Sorry, Jack Reacher fans, but your streaming options for the two Tom Cruise-led movies are about to be cut in half. Netflix has announced that 2012’s Jack Reacher and 2016’s Jack Reacher: Never Go Back will leave the streamer at the end of the month.
Both Jack Reacher movies will leave Netflix on Oct. 31. Before Alan Ritchson stepped into the role of the former U.S. Army military policeman, Cruise played the character — who has appeared in 29 novels by Lee Child — in two well-received feature-length films. The first, Jack Reacher, was released in 2012, focusing on the titular character Reacher as he is called upon to aid in a homicide investigation involving a trained military sniper believed to be responsible for a mass shooting. The movie, based on the 2005 novel One Shot and written and directed by future Mission: Impossible helmer Christopher McQuarrie, earned favorable reviews from critics and was a box office success, grossing over $215 million worldwide off a $60 million budget.
The sequel, based on the 2013 novel Never Go Back, was released in 2016, finding Cruise’s Jack Reacher going on the run with Army Major Susan Turner (The Avengers‘ Cobie Smulders), who has been framed for espionage, as the two reveal a dark conspiracy. While the action sequences and Cruise’s performance were praised, Never Go Back otherwise received mixed reviews from critics, with many considering it inferior to its predecessor. The movie also failed to do as well at the box office as the first movie, grossing only $162 million. However, Never Go Back has since become a streaming hit, appearing atop a recent Nielsen streaming ratings chart.
Could Jack Reacher 3 Ever Happen?
After the box office disappointment of Never Go Back, the Jack Reacher franchise was rebooted for the small screen, with Reacher premiering to glowing reviews and high viewership on Prime Video in 2022. McQuarrie told Empire in 2020 that he and Cruise have talked about a third Reacher movie, with the pair hoping to make it R-rated. However, McQuarrie stated that a return to the world of Jack Reacher is down on their list of priorities, with the duo instead focusing on several other projects, such as the untitled eighth Mission: Impossible movie. Edward Zwick, who directed Never Go Back, has also indicated that he would be open to helming a third Jack Reacher movie “should Tom happen to call.”

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“I’d just finished writing and producing Valkyrie at United Artists after [the studio] had been taken over by Cruise/Wagner. I had a first look deal there, which amounted to an office and a desk and phone,” McQuarrie told The AV Club in 2022 while reflecting on Jack Reacher. “[Jack Reacher producer] Don Granger had been the studio executive for UA on Valkyrie and we worked very closely together on that movie. He came to my office one day having gone through all the old Cruise/Wagner titles, looking for what to do next as a producer. He’d settled on Lee Child’s One Shot and asked if I would rewrite the existing script with an eye toward directing. I’d been in director jail since The Way Of The Gun flopped 12 years prior. As had happened on other projects with other stars and studios, I knew I’d be asked to do all the heavy lifting before being kicked to the curb. I told Don I was very flattered, but I wasn’t interested in asking for permission to make movies anymore and turned him down flat. He wasn’t letting it go that easily.”
Reacher is not just physically imposing, he has a wry wit and a piercing intellect. There’s a subtle tone to the character that not just anyone could pull off.
“Cruise called me out of the blue one day and told me he’d read [the Reacher script] and loved it,” McQuarrie continued. “‘I’d like to be in it if you’ll have me.’ I knew this was going to be a controversial casting choice with the fans. I also knew I had Tom Cruise offering to be in my movie. Don and I went to New York to discuss it with Lee Child. We brought a chart with us—one that listed all the actors who could get the movie made and scored them on various curves; physical size, intellect, demeanor. Reacher is not just physically imposing, he has a wry wit and a piercing intellect. There’s a subtle tone to the character that not just anyone could pull off. Honestly, his physical size didn’t matter to me, particular since it meant I’d only have to cast even bigger people for him to square up against if his fights were to have any stakes. We also felt Jack Reacher is uniquely American, and should be played by one, despite a number of very capable Brits and Australians on the list. When we walked through all the permutations of the movie, Lee agreed that Tom should play him (Lee also understood this was about expanding the series to a wider audience). With the author’s blessing, the gloves were off.”
McQuarrie isn’t the only one who’s discussed Cruise’s aesthetic as Jack Reacher. Reacher star Alan Ritchson, who packed on considerable muscle for the role, spoke with Jimmy Kimmel about Cruise’s look in early 2024. “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,” he explained. “That’s not a big deal. This guy still did two movies that grossed over 300 million dollars. Thats a huge- he’s brought so many eyes to this series. We would not have the success that we have without it.”
Reacher Renewed for Season 4
While the film franchise fizzled out after two entries, the small screen iteration of Jack Reacher is showing no signs of slowing down. Earlier this month, Prime Video announced that it had renewed Reacher for a fourth season while confirming that Season 3 would debut in 2025. “Reacher has become a phenomenon that continues to resonate with our global customers beyond our wildest expectations and we are thrilled to bring the series back for an additional season,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon MGM Studios. “We are looking forward to more action and adventure from the immensely talented team behind the series including Nick Santora, Alan Ritchson, Lee Child, Skydance and CBS Studios.”
Jack Reacher fans will be unable to stream the two Cruise-led movies on Netflix beginning Nov. 1, 2024.