Jack Reacher (1 Viewer)

[ZenoRazon]

It was about 10ish years ago, I'm browsing a yard sale, looking at the books.

old lady....ever read Lee Child?

Zeno...nope.

old lady...I think you'd like his Jack Reacher.

Zeno.....cool, sign me up.

So I bought the 8-10 she had for a couple bucks. 

Luck had it she had  KILLING FLOOR the first one, always like to start at the beginning.

Read those books in a couple months, needed more so the search was on. (now own all of them)

Now.....

Jack Reacher is x military,  a big 6-5 260 pound monster, he wanders around hoboing from one adventure to the next, lives off his pension.

So when ya hear of the movie all us Jack Reacher-ites were thrilled, the big guy on the silver screen.........what?.....Tom Cruise???  How is this possible?  Cruise is what....5-8ish 170 pounds or so? Tom Cruise can't be Jack Reacher.

Why does Hollywood do that to myths, legends, literary characters?  Don't they care about keeping anything real?

Elric of Melniborne the albino prince and his runblade Stormbringer would be great with todays movie making, but they'd screw it up.

 

[Henry Ford]

Child announced there will be no more Cruise movies and that they’re trying to develop something episodic (tv or Netflix) with an actor more physically suited to the role. 

 

[ZenoRazon]

Child announced there will be no more Cruise movies and that they’re trying to develop something episodic (tv or Netflix) with an actor more physically suited to the role. 

He got a lot of heat from fellow Reacher fans for obviously going with the $$$$$$$$$$$ a Tom Cruise could bring over staying real to the story.

If done right, a series could work, just stay true to the books there are enought of them.

What got me right off the bat is Child knows them blues, which is a passion of mine.  In one book Reacher is looking for what really did happen to blues icon Blind Blake (real guy) who simply disappeared back in the 30's.

Then there is James Lee Burke and his Louisiana defetctive Dave Robicheaux, been two movies from his books, Tommy Lee Jones and  It'll come to me in the starring role, both...perfect.

 

[Henry Ford]

He got a lot of heat from fellow Reacher fans for obviously going with the $$$$$$$$$$$ a Tom Cruise could bring over staying real to the story.

If done right, a series could work, just stay true to the books there are enought of them.

What got me right off the bat is Child knows them blues, which is a passion of mine.  In one book Reacher is looking for what really did happen to blues icon Blind Blake (real guy) who simply disappeared back in the 30's.

Then there is James Lee Burke.

I’m hopeful it will be something like Bosch. 

 

[Frostillicus]

I enjoyed both the books and the movies.  

 

[Poke_4_Life]

I've read all the books, even the novellas.  Probably my favorite series of all time and I read 40-50 books a year.    

I refuse to watch the movie(s) due to Tom Cruise.  I am interested in a series if they get the right sized person to play the role.  My struggle has always been, who could fill the role?  Needs to be someone like Michael Clarke Duncan, but not black and not dead.  (Hmm, could Reacher be black?  Never thought about that, but it may be possible.)  

Also would be interested in the series if they made it about him in his days as an Army MP.  Those stories are some of the most fascinating to me since I've read all the ones with him post Army.  

 

[msommer]

He got a lot of heat from fellow Reacher fans for obviously going with the $$$$$$$$$$$ a Tom Cruise could bring over staying real to the story.

If done right, a series could work, just stay true to the books there are enought of them.

What got me right off the bat is Child knows them blues, which is a passion of mine.  In one book Reacher is looking for what really did happen to blues icon Blind Blake (real guy) who simply disappeared back in the 30's.

Then there is James Lee Burke and his Louisiana defetctive Dave Robicheaux, been two movies from his books, Tommy Lee Jones and  It'll come to me in the starring role, both...perfect.

Alec Baldwin, I believe, in the other.  Robicheaux has some other characters/series that deserve some screen time too 

 

[msommer]

I’m hopeful it will be something like Bosch. 

Bosch is awesome

ETA: Justified could be another model for the series, Reacher is a bit western/lone ranger/Shane type of character

 

[msommer]

I've read all the books, even the novellas.  Probably my favorite series of all time and I read 40-50 books a year.    

I refuse to watch the movie(s) due to Tom Cruise.  I am interested in a series if they get the right sized person to play the role.  My struggle has always been, who could fill the role?  Needs to be someone like Michael Clarke Duncan, but not black and not dead.  (Hmm, could Reacher be black?  Never thought about that, but it may be possible.)  

Also would be interested in the series if they made it about him in his days as an Army MP.  Those stories are some of the most fascinating to me since I've read all the ones with him post Army.  

I think we can probably agree that it would be best if the actor playing the leading role was actually alive  

 

[Henry Ford]

I think we can probably agree that it would be best if the actor playing the leading role was actually alive  

I was kind of hoping for Ron Perlman.

 

[ZenoRazon]

I've read all the books, even the novellas.  Probably my favorite series of all time and I read 40-50 books a year.    

I refuse to watch the movie(s) due to Tom Cruise.  I am interested in a series if they get the right sized person to play the role.  My struggle has always been, who could fill the role?  Needs to be someone like Michael Clarke Duncan, but not black and not dead.  (Hmm, could Reacher be black?  Never thought about that, but it may be possible.)  

Also would be interested in the series if they made it about him in his days as an Army MP.  Those stories are some of the most fascinating to me since I've read all the ones with him post Army.  

What are we Reacher-ites? 

That guy who plays Aquaman would work,  close anyway.

So you had it even worst than I did over Cruise, that was a bad idea, hard to even believe.  As you know all thru the books his size is always there.

There is a one book collection of short stories about his younger days living on bases. You  are familiar with that?

 

[Poke_4_Life]

What are we Reacher-ites? 

That guy who plays Aquaman would work,  close anyway.

So you had it even worst than I did over Cruise, that was a bad idea, hard to even believe.  As you know all thru the books his size is always there.

There is a one book collection of short stories about his younger days living on bases. You  are familiar with that?

Yes, I've read all the novellas of his youth.  

Aquaman would work, but Reacher maintains his military short haircut.  

 

[ZenoRazon]

Yes, I've read all the novellas of his youth.  

Aquaman would work, but Reacher maintains his military short haircut.  

I did read Killing Floor first but after that it was as I found them, only bought two brand new the rest at yard sales, thrifr shops.  Why would anyone get rid of a Jack Reacher?

 

[ZenoRazon]

Alec Baldwin, I believe, in the other.  Robicheaux has some other characters/series that deserve some screen time too 

Yep, Alec Baldwin.

His buddy Clete Purcell, ya gotta love, he's badder than the bad guys.  Burke  really sells the Louisiana thing,

 

[Hawks64]

If you're a big fan of Lee Child/Jack Reacher and are looking for more authors/characters like that you should try:

1. Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp series

2. Brad Thor - Scot Harvath series

3. Brad Talyor - Pike Logan series

4. Ben Coes - Dewey Andreas series

5. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

6. John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave series

 

[Joe Mammy]

I read 19 Reachers in order back to back a few years ago and I buy the new one each year the day it comes out.  Found a grab bag of paperbacks on ebay.

Security guard stops Reacher at the check point gate. "Sir, I need to see some ID."

Reacher, "I don't have any ID."

"Sir, you have to show me something."

"How about the inside of an ambulance?"

----------------------------------------------------------------

I also had some camo tshirts made up that say, "What would Reacher do?"  I gave them to some of my fellow Lee Child fan buds.

 

[Joe Mammy]

If you're a big fan of Lee Child/Jack Reacher and are looking for more authors/characters like that you should try:

1. Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp series

2. Brad Thor - Scot Harvath series

3. Brad Talyor - Pike Logan series

4. Ben Coes - Dewey Andreas series

5. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

6. John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave series

I would add Mark Greaney to that list, famous for the Gray Man series and also wrote a few Jack Ryans after Clancy died.

 

[Henry Ford]

If you're a big fan of Lee Child/Jack Reacher and are looking for more authors/characters like that you should try:

1. Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp series

2. Brad Thor - Scot Harvath series

3. Brad Talyor - Pike Logan series

4. Ben Coes - Dewey Andreas series

5. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

6. John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave series

7. David Morrell - The Brotherhood of the Rose/The Fraternity of the Stone/The League of Night and Fog

 

[Hawks64]

I would add Mark Greaney to that list, famous for the Gray Man series and also wrote a few Jack Ryans after Clancy died.

Yep I've read and love all of those as well. Those were the authors that were off the top of my head. I read a stupid amount of books with all the traveling I do.

 

[steelerfan1]

What are we Reacher-ites? 

That guy who plays Aquaman would work,  close anyway.

So you had it even worst than I did over Cruise, that was a bad idea, hard to even believe.  As you know all thru the books his size is always there.

There is a one book collection of short stories about his younger days living on bases. You  are familiar with that?

i've always though liev schreiber (aka ray donovan) would be a good JR.

 

[JaxBill]

If you're a big fan of Lee Child/Jack Reacher and are looking for more authors/characters like that you should try:

1. Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp series

2. Brad Thor - Scot Harvath series

3. Brad Talyor - Pike Logan series

4. Ben Coes - Dewey Andreas series

5. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

6. John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave series

David Baldacci has a series where he even riffs off the character's name - John Puller.

J.B. Turner also has the Jon Reznick series.

 

[Poke_4_Life]

David Baldacci has a series where he even riffs off the character's name - John Puller.

J.B. Turner also has the Jon Reznick series.

I've read most of those, not too bad.  

I like the Memory Man series by Baldacci.  Also the Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer series from Michael Connelly.

Oh, and the Prey (Lucas Davenport) series from John Sanford.  

 

[heckmanm]

i've always though liev schreiber (aka ray donovan) would be a good JR.

Agree completely.  He's 51, which I think is roughly Reacher's age in the latest book (Past Tense; just read it over the holidays )

 

[Joe Mammy]

Reacher is 6'6" but he's thick necked and has the wingspan of an albatross. Off the top of my head I could see:

For older Reacher how about James Cromwell, he's 6'6.5" and he was pretty badass in LA Confidential.

Vince Vauhn if he buffed up some, he's 6'5".

Ben Affleck is 6'4" and could be big enough.

Old Reacher could be Clint Eastwood at 6'4".

You just have to be able to give a good heat butt and toss elbow punches.

 

[msommer]

I've read most of those, not too bad.  

I like the Memory Man series by Baldacci.  Also the Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer series from Michael Connelly.

Oh, and the Prey (Lucas Davenport) series from John Sanford.  

Those are good. You should read the Virgil FLowers series by Sandfird too

 

[Hov34]

If you're a big fan of Lee Child/Jack Reacher and are looking for more authors/characters like that you should try:

1. Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp series

2. Brad Thor - Scot Harvath series

3. Brad Talyor - Pike Logan series

4. Ben Coes - Dewey Andreas series

5. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

6. John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave series

7. David Morrell - The Brotherhood of the Rose/The Fraternity of the Stone/The League of Night and Fog

8. Jason Kasper - David Rivers Series

reading 2nd book and it gets a bit depressing (him flirting with suicide) But so far I like it.

 

[Poke_4_Life]

Reacher is 6'6" but he's thick necked and has the wingspan of an albatross. Off the top of my head I could see:

For older Reacher how about James Cromwell, he's 6'6.5" and he was pretty badass in LA Confidential.

Vince Vauhn if he buffed up some, he's 6'5".

Ben Affleck is 6'4" and could be big enough.

Old Reacher could be Clint Eastwood at 6'4".

You just have to be able to give a good heat butt and toss elbow punches.

Of those Affleck would be my choice...  I'd assume for a series they would get someone a little less known.  Maybe Zachary Levi if he bulked up?  He's only 6'3" but that's close enough and he is of the right star power (or lack thereof)...

 

[heckmanm]

Those are good. You should read the Virgil FLowers series by Sandfird too

That ####in' Flowers...

 

[Spike]

Of those Affleck would be my choice...  I'd assume for a series they would get someone a little less known.  Maybe Zachary Levi if he bulked up?  He's only 6'3" but that's close enough and he is of the right star power (or lack thereof)...

Hugh Jackman?

 

[Poke_4_Life]

Hugh Jackman?

Dude, for a series they will never pull an A lister.  I would bet it is someone that has only done bit parts.  Not someone that could headline a major film today.  Think John Krasinski in the Jack Ryan series, or that guy that played Longmire, or the dude that played Sneaky Pete.  That level of actor.  Someone you will recognize but not know his name.  

 

[ZenoRazon]

Patterson's Alex Cross a good read.

Of course....

Mike Hammer

Sam Spade

Sherlock Holmes

 

[DaVinci]

Joe Manganiello or Josh Duhamel would be good.

 

[higgins]

If you're a big fan of Lee Child/Jack Reacher and are looking for more authors/characters like that you should try:

1. Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp series

2. Brad Thor - Scot Harvath series

3. Brad Talyor - Pike Logan series

4. Ben Coes - Dewey Andreas series

5. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

6. John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave series

 

[msommer]

Patterson's Alex Cross a good read.

Of course....

Mike Hammer

Sam Spade

Sherlock Holmes

Philip Marlowe 

Continental detective

 

[squistion]

Reacher is 6'6" but he's thick necked and has the wingspan of an albatross. Off the top of my head I could see:

For older Reacher how about James Cromwell, he's 6'6.5" and he was pretty badass in LA Confidential.

Vince Vauhn if he buffed up some, he's 6'5".

Ben Affleck is 6'4" and could be big enough.

Old Reacher could be Clint Eastwood at 6'4".

You just have to be able to give a good heat butt and toss elbow punches.

Although he is too old now (58) who I pictured to play Reacher when I read the first book in late 90s was Howie Long, who is 6′ 5″ and while not that great of an actor did a decent job in Firestorm - I don't think portraying the often taciturn Reacher requires that much range.

 

[Joe Mammy]

Although he is too old now (58) who I pictured to play Reacher when I read the first book in late 90s was Howie Long, who is 6′ 5″ and while not that great of an actor did a decent job in Firestorm - I don't think portraying the often taciturn Reacher requires that much range.

Funny, I was just thinking about possible jocks for the role. Good call on Howie.

I met Larry Csonka in the mid-80s when he was the GM for the Jax Bulls in the USFL- he was dressed in Reacher-like apparel and he was formidably HUGE with a nose that was all over the place.  He also had a very wry sense of humor and drank black coffee. Not sure if he carried a folding toothbrush but he did know the precise time without looking at a watch.

 

[squistion]

Jack Reacher is x military,  a big 6-5 260 pound monster, he wanders around hoboing from one adventure to the next, lives off his pension.

So when ya hear of the movie all us Jack Reacher-ites were thrilled, the big guy on the silver screen.........what?.....Tom Cruise???  How is this possible?  Cruise is what....5-8ish 170 pounds or so? Tom Cruise can't be Jack Reacher.

Why does Hollywood do that to myths, legends, literary characters?  Don't they care about keeping anything real?

Jack Reacher fans were all aghast when it was announced the Cruise would portray Reacher.

The problem with the casting was not really Hollywood, but Tom Cruise whose production company bought the rights and had complete creative control over the casting and sadly, he thought himself perfect for the role. :(

I am not certain how Lee Child got the rights back to continue the series, as usually once the character is sold, he or she is the property of the movie studio or production company. I saw Sara Paretsky speak at a book signing and she had sold her Victoria, V.I. Warshawski series to Disney for a movie, which bombed at the box office (despite excellent casting of Kathleen Turner and Charles Durning). The studio refused to make another film and wanted something in the range of 6-7 figures for her to buy it back - which why we haven't seen another Warshawski flick or even series.

What is great about the Reacher books is that they always grab you in the first chapter and maintain the suspense and interest, so that you have to read it to the end.

While the series should be read in order, it really is not that necessary IMO as Child (unlike Daniel Silva) doesn't spoil the previous books if you pick up a later one.

My favorite in the series is Without Fail, which should have been the movie Cruz made first, although I think that was not done because Cruz may have felt that there were too many similarities to In the Line of Fire, involving the Secret Service and an assassination plot against the VP.

 

[squistion]

If you're a big fan of Lee Child/Jack Reacher and are looking for more authors/characters like that you should try:

1. Vince Flynn - Mitch Rapp series

2. Brad Thor - Scot Harvath series

3. Brad Talyor - Pike Logan series

4. Ben Coes - Dewey Andreas series

5. Daniel Silva - Gabriel Allon series

6. John Gilstrap - Jonathan Grave series

Some thoughts on the above...

1. - I like the later books in the Mitch Rapp series, the earlier ones he seems too much into torturing people to get information. American Assassin film was a good blend of several Rapp books but I had a little problem buying the 5′ 10″ Dylan O'Brien as Rapp (not a horrible choice like Cruise for Reacher but not as I pictured Rapp)

2. - Scot Harvath is a little too right wing and blood thirsty to kill Muslims for my tastes. If you can get past that, the books are OK.

3. - Pike Logan is a good series but more of an ensemble cast rather than just featuring Logan. Haven't read them all but those I have, I have liked. If you like Logan books, check out Ed Rollins Sigma Force series.

4. -  Not familiar with series.

5. -  Only read The English Girl, which was great, but in it Silva revealed the plots and outcomes of about 6 prior books in the series, ruining them for me. Have been told they are also excellent, but you need to read the series in order.

6. - Not familiar with series.

 

[squistion]

David Baldacci has a series where he even riffs off the character's name - John Puller.

Baladacci in an interview about the John Puller character and similarity to Reacher (questions to him in bold):

https://www.thedailybeast.com/david-baldacci-talks-about-his-new-hero-lee-child-more

David Baldacci Talks About His New Hero, Lee Child, More

[...]

Thriller and mystery writers often get famous for a single character. Given that you have several popular characters—and series—already, why start a new series now?

It keeps me fresh. I like John Puller because I’ve never really written about the military before. A lot of Virginians will recognize his last name from Chesty Puller, who was the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. He had some bumps along the way, and he was in some ways the model for my character’s father, John Puller Sr. I was also intrigued by the idea of a loner character being sent off on his own to different areas to figure out different crimes.

The military loner reminded me of Jack Reacher, the hero of writer Lee Child’s thrillers. Since Lee’s series is going Hollywood with Tom Cruise—and it’s been awhile since you had a movie—any Reacher envy?

I love Lee’s books. I think Jack Reacher is a terrific character, and certainly there are some similarities. If you have a guy in the military who’s very physical, I guess you can compare them. Lee started the series with Reacher still in the military. He’s in the MP as opposed to the CID [Criminal Investigation Command]. But protagonists are protagonists and heroes are heroes. The military is a very cool world to write about. I went down to Ft. Benning, Ga., for military training, and I learned a lot about soldiers and officers and why they joined up and what their life has been like. I also got my butt kicked.

[...]

 

[msommer]

I am not certain how Lee Child got the rights back to continue the series, as usually once the character is sold, he or she is the property of the movie studio or production company. I saw Sara Paretsky speak at a book signing and she had sold her Victoria, V.I. Warshawski series to Disney for a movie, which bombed at the box office (despite excellent casting of Kathleen Turner and Charles Durning). The studio refused to make another film and wanted something in the range of 6-7 figures for her to buy it back - which why we haven't seen another Warshawski flick or even series

IMHO, the first couple of Warchawski books were excellent. The later, not so much.

The problem with the casting was not really Hollywood, but Tom Cruise whose production company bought the rights and had complete creative control over the casting and sadly, he thought himself perfect for the role. :(

He may have only bought book rights, not character rights

 

[Daywalker]

Dave Bautista?

 

[squistion]

IMHO, the first couple of Warchawski books were excellent. The later, not so much.

He may have only bought book rights, not character rights

I am not sure, but don't think so, as I read Cruise had his choice of which books to use and if the 2nd movie hadn't flopped at the box office we would have seen more titles taken from the series. Now maybe he was buying them piecemeal, but I didn't get that impression. And according to Paretsky the standard movie book deal not only buys that individual book but any character in that book or in that series forever. Maybe Lee Child had more clout and worked out a better deal, but Cruise had the option to continue making Reacher movies as long as he wanted. Perhaps Child bought back the rights but I haven't seen verification of that

Actually I have liked nearly all of the Warshawski books although she seems to have run out of steam in the last two that came out. She had a longer run of quality books IMO than Sue Grafton, who seemed to lose it after the letter M in the alphabet (really detested the later books with multiple narratives going back 20-30 years instead of just Kinsey Mullhone).

 

[Poke_4_Life]

We missed one obvious choice for Reacher, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.  Although I believe Reacher is Caucasian, but is that actually stated in the books?  I also think the Rock is too big for a TV series, as in too A-list.  

Idris Elba, Joseph Manganiello, and Alexander Skarsgård were mentioned on the CrimeReads site.  

 

[ZenoRazon]

Dave Bautista?

You read my mind.

 

[ZenoRazon]

We missed one obvious choice for Reacher, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.  Although I believe Reacher is Caucasian, but is that actually stated in the books?  I also think the Rock is too big for a TV series, as in too A-list.  

Idris Elba, Joseph Manganiello, and Alexander Skarsgård were mentioned on the CrimeReads site.  

Reacher too well known to be a black actor.

 

[Joe Mammy]

JJ Watt = Reacher.

 

[heckmanm]

We missed one obvious choice for Reacher, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.  Although I believe Reacher is Caucasian, but is that actually stated in the books?  I also think the Rock is too big for a TV series, as in too A-list.  

Idris Elba, Joseph Manganiello, and Alexander Skarsgård were mentioned on the CrimeReads site.  

I think he's mentioned as having blond hair in one of the books.

@Joe Mammy, physically I think JJ Watt is a pretty good match.

 

[Birdie048]

7. David Morrell - The Brotherhood of the Rose/The Fraternity of the Stone/The League of Night and Fog

The early Morrell works are along the line of Reacher intrigue, but the later stuff is too different....  

Love the early series.... 

Currently working thru the Matthew Reilly series (on latest "The Three Secret Cities")

 

[Birdie048]

Dave Bautista?

Yeah, excellent choice.....  or maybe Randy Orton?  He's got the 6'5" 250 lb part covered! 

 

[The Big Guy]

How about using Jon Bernthal (Shane from walking dead and Frank castle from Punisher) as Reacher?

Little young, but does the rough and scrappy part really well as the punisher.