Tom Cruise, perfect to play Lee Child's 6-foot-5 tough

Tom Cruise is in talks to play Jack Reacher, the 6-foot-5 tough guy created by author Lee Child. And Child says he doesn't mind that the actor, 10 inches shorter and perhaps a bit older than his fictional killer, may take on the role.

"Reacher's size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way," Child said, according to Deadline Hollywood, which has an exclusive report on the potential film deal.

Although the exact film in which Cruise may star is based on the Jack Reacher book "One Shot," the character figures in 15 books by Child. The latest, "Worth Dying For," hit the L.A. Times bestseller list. In all, Deadline Hollywood reports, Child's Jack Reacher books have sold more than 40 million copies.

Kenneth Turan explained the character in our pages in 2009:

As he details in his resume in "Gone Tomorrow," he started out in the Army, "thirteen years a military policeman, the elite 110th investigative unit, service all over the world." Then, when the Cold War ended, "suddenly getting cut loose."

On his own, Reacher decides less is more. He travels around the country with no luggage, no belongings, no home, nothing to tie him down. He goes with the flow to a certain extent, like those tourists who want to leave only footprints, but at a certain point something happens while he's around and he has no choice but to get involved and tidy up. ...

One of the great conceits of the Reacher novels, however, is [in the novel "Gone Tomorrow"] in force and that is the tendency of the folks he deals with to consistently underestimate him. Unlike Sherlock Holmes or Paul Temple, Reacher is not known to the criminal world, and the bad guys are always telling him, "Stay away from this," "You're out of your depth" and the ever-popular "You got lucky." You want to scream at them, "This is Jack Reacher for pity's sake, he'll eat you for breakfast!" He will, you know, and that's why we keep coming back for more.

If all goes as planned, "One Shot," starring Tom Cruise, will film in Pittsburgh before Cruise begins work on another film scheduled to begin shooting in January. But is Jack Reacher a match for Batman? Because "The Dark Knight Rises" is scheduled to film on those same city streets this summer.

-- Carolyn Kellogg

Photo: Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise at a premiere in New York in September 2010. Credit: Evan Agostini / Associated Press

Comments

[Greg Brophy]

I am a long time Reacher fan.
I've read all of the books and have a first edition collection of all of the titles.
Casting Tom Cruise as Reacher is a mistake of the highest order.
Worse than George Hamilton in Godfather 3.
As a Lee Child fan, I am troubled by this news.

Greg Brophy
Montreal

[Gail McHugh]

Please not Tom Cruise. Please anybody would be preferable to Tom Cruise. How could anyone in their right mind even consider Tom Cruise. He is completely wrong. Not only his physical attributes but Tom Cruise is such a camera hog and that is not Jack Reacher. If Tom gets the role it will have definitely killed off my favorite character of all time. I cannot believe Lee Child would allow such a Hollywood travesty. This would be worse than Sofia Coppola in Godfather III. I am sick just thinking about it.

[Mariangela]

Al Pacino and James McAvoy are just two examples of other actors who are the same height as Tom Cruise and you never see silly articles such as these about their height. Get over it, people.

[linh]

this is not about cruise. this is about REACHER. Reacher is 6'5. if you read the books, you would know that his size plays a big part in his character. by having cruise plays reacher, the integrity of the books will not remain intact. i am a reacher fan as well as a cruise fan. can't have a little person play a giant. its like casting cruise to be shaq in a movie about shaq's life. bad idea.

[wwwebb]

I've read all the books and Tom Cruise is not the Reacher Child has had us imagine. Reacher is supposed to be huge with the strength to match his size. A lot of the plot and background of the books is based on just that, for crying out loud. I have nothing against Cruise. He's just not Reacher. If I go to see a movie based on something I read and enjoyed, that's what I want to see, not some strangely modified, unrecognizable version. I'm disappointed that Child is willing to sell out his character for a chance at a movie. Just the thought of Cruise as Reacher will affect the way I read the next book. It's actually affecting the way I look at the Reacher novels I've already read.

