I am a fan of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher books. Several have been optioned for movies. Do you know what the first book to film will be, when filming begins and who will play this incredible man?
—Pat Pope, Mansfield, Ohio
The first movie in what is hoped will turn out to be a trilogy is One Shot, which has wrapped filming and is set for release in December. It will star Tom Cruise, 49, as Reacher, a rugged former U.S. Army cop, who in this story investigates a sniper attack.
Fans of the 16 novels by Lee Child, 57, may have a problem with the casting, as Reacher is described in the books as tall and 250 pounds—a stretch for the Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol star, who reportedly stands several inches under six feet and weighs 160 pounds. But it was decided when casting the film that capturing the essence of the character was more important than matching his physical description.
The author has come around to that point of view, too. “With another actor, you might get 100 percent of the height but only 90 percent of Reacher. With Tom, you’ll get 100 percent of Reacher with 90 percent of the height.”
In addition to Cruise, the cast includes Rosamund Pike, 33, and Robert Duvall, 81, as well as a cameo by Child, who is reported to make a brief appearance as a police sergeant.
If One Shot should do gangbusters at the box office, other Jack Reacher books under consideration for future movies include Killing Floor and Bad Luck and Trouble.
