Alan Ritchson Flips Tom Cruise's Greatest Jack Reacher Moment In The Perfect Way

Published Aug 29, 2026, 4:45 PM EDT Padraig is a Senior Features Writer and has been part of Screen Rant since 2017. Padraig is a writer, editor and retired Game of Thrones extra who has been writing about movies and TV online for over a decade. He has also written for The Irish Times, Den Of Geek, Little White Lies and many more. It's pronounced Paw-rick, BTW. The latest episode of Reacher season four just homaged Tom Cruise's greatest moment as the character in a delightful way. The producers behind the 2012 Jack Reacher movie had a famously tough time finding an A-list actor who matched the character from the books. Described as a 6-foot-5, 250-pound behemoth, there weren't many stars who fit that particular bill; that said, Dwayne Johnson was rejected as Jack Reacher around this time, despite being a solid match. Ultimately, it was decided to cast a star who could convey Reacher's smarts and intensity - even if they weren't built like The Incredible Hulk. Maybe that sounded like a good idea on paper, but Tom Cruise's casting as Jack Reacher proved incredibly controversial. Cruise still gave a fine performance, but he was fundamentally miscast and fit nobody's image of the title avenger from Lee Child's Jack Reacher books. Prime Video's Reacher later recast the role with Alan Ritchson, and the rest is history. For the most part, the series has avoided any references or homages to the Cruise duology, but season four, episode five, "Bridge" just changed that by seemingly referencing the best scene from the Jack Reacher movie. Jack Reacher's Bus Escape Is Tom Cruise's Best Moment As The Character Even if Cruise was wrong for the part, the original film has a large fanbase, with its incredible car chase considered the high point. This involves Cruise's Reacher being chased by police, and after briefly losing them, he calmly exits his vehicle and walks to a nearby bus stop - in full view of a group of waiting passengers. Despite seeing the police cars rushing past, they decide to help him anyway, and Reacher escapes the police by blending into the crowd and calmly getting onto the next bus. Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher adapted the ninth novel, "One Shot." This was such a witty little sequence that it was plastered all over Jack Reacher's trailers and TV spots. It was a great button on an intense car chase too, and felt like the prototype for the types of setpieces Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie would later perfect with their Mission: Impossible sequels. Reacher Season 4 Just Offered The Comic Flipside To Tom Cruise's Best Movie Scene The finale of Reacher's "Bridge" sees Jack and his detective pal Green (Sydelle Noel) forced to go on the run, leading to a lengthy foot chase with the police. This scene is seemingly winding down when Reacher and Tamara calmly enter a waiting bus, but there is something about a hulking, sweaty and bloody giant squeezing into a crowded bus that unsettles the other passengers. Pretty soon, one of them recognizes Reacher as the man wanted by police, and after she points him out, her fellow passengers start recording him on their phones. Within seconds, Reacher and Tamara are forced to flee again, and in hindsight, it feels patently silly that either of them thought Reacher could just slip into the background. Reacher's Latest Episode Underlines Why Tom Cruise Wasn't Right For The Franchise It truly feels like an inversion of the bus scene from Cruise's Jack Reacher, showing what would actually happen if the character from the novels attempted the same trick. One advantage Cruise's version had is that, yes, he looks more like a regular dude who could just take a seat on a bus and go unnoticed. However, author Lee Child designed Jack Reacher as a figure who would be noticed just about anywhere, and one who changes the temperature of a room just by walking into it. Ritchson is perfect casting in that regard, being able to play the smarts, the charm and ultimately, the menace of Reacher. Cruise, on the other hand, just isn't that guy. The bus scene in "Bridge" underscores that and reveals Reacher could never simply glide through a crowd unseen. Still, it was nice for Prime's show to give the Tom Cruise movie a tip of the hat and flip its most famous scene on its head. Reacher 8/10 Release Date February 3, 2022 Network Prime Video Without a phone and traveling light, former military police officer Jack Reacher drifts between American towns, embroiling himself in local crimes and bringing justice in his wake. Based on the series of novels by Lee Child, Reacher's journey offers him an intimate understanding on the nation he once served. Jack Reacher 7/10 Release Date December 21, 2012 Runtime 2h 10m After a mass shooting takes place, homicide investigator Jack Reacher digs into the case to hunt down the sniper who committed the heinous act. Jack Reacher stars Tom Cruise as the titular character and was directed by Christopher McQuarrie. The success of the 2012 film led to a sequel, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, releasing in 2016.