[wwwebb]

AND, as for the article itself, Reacher is not a 'killer'.

[Tom Brophy]

If you watch the Austin Powers movie Goldmember, Tom Cruise is cast as Austin Powers as a goof, but I guess Mr. Cruise didn't get the joke. This is typical Hollywood: great character in Reacher; great stories, great potential for the development of a franchise, much like the recent Jason Bourne movies, great opportunity for all of that to be completely eclipsed by the huge ego and dwarfed physique of Tom Cruise.

It's really to bad, if only Mickey Rooney were a bit younger, he would be the perfect Reacher...

[Debby Weimer]

Tom Cruise? Really? Ughh...no way!!!

[Sam]

If Tom Cruise is playing Jack, who are they getting to play everyone else? I would expect a casting call for little people would be in order - a bunch of them. Reacher isn't exactly pretty, and Cruise is exactly pretty. Reacher's presence is ominous and foreboding - a vision of imminent and impending violence. Cruise is a couch bouncing twit.

I'm not saying that the actor can't carry the role and not be 6' 5. But he can't be diminutive either. This is asinine. Cruise is the antithesis of Reacher.

[Jamie Knobloch]

As a huge fan of the Reacher books, I have a precise image of Jack Reacher in my mind, crafted for me by the very talented author. Tom Cruise does not even come close to that image. If he is ultimately cast for the role, I will not go see the movie, as it will ruin my enjoyment of future books in the series. I have several Reacher-reader friends who feel the same.

[Mr. Rumson]

I like how they included a pic of Cruise being dwarfed by his wife.

[A. Morrison]

My husband and myself have read all 14 Reacher Novels in just he last six months. Couldn't put them down. Also had three friends , and two brothers reading them. We are all hooked on Jack Reacher. To have Tom Cruise play Reacher is really a turn off, and would prefer an unknown to Cruise.

[Ax]

Approving of Tom Cruise to play the part of Reacher?
What people won't do for money.

[Jan Keene]

Tom Cruise, really? For all of us who read Jack Reacher novels from cover to cover and then read again - size does matter. Reacher is what he is due to his height and vast military and life experience. Having someone like Cruise attempt this is a joke and a very bad one. How about an unknown a couple of choices, Paul Telfer recently on NCIS has a few projects under his belt and would be a much better more believable choice. Seriously Mr. Childs, rethink your endorsement there are many fans who will not go see the movie just because of Cruise.....

[Mark]

Russell Crowe?
Lou Ferrigno?
Jason Statham?
Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Mickey Rourke?
Conan Stevens?
The Great Khali?

Anybody but Tom Cruise? Please?

[Shelley Murphy]

Height is not why I do not want Tom Cruise to play Jack Reacher. Reacher has a linebacker type physique, is not vain and is attractive to women. Tom Cruise is not correct for this character at any level, he just plays action heroes. I certainly would not see any movie which casts Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, as it would totally ruin the series for me. Gerard Butler maybe? Somebody please save this movie!

[Sandy]

Bad choice!!! What about Joe Manganiello, who looks the part?

[RustyBrown]

I'm very disappointed that Mr. Child is accepting of Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher. The only thing Cruise might have to offer are his poor driving abilities. Charisma, screen presence? Certainly not; not on the scale that Reacher commands.

[Rachel]

My mother won't stop talking about this tragedy! Daniel Craig would be PERFECT for this role!

[susan del sordo]

every time i see the actor Sean Bean i think Jack Reacher not ugh! Tom Cruise. Tom here is a message, produce the movie not star in the movie.

[MyMarie]

This is insane!!! Not my first choice!!

[Niamh]

Please don't destroy 'Jack Reacher' by giving the role to Tom Cruise. I've read all the books and never imagined he would look like Tom Cruise. More like Guy Pearce please!

[Jack Spann]

No, no, no! All wrong. My wife and I are huge fans of the novels, and will not go to see Cruise as Reacher. Please correct this horrendous mistake. Why would you do that? The Reacher novels are way, way bigger than Cruise, both physically and intellectually. Instead of enjoying the imagination of Lee Child, all we'll see is a short man jumping up and down maniacally on Oprah's couch.

[Hassie Gaugau]

I just read about Tom Cruise possibly playing Jack Reacher in a movie. NO! NO! NO! I am literally sick at the thought! I have read everyone of the Reacher series and can hardly wait for the next but would never have pictured Tom Cruise as Reacher. PLEASE say this is some kind of joke! I'm an old lady and don't have many fantasies left, but seeing Tom as Jack is certainly not one of them.

[Marz3121]

Reacher is such a bigger than life character in all ways. I admit I do not like Tom Cruise in any of his movies. But that is not why I am absolutely disgusted and confused by the choice to have Cruise in the Reacher role. Cruise is too clean cut, too predictable, and yes way too short. In the each novel, Lee Child makes at least one if not a dozen references to Reachers size, strength, physical abilities, and the fact that he spent '13 years learning how to kill people' while in the service. Cruise does not have any of the attributes to portray Reacher, quiet, loner, rugged, hard and uncompromising. Maybe if the movie is a comedic film of a dwarf sized Reacher, maybe they can borrow some of the Hobbit actors to star opposite Cruise.....
Come on Mr Child - Reacher does Not need an A-lister to be a successful movie, push for open auditions PLEASE, find an unknown, or one suggestion Dominic Purcell (Prison Break) 6'2".

[Annie]

No No No Tom
Liam Neeson please Lee Child

[Terry Johnson]

Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher? That's ridiculous! I've read every Jack Reacher book and in my opinion that would be the worst casting decision in the history of movie-making. If that little pipsqueak plays Reacher, they won't get a dime from me to see it! I wouldn't even watch it for free.

[Elvis Ferrando]

Chance Kelly will end up playing Jack Reacher. He's always been the one. He is Jack Reacher. Mr. Cruise is perfect to produce. A match made in Heaven.

[Diane]

I agree with the majority..Tom Cruise is not Jack Reacher in any shape or form, it would be a travesty to let this happen. Like others have said there are loads of actors who would better placed to play Jack, please rethink this.
We all know this is because it will help at the box office, but what about the millions of avid readers who won’t be happy, we are the ones who by the books to enable a film to be made..what about our views, it has already tainted my view on what Lee Child is possibly letting happen.
I for one am totally gutted and very unhappy at the prospect of Tom Cruise getting this part...give someone decent have a stab at it and make us all happy.
Big Reacher fan x

[C Corsetti]

PLEASE NOT TOM CRUISE. Tom Cruise plays ONLY tom cruise.
Please get an actor!!!

[marie]

Is this some sort of joke?? If this is a done deal, that Tiny Tom is playing Jack Reacher, this is a movie that I, and I daresay anyone that loves Reacher, will NOT be seeing. EVER. NO WAY NO HOW! What a tragedy this would be and completely ruin any future books regarding Reacher that Child writes. Has the casting director even READ a Reacher book?? Ugh..this would be horrible and I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying that it will be a dismal failure at the box office.
People back up when Jack Reacher comes into a room...nobody would back up for Tom, even if he had his shoe lifts in.

Liam Neeson maybe...but NOT TC.

[FryerTuck]

This reminds me of when they made "Sahara" from Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt franchise and then changing up the whole Pitt universe and alienating Cussler's fanbase who boycotted the movie. Reacher fans would love to see their guy portrayed on the screen, but there is no way Cruise can be him. They'll have to change the character into a special forces type guy with karate-type skills or something, but whoever he is, he won't be Jack Reacher. They can do the story of "One Shot" OK, but it won't be Jack Reacher.

[KDF]

Worst casting since Willem Dafoe as Mr. Clark.