Alan Ritchson Wants To Adapt The Reacher Book Lee Child Is “Proudest” Of But Has No Idea “How That Would Play On TV”

Lead star Alan Ritchson opens up about the Reacher novel he'd like to adapt, sharing his thoughts alongside author Lee Child. Reacher season 3 recently premiered on Prime Video, adapting Persuader and following the titular character as he goes undercover to help a rescue mission. But even in the early going and with a few wins under his belt, the objective is proving to be more difficult than Ritchson's protagonist anticipated.

In an interview with Business Insider, Child was asked which of his novels he'd like to see showrunner Nick Santora and Prime Video adapt next. Child cited The Midnight Line, which was released in 2017 and deals with the opioid crisis. In the quote below, the executive producer explained how The Midnight Line would show a different side of Jack Reacher:

“The book that I am proudest of is ‘The Midnight Line,’ which is about the opioid crisis, written from a very sympathetic point of view, from the addict’s point of view. I was very happy with that as a book. And I do not know how that would play on TV, but that would be one that I’d be interested to see.”
“He has to be sympathetic for something he would never do, something he probably has no basic sympathy for. But he’s considerate of somebody who suffers from it.”

Ritchson also cited The Midnight Line as a novel that he'd like to see adapted, talking in the quote below about how the novels have evolved since Child started writing them in the 1990s and noting that it would be enjoyable to tackle a more modern story:

“I do like that book. It’s fun watching the content of the books evolve. He started writing these in the ’90s. Some of the concepts that he tackles… He’s very progressive in these books and to watch the conversation change over time is a lot of fun. It’d be fun to tackle a more modern story.”

What Adapting The Midnight Line Would Mean For Reacher

The Hero Might Have To Change

The Midnight Line is the 22nd book in the overall Reacher book series. It finds Jack Reacher once again in the Midwest, getting caught up in an investigation involving the illegal opioid trade and the pharmaceutical companies that profit wildly in the aftermath. It would be a more topical storyline for the Prime Video series, which has usually favored the sort of generic and one-note villains that would not look out of place in a 1980s action movie.

Custom Reacher image of Sonya Cassidy as Sarah Duffy and Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher

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The adaptation could, depending on how the writers choose to approach it, alter the character of Reacher. The former military man tends to walk around with a sense of superiority and a belief that his worldview and his way of doing things are what's right. Introducing a very real problem, with real victims and real consequences, rather than essentially faceless baddies, would be a fundamentally different version of the show if it were to be chosen for Reacher season 4.

Our Take On Reacher Potentially Adapting The Midnight Sun

Prime Video Could Take A Chance

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, in the kitchen, in Reacher season 2, episode 2

Part of the reason that Reacherhas hit big with audiences is that, fundamentally, it is an optimistic story. The hero may operate in questionable ways, but it's ultimately in service to the greater good and all with the belief that things will work out fine in the end. It would be a bold decision if, after establishing a formula, the show decided to challenge it. For one, it would make for a pretty interesting watch.

Reacher season 3 streams Thursdays on Prime Video.

Source: Business Insider