MovieChat Forums > Jack Reacher (2012) Discussion > Who should have been cast as JR?

Who should have been cast as JR?


Dwayne "The Hulk" Johnston, Donald "The Apprentice" Trump or Hillary "The Snake" Clinton?

Cruise is ok but DJ is my vote.

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https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/66rrpp/what_casting_choice_still_annoys_you/dgl87wq/

Reacher is supposed to be 6 ft 5 in., 250 lbs., blonde with blue eyes, not very good looking (due to past fights) and built like a truck.

While it would be hard to find an actor who could portray him, I personally think either Liev Schriber or Daniel Craig could have pulled it off - both have rough-hewn faces, the physical intimidation factor, the hair and the eyes. Both can do physical fighting scenes very effectively and can play the laconic, taciturn but threatening persona very well. Makes me nuts when I see Cruise in the role.

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Wouldn't be hard to find, you described Dolph Lundgren

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He would have been perfect in his younger days.

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If someone had thought of filming The killing floor when it came out, he would have been just about the right age. Not mention his other similarities: former soldier, fighter, scientist.

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This is the correct answer. Failing that, Brian Bosworth has played a decent action star.

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Not a bad choice at all.

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Right? Once you've seen Stone Cold (aka The Brotherhood), you cannot discount him as a suitable Reacher.

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Stone cold was a great action flick. Too bad that was the only thing really of worth he ever made, at least as the star. The rest were solid low budget movies, but noting much.

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Dwayne Johnson's look would have fit the part much more closely than Cruise.

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The Rock is blond?

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That's what bleach is for.

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I thought Reacher is supposed to be bald?

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Depends on the book. Mostly short, blonde hair.

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There aren't many actors -- period -- that would fit that size.

Google search provides a list of actors over six feet tall. Eliminating those who aren't right for the role (Will Ferrell IS Jack Reacher!) the following are possible prospects:

i. Alexander Skarsgård. Has played Tarzan and other roles that make good use of his physicality. He's also a dirty blond, close to the description of Reacher. He would be my personal first choice.

ii. Joe Manganiello. Another very physical actor, e.g. Rampage, Magic Mike but he has dark looks.

iii. Armie Hammer. Man from UNCLE and The Lone Ranger showed that he can do action. Has the blond hair.

iv. John Corbett. Might be too old and isn't known for action.

v. Josh Duhamel. Transformers was one of his action roles. He'd probably be my second choice.

vi. Jason Momoa. He would have to lose the whole barbarian persona. He's also pretty dark because of his ethnicity.

vii. Dwayne Johnson. Overexposed at this point, wrong ethnicity.

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Dolph Lundgren would have been perfect for the role around the time the books first started coming out. Today, honestly, it's Kinnaman. Reacher is tall, muscular, blonde, good looking - but not, and savage looking. Skarsgard fits, but would be my second choice.

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Lundgren and Kinnaman... both good choices!

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I've read one Reacher book, but I have to agree with other posters on this board who go for Ray Stevenson. That's all I could see as I read it.

He's got more than the look - there's a fierce intelligence behind his eyes that's consistent with Reacher's tactician/investigator personality.

Dolph would be great, especially now that he's more weathered (yet still intimidating), but he doesn't come across as naturally intelligent (weird thing to say about a Fullbright scholar at MIT). In interviews, he seems humble, goofy & self-effacing, and it shows in his characters. Momoa's the same way.

All that said, I still liked Tom Cruise in this film - it's clear, however, that his private screenwriters Cruise-ified it heavily. I can't see Stevenson, The Rock, Momoa or Lundgren delivering that corny "how many of these people look free" speech and making it work. And no way the bus stop scene would've played with any of those man-mountains.

On the other hand, they'd all be scary as hell telling Jeb to pay his bar tab:

"I'll pay it later."

"You won't be able to."

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I've really only seen Stephenson in one action role -- The Punisher. He was okay. In later roles though he looks a bit pudgy. He also seems too old for the role as I picture Reacher.

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Stephenson is a great actor, but he wouldn't fit. Lundgren could play Reacher from one of the recent books. where he's in his 50s, but, if they want to start at the beginning, they need an actor in his late 30s, early 40s

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Stone Cold or Goldberg.

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Ray Stevenson. Look at this pic - https://binged.it/2SgMsjh Exactly how I imagined Reacher.

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My thinking on this type of thing has evolved. I now prefer good acting to the getting the best physical fit. You can fake height but if the actor isn't charismatic its a non starter.

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I would have chosen one of the following actors

Chris Hemsworth (6'2)

Joel Kinnaman (6'2)

Bradley Cooper (6'1)

Dwayne Johnson (6'5)

Alan Ritchson (6'3)

Jon Bernthal (5'11)

Josh Duhamel (6'4)

Joe Manganeillo (6'5)

Gerard Butler (6'2)

Liev Schreiber (6'2)

John Cena (6'0)

Ray Stevenson (6'3)

Hugh Jackman (6'2)

Liam Neeson (old, but still) (6'4)

Liam McIntyre (6'1)

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When reading the books, I imagined him looking like Alexander Godunov.

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