Rejoice, Reacher is back, baby! Well, not exactly. Alan Ritchson will be fighting bad guys on screen soon enough, but it will be for a new action thriller. Ritchson will be on the run on a high-octane mission that sees him protect and deliver an organ to a dying patient. Behind the scenes, an experienced action director will form part of the upcoming production, called Runner.

Deadline reports that Ritchson is now set to lead the action thriller Runner, which follows a courier working against time to deliver a life-saving organ to a seven-year-old, but things take a turn when he encounters a notorious crime syndicate leader looking to take the body part for themselves. Of course, the film will have the Reacher star once again find himself battling bad guys against all odds, using his hulking presence in the process. Scott Waugh, the filmmaker behind The Expendables 4, is set to direct Runner for producers Todd Garner (Broken Road Productions), Dan Spilo (Industry Entertainment), Mark Fasano (Nickel City Pictures), and Jeffrey Greenstein (A Higher Standard). Ritchson himself serves as a producer as well. The director teased the film:

“Runner with the driving force of an actor like Alan Ritchson reminds me of the Tony Scott action films I grew up on in the 90’s when character and story were pivotal and the action was a spectacle. I couldn’t be more excited to direct this super entertaining script and bring the thrilling world of Runner to life.”

More Reacher is well on its way, including Season 3 and a spinoff, but that doesn’t mean Richtson can’t branch off for a bit. If anything, his participation in the new film will likely delay the next season of Amazon’s hit TV adaptation. While the actor has been pitching himself as the DCU’s next Batman, Ritchson has found a corner in the action genre that keeps on giving. The Ritchson era has officially commenced, it’s not tool late to hop on the bandwagon.

What’s Up Next for Alan Ritchson?

In addition to the ever-expanding Reacher universe, Ritchson is filling up his schedule as of late with different genre projects. Before joining Runner, the actor was announced to lead the next Nicholas Sparks film, which promises to be a tragic yet romantic movie. Meanwhile, he also signed a three-picture deal with Amazon MGM Studios, which means he’ll be working with the streamer on non-related Reacher projects as well. It seems Ritchson is keen on becoming a much larger presence in the film scene, while leaving one foot on the television side of things.

Most recently, Ritchson appeared in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare alongside Henry Cavill, while also becoming a franchise villain in the Fast X Saga. However, most fans of the acclaimed actor likely learned about him on the small screen. Before Reacher, Ritchson played Hawk in Max’s Titans superhero series, his second DC role after appearing as Aquaman in Smallville. He also almost became a Marvel superhero in the MCU in 2011’s Thor, before Chris Hemsworth famously won the role. After years of grinding away supporting roles, Ritchson finds himself in the spotlight, while still challenging himself every step of the way.