Summary
Lee Child gets candid about his work being adapted to movies and TV series. The British author admits that he prefers his work to be shown on streaming television.
Child is best known for hisJackReacherseries, a long-running collection of thriller novels featuring the titular character. Jack is a former military policeman who is highly intelligent and a brilliant fighter with a strong moral code. Two movies were produced from the novel starring Tom Cruise —Jack Reacher(2012) andJack Reacher: Never Go Back(2016). Cruise’s movies received mixed to positive reactions, with many questioning the lead actor because Cruise did not physically match Reacher’s towering presence. Cruise was only 5'7", while Reacher was supposed to be 6'5". Due to the fans' demand for a more accurate Reacher, they created theJack ReacherTV series, starring Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, and the show has been so well-received that it has surpassed the movies. Season 1, Season 2 andSeason 3received 92%, 93% and 97% ratings from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively. And a fourth season is in development. While reflecting on the projects, Child admitted he preferred the TV shows over the movie adaptation ofJack Reacher.
Child also serves as an executive producer forAmazon Prime’sReacher. He was convinced that television was the best platform for his beloved character, Reacher. “My preference is for streaming television, “he told Collider. “Simply for that running time, you’ve got. It’s such a luxury. Feature films are so tight that it’s an absolute joy to have time to do all the little bits, the quiet bits, the fun bits, and the tender bits. You know, that feels great.” While he believes films can also be a great medium, in his own opinion, streaming TV is the best medium for his works.
I’m absolutely convinced no book author would ever do a feature film in preference to that.
The success of theReacherTV series sparked discussion about whether his other books will also score an adaptation on the show, especiallyOne ShotandNever Go Back, which inspiredCruise’s films. Child was open to revisiting them. However, it wasn’t among his priorities. “In my mind, they’re not done now,” he said about possibly adapting those books in theReacherTV series. “I would revisit them absolutely, but I think not as a matter of urgency.Let’s do something that hasn’t been done in any medium yet.But yeah, I would certainly do the ones that were features, but they’re on the back burner, rather than the next one.”
Yes, theReacherTV series outperformed Cruise’s movies in both critical reception and audience approval. First, probably because Ritchson has the build and aura of Jack Reacher. He is 6'3” and 235 pounds, making him a perfect representation of the beloved character. His towering height makes him intimidating, just as the books describe him. Second, Child is right; the TV format offers longer screen time, allowing for better pacing, deeper character development, a more immersive story, and a more faithful adaptation of the books.
