How Reacher Season 3 Returns To Jack's Origins & Sets Up Neagley's Spinoff Explained By Alan Ritchson & Maria Sten

Reacher season 3 expands the character of Jack Reacher and dives more into the life of Frances Neagley, franchise stars Alan Ritchson and Maria Sten reveal in a new ScreenRant interview. Jack Reacher is known to be a character who does things his own way, and the latest season of the Prime Video show leans into that. This season, Ritchson’s Reacher is set to do more on his own, stepping away from the season 2 storyline that saw him working with the 110th Special Investigations Unit.

That said, Maria Sten’s Frances Neagley is still going to be a large part of Reacher’s life, and Reacher season 3 will continue to explore that dynamic. This is also as the upcoming Neagley spinoff cements the character’s future in the franchise, with or without Reacher himself. With the season based on Reacher creator Lee Child’s action-heavy novel Persuader, big things are certainly in store for both Reacher and Neagley.

Jack Reacher looking at Paulie dismissively in Reacher season 3

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ScreenRant’s Liam Crowley spoke with Reacher season 3 cast members Alan Ritchson and Maria Stern about their respective work as Jack Reacher and Frances Neagley. Ritchson discussed returning to the origins of Reacher and his devotion to tracking fan responses to the series. Sten spoke on what’s in store for Neagley this season, and talked about how the new episodes set up her character’s spinoff.

Reacher Season 3 Is A Return To The Character’s Lone Wolf Mentality

“He Just Does Things His Own Way"

While season 2 was generally well-received, some yearned for a Reacher who ventured out on his own. “I’m a big Redditor,” Ritchson said when asked how Reacher’s lone wolf spirit will manifest inseason 3. “Reddit seemed to not love the fact that there was some camaraderie [in] season 2."

Ritchson continues, "There was this comfort level that he had, and I think some people felt like we lost a little bit of what we love about Reacher, which is this tension that exists between him and everybody else, because he just does things his own way and there [are] no rules and norms.”

Season 3 will go back to basics, reveals Ritchson. “And so, we really return to that.”

That’s not to say that Reacher season 3 is entirely a solo endeavor. “There’s always going to be some kind of alliance,” Ritchson continued, “a coalition that forms between Reacher and those around him–the forces of good and evil.”

But it’s Reacher’s tension with the rule-following law enforcement officials that creates some of the series’ most memorable relationships. “We want to sit back and enjoy some wish fulfillment where we see somebody take matters into their own hands and set things right immediately,” Ritchson says on the subject, “and that’s where this lives.”

Neagley’s Spinoff Is Subtly Set Up In Reacher Season 3

“She Very Much Stays True To What She’s Always Been”

Maria Sten’s Frances Neagley has been an ally for Reacher through multiple seasons of the show, and in season 3, “she very much stays true to what she’s always been, which is to show up and help Reacher get out of trouble,” according to the actor.

Where Neagley begins the series, however, is a subtle introduction to the idea of her as the star of her own show. “I think how we connect the two dots is really by showing her in Chicago,” Sten said.

“She’s living her own life. She has her own work that she’s doing when Reacher calls for the first time. And so we established that there is a world for her outside of Reacher’s universe, which, I think, is a nice way to hand it off for our episodes.”

Ritchson Has Not Talked About Reacher With Tom Cruise, But Is Grateful To Him Anyway

“He Really Laid The Foundation” For Modern Actors Performing Stunts On-Camera

Alan Ritchson and Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher

Mission: Impossible franchise director and writer Christopher McQuarrie is a producer on Reacher, creating a link between Ritchson and Tom Cruise, who has previously played the Jack Reacher character. When asked if he had ever spoken with Cruise about their shared role, Ritchson revealed that they have never talked but that Cruise is "supportive" nonetheless.

"He’s aware of what we’re doing and supportive of the show, but we’re trying to honor the books and our focus is on, ‘How do we adapt these books to screen in the world of TV as best we can?’”

Still, Ritchson has plenty to thank Cruise for, saying, “I’m just hugely grateful for the example he set. I do a lot of my own stunts … He really laid the foundation for a world where actors get in there and get their hands dirty.”

“We Talk About It Quite Often”: Ritchson Discusses The State Of Fast X: Part 2

It’s All About Getting “The Stars To Align”

Jason Momoa, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne Johnson in Fast and Furious

Fast X: Part 2 is on the way, but logistics have been slowing progress when it comes to production. It’s all because of how well-known its leads are, reveals Ritchson: “We talk about it quite often. That is one of the biggest challenges that franchise faces is that you've got a lot of guys like Dwayne and Vin and Momoa and myself and everybody's super busy."

"Trying to get the stars to align so we can make that happen is a feat of nature. So we'll see how it goes, but this is a passion project for Universal, and it's one that I had a blast doing, so I'd love to get in there, and I'll bring it to life again.”

Despite the challenge in aligning schedules, Fast X: Part 2 is widely believed to end the main Fast & Furious film series, and as such Universal will surely do whatever it takes to get the family back together for one last ride.

Reacher Season 3 premieres February 20 on Prime Video.

Source: ScreenRant Plus