'Reacher' Star Alan Ritchson Outshines Cruise as Season 4 Faces Delay

Max Sterling, 4/15/2025Prime Video's "Reacher" continues to captivate, eclipsing Tom Cruise's portrayal. As fans await Season 4, the show introduces a spinoff featuring Maria Sten's Neagley. With high ratings and character depth, anticipation builds for Alan Ritchson's return in 2025, proving good things take time.

Speaking of casting — remember the collective groan when Tom Cruise was announced as Jack Reacher? Well, Prime Video sure does. They've recently added "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" to their lineup, and honestly? It's like they're showing off. The contrast between Cruise's interpretation and Alan Ritchson's towering presence couldn't be more stark. Sure, Cruise has the action chops (nobody's arguing there), but watching Ritchson embody the role feels like seeing a beloved book character step right off the page.

The numbers don't lie. Season 2 and 3 both landed a whopping 98% on Rotten Tomatoes — the kind of scores that make network executives wake up smiling. But here's where things get a bit complicated for fans chomping at the bit for season 4. Prime Video's got plans. Big plans. And they involve Maria Sten's Neagley getting her own spinoff series.

Look, nobody's saying the wait for season 4 won't sting a little. But maybe — just maybe — this breather isn't such a bad thing. The third season showed us glimpses of a more nuanced Reacher, particularly in those scenes with Richard. It's the kind of character development that needs room to breathe.

Remember that throwaway line in season 2 about "four or five dogs" and a piece of land? Funny how those casual mentions often turn out to be breadcrumbs leading somewhere interesting. The showrunners might be playing a longer game than we thought.

For now, though, fans are left doing what Reacher himself rarely does — waiting patiently. Sure, there's always the Cruise movies to fall back on (hey, desperate times...), but let's be real: Ritchson's version has spoiled us all. The good news? If there's one thing worth waiting for, it's watching Reacher solve problems the way he knows best — with equal parts brains and brawn, heavy on the brawn.

Guess we'll just have to keep an eye on Prime Video's 2025 lineup and hope for some good news. Until then? Well, there's always rewatches. After all, you might catch something new on the third (or thirteenth) viewing. That's what we're telling ourselves, anyway.

Prime Video's "Reacher" keeps bulldozing through streaming records like its namesake character through a door — and that's saying something. The show's meteoric rise has left even seasoned industry watchers scratching their heads, though perhaps they shouldn't be surprised. After all, good things tend to happen when you finally get a casting decision right.Speaking of casting — remember the collective groan when Tom Cruise was announced as Jack Reacher? Well, Prime Video sure does. They've recently added "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" to their lineup, and honestly? It's like they're showing off. The contrast between Cruise's interpretation and Alan Ritchson's towering presence couldn't be more stark. Sure, Cruise has the action chops (nobody's arguing there), but watching Ritchson embody the role feels like seeing a beloved book character step right off the page.The numbers don't lie. Season 2 and 3 both landed a whopping 98% on Rotten Tomatoes — the kind of scores that make network executives wake up smiling. But here's where things get a bit complicated for fans chomping at the bit for season 4. Prime Video's got plans. Big plans. And they involve Maria Sten's Neagley getting her own spinoff series.Look, nobody's saying the wait for season 4 won't sting a little. But maybe — just maybe — this breather isn't such a bad thing. The third season showed us glimpses of a more nuanced Reacher, particularly in those scenes with Richard. It's the kind of character development that needs room to breathe.Remember that throwaway line in season 2 about "four or five dogs" and a piece of land? Funny how those casual mentions often turn out to be breadcrumbs leading somewhere interesting. The showrunners might be playing a longer game than we thought.For now, though, fans are left doing what Reacher himself rarely does — waiting patiently. Sure, there's always the Cruise movies to fall back on (hey, desperate times...), but let's be real: Ritchson's version has spoiled us all. The good news? If there's one thing worth waiting for, it's watching Reacher solve problems the way he knows best — with equal parts brains and brawn, heavy on the brawn.Guess we'll just have to keep an eye on Prime Video's 2025 lineup and hope for some good news. Until then? Well, there's always rewatches. After all, you might catch something new on the third (or thirteenth) viewing. That's what we're telling ourselves, anyway.