Alan Ritchson reached out to Tom Cruise over Jack Reacher, but it didn't go the way he planned

Jack Reacher is back on our screens in the second season of Prime Video’s Reacher. Alan Ritchson returns as the tough former military officer as he does what he does best: beat people up and solve crimes.

However, he’s not the only star to take on Lee Child’s beloved character in recent years with Tom Cruise playing the part for two movies. It’s something Fast X star Ritchson was very aware of taking on the part, and he recently explained he sent Cruise a lengthy letter, it just never made it to him.

Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ritchson explained: "I wrote him a heartfelt letter. Because here's the thing, I know what you know. He's taken some criticism for the role, because he doesn't aesthetically fit the role of Reacher perfectly, according to the books. This guy still did two movies that grossed over $300 million, and doesn't even fit. He's brought so many eyes to this series. We would not have the success that we have without it. So out of gratitude, I write him a loving, heartfelt letter, a page-long letter, and I give it to Don Granger, a partner of his at Skydance. My boss. Skydance produces the show."

However, things didn’t quite work out how he was hoping after this, as Granger wasn’t keen on the exchange. Ritchson continued, "He said, 'We're not going to give it to him. It's a terrible idea. He's fine with it because he's moved on in life. He's moved on and you need to move on, too.'"

Luckily, Ritchson took the opportunity of a national platform to say what he wanted to say. Addressing the Top Gun: Maverick star, he added to the camera: "I'm super grateful for you passing the baton to me on Reacher and helping it become what it's become with the eyes that you brought to the show. So I just want you to know that that was some version of my letter. There's a few 'I love yous', a couple of pictures together, but we’ll just leave it there." 

Reacher season 2 debuted with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score on Prime Video, with new episodes releasing weekly. For what else to watch on the streaming platform, check out our guides to the best shows on Amazon Prime Video and the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.