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 Blackie wrote:
How old is supposed to be the character in the books? Idris elba is 46 and Tom Cruise was 50 at the time of the first movie. Aren't they too old for the part?

I'd like a younger actor, someone who is 35ish. Like Joseph Gordon Levitt, Jake Gyllenhaal or Ryan Gosling.

Also Michael Fassbender, Christian Bale, Tom Hardy or Sam Worthington could work but I'd prefer a younger actor and all those ones are already too famous for portraying a character in some action movies.

sort of kind of maybe, per the books he was born in 1960, but is mid-thirtys at the start of the books set in the mid-late 90's, tricky part is the books started just over 20 years ago so some timey-wimey age / current time fudging is fine as nobody needs to be reminded of the 90's

How about Joel Kinnaman?

I dunno if he really has that "instant recognition" thing yet, which could be good?

He's 39 ...
A touch over 6'2" ...
IMHO "very" physical in terms of presence ... (least I think that's what I mean...).
And an absolutely amazing physique ... yeah, I realise this is getting weird...

Carl Urban. Tell me that man couldn't pull it off!

Stephen Merchant.

 Pacific wrote:
Channing Tatum might work...

 Blackie wrote:
How old is supposed to be the character in the books? Idris elba is 46 and Tom Cruise was 50 at the time of the first movie. Aren't they too old for the part?

I'd like a younger actor, someone who is 35ish. Like Joseph Gordon Levitt, Jake Gyllenhaal or Ryan Gosling.

Also Michael Fassbender, Christian Bale, Tom Hardy or Sam Worthington could work but I'd prefer a younger actor and all those ones are already too famous for portraying a character in some action movies.

None of these actors come even close to the physical scale of Jack Reacher. Maybe Tom Hardy comes closes but I don't think he suits it as an actor.

Again, you'd need the actor to 'act being 6'4" and physical', which is back to Tom Cruise problems.

Being exactly like the book is irrelevant, Jack Reacher is a not a real character. IMHO the main problem with Tom Cruise wasn't his height but his way of acting, which is the same every role he portrays and I find it very annoying.

The physical status is not a problem, I don't think he must be like Dwayne Johnson to fit the character and all the actors I've listed can gain the required weight, it's Hollywood. They were just the first names that came to my head though, I'm sure there are several other actors that can fit the role. With Dwayne Johnson we'll end up with another action for families full of moralism, like all the movies in which the ex wrestler had the leading role.

I just wish the producers avoid another super buffed hero in his 50s, I can't stand those silly aged protagonists in action movies, especially now that the real stars of that kind of movies are all over 60.

What about Chris Evans? I think he's an underrated actor, right age, and he's definitely pyshical enough for the part. Maybe too famous for being Captain America though.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Blackie wrote:


I just wish the producers avoid another super buffed hero in his 50s, I can't stand those silly aged protagonists in action movies, especially now that the real stars of that kind of movies are all over 60.
.

Blame the current generation of over pretty leading men the majority of whom appear about as dangerous as a slightly miffed kitten, heