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## Alexandra Sokoloff (Sep 21, 2009)

Liam Neeson is more my idea of Reacher, but Reacher's brains are more important than the bulk.

Cruise was great in Collateral... the man can deliver a movie.  I think he can do it.


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## Bob Mayer (Feb 20, 2011)

Well let's see.  Reacher graduated West Point in my class, according to his bio.  He was in Lebanon with the Army when my unit, 10th Special Forces was in Lebanon when the Marine Barracks was bombed.  I've got black belts in Taekwondo and Hapkido, was a Green Beret, and you know what?  I'm a little too old to be running around beating people up. Good old Jack might be getting a little long in the tooth like this old dog.
You know who I liked in Battle Los Angeles?  Allan Eckhert
I think he might make a good Reacher.
But as Gore Vidal said-- you walk to the Nevada-California desert, throw the book across.  They throw a check back at you and you go home and cash it.  My friend Elizabeth George was very upset about who they cast as Havers in the BBC adaptation of her books, but that was a case of tossing the books across the Atlantis and the check floating back.  She cashed it.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

You know I think Christian Bale could carry it off.
And he has shown his "mean" side recently.


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## Tony Rabig (Oct 11, 2010)

David Morse could probably do a nice job as Reacher too.


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## Fredster (Apr 11, 2011)

Tony Rabig said:


> David Morse could probably do a nice job as Reacher too.


Indeed. He would probably be my first choice, actually, but I finally decided he's a little too old.


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## barbara elsborg (Oct 13, 2010)

Bob's right. Lee Child won't really care in the long run. The director of the film (s) will want a blockbuster star. If they've decided it's Cruise - then it's Cruise. But of all the very large number of books I've read that have been turned into films, never have I felt so strongly that Cruise isn't right for the lead. Reacher is a phenomenon - one of the most famous fictional heroes - up there with James Bond - Child's books sell in the millions - so it is very aggravating that the film people can't at least try to stay slightly true to the hero. 
Well, I would have watched the movies with someone other than Cruise. Now I won't. I'm sure they'll miss my ticket money 
Have they asked you, Bob? I'd come and see you!!!


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Aaron Eckhart or Daniel Craig would be good.  David Morse I never would've thought of, but yep, he'd be good.

Mark Valley would be good, and even has the military background to draw from - doesn't have the height, though - but he's closer than Cruise.


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## tim290280 (Jan 11, 2011)

I had to blog about this one today.

I do agree with Bob, we are in the minority here - 50 million books sold is only an opening weekend crowd - and Lee would just be sitting back hoping the film sells more books.


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## Scott Daniel (Feb 1, 2011)

It's like when Cruise was picked to play the Vampire Lestat in Interview with a Vampire. If anything, he and Brad Pitt should have reversed roles. Lestat, in Anne Rice's books, is blond, tall and blue-eyed.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

Meemo said:


> Aaron Eckhart or Daniel Craig would be good. David Morse I never would've thought of, but yep, he'd be good.
> 
> Mark Valley would be good, and even has the military background to draw from - doesn't have the height, though - but he's closer than Cruise.


Yeah, if you have to go with a short guy, Daniel Craig or Mark Valley would be OK probably.

I won't even see the movie if Tom Cruise is in it.

Mike


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

But a lot of those who watched the movie (Interview with a Vampire) had never read the book.
Those that I know who did thought he was a bad choice....expectations.
But I would imagine that Reacher fans will expect him to look as Lee has described him.
And these books have sold millions and there are a lot of Reacher books.

Just sayin......


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## RobSpalding (Jul 15, 2011)

One reason Lee Child is likely to be happy with the Tom Sruise casting is that it means the film will almost certainly get the funding and go into production.

Most of the other actors, while good, some even decent draws, none of them could guarantee funding like Cruise does.


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

I admit I've only read one Reacher book, but    

N


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## jlynn (Dec 18, 2009)

Makes as much sense as Anne Rice picking him to play the Vampire LeStat. I was so disappointed with that one, too.


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## Mike McIntyre (Jan 19, 2011)

Clive Owen.


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## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

Tom Cruise?!?!?

Barf. Just.....barf.


Mike: I'm with you. Clive can bring it.


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## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

Tahmoh Penikett would be fantastic, loved him in Dollhouse.
Daniel Craig , Mark Valley & Hugh Jackman would all suffice

Anyone really... just NOT Tom Cruise.  Eeeeew


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## jason10mm (Apr 7, 2009)

Well, if Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch can get cast as Bob Lee Swagger, then Tom Cruise as Reacher isn't really a problem. You guys should count your blessings, it could have been some totally milquetoast bland actor like that Tatum Channing guy or horror of horrors, Justin Beiber in his break out action role


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## nmg222 (Sep 14, 2010)

Cruise playing Reacher is just as unbelieveable as all of the Reacher novel plots. So maybe it works


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## tim290280 (Jan 11, 2011)

jason10mm said:


> Well, if Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch can get cast as Bob Lee Swagger, then Tom Cruise as Reacher isn't really a problem. You guys should count your blessings, it could have been some totally milquetoast bland actor like that Tatum Channing guy or horror of horrors, Justin Beiber in his break out action role


Actually I thought Mark Wahlberg did a pretty decent job as Bob Lee Swagger. The movie was only average though, so casting wasn't the problem.

Cruise battled to do justice to Lestat, I'm dreading the same for Reacher.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Cruise always has that smirk - just behind any other expression he is wearing.
That is good for his normal characters.
But Reacher is a man of honor and principle.  He would never smirk at someone.
I would not mind Mark Wahlberg in the role, but don't think he is the optimal choice.
I would not mind seeing someone like Fred Dryer of the TV show Hunter play him.


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## Tracy Sharp (Jul 13, 2011)

Nah. I don't see it. I love Jack Reacher. Just doesn't seem right. Cruise is a good actor. I just can't see it.


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## Carolyn J. Rose Mystery Writer (Aug 10, 2010)

I love Jack Reacher. I'd love to see him paired up with Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger and/or John Sandford's Virgil Flowers. But I doubt I'll fork out for a movie version with Tom. I never had an exact mental image of Jack, but I do know that Tom isn't even close.


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## jongoff (Mar 31, 2011)

Carolyn J. Rose said:


> I love Jack Reacher. I'd love to see him paired up with Stephen Hunter's Bob Lee Swagger and/or John Sandford's Virgil Flowers. But I doubt I'll fork out for a movie version with Tom. I never had an exact mental image of Jack, but I do know that Tom isn't even close.


I thought the same thing when he played Anne Rice's Lestrad, from Interview with a Vampire. He was good. He does a lot of action roles, but he is more versatile as an actor than most give him credit for.

I'd be willing to give it a chance.


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## Alexandra Sokoloff (Sep 21, 2009)

Rob is right, Tom Cruise can get the movie made. That's the #1 consideration.

#2 consideration is that he can CARRY a film. There's a vast difference between someone who looks a part and someone who can carry a film. Lots of great actors, as wonderful as they are in supporting roles, can't carry a film. It's a whole different thing from just acting. With Tom Cruise in a lead, you have a movie.  

#3 is that Cruise will fight for a movie.  Not only as the star - he's a seasoned and successful producer.

Would he have been my first choice or my third?  No.  But those three things trump anything than anyone else mentioned can bring to the table.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> I would not mind seeing someone like Fred Dryer of the TV show Hunter play him.


Yes! He's the perfect 'type' for the role. Or a Clint Eastwood type. Now the question remains, is there anybody like their type who is young enough for the role but not *too* young or pretty? Reacher is the quintessential honorable, weary, craggy-faced (though I don't recall if that's even in the description of him anywhere, I just see him that way), anti-hero kind of guy. While I like Cruise well enough, I just can't picture him as Reacher.


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## Julia444 (Feb 24, 2011)

It does seem ridiculous to cast a guy who's more than a foot shorter to play that role. I think Cruise is a good actor, but I also think this was a perfect opportunity to cast an unknown who really fit the bill and let him grow into the part.

Frankly, I'm tired of seeing the same faces again and again.

Julia


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## fallingbackwards (Jul 12, 2011)

How are they going to make Tom Thumb look 6' plus and weigh over 200 lbs? Will tiny little people be hired for the rest of the cast?


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## Ann Chambers (Apr 24, 2011)

Oh no! Tom Cruise isn't Reacher! (And he wasn't Lestat either. He did his best in that role and was much better than I expected, but still miscast something awful. Sigh.)
I love Reacher and the books. Cruise has gotten too crazy and he's tiny. Man, I hope they go with someone else.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

There was precisely the same hoo-hah as this when Cruise was cast to play LeStat. There were even reports that Anne Rice was beside herself with rage. And the truth turned out to be, he wasn't half-bad in the role and surprised a lot of people. We have a tendency to dismiss certain actors simply because they're 'pretty boys.' We do the same with Brad Pitt all the time, and he's turned around -- Kalifornia, Fight Club -- and shown us a side of himself that we never suspected.


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## indiebookslist (Aug 5, 2011)

As someone pointed out earlier, Cruise always has that smirk...it's so annoying. The Mission:Impossible series...fine. 

I don't see him as an ex-military man (He was stationed at a desk in "A Few Good Men", so that doesn't count. Unfortunately, financing is key, but I'd rather see Will Smith in the role, than Tom Cruise...Denzel, even.

Jackman has enough snarl to make things work, and if I remember correctly, he's 6'2, a versatile actor, and looks ex-military with a 5 o'clock shadow.


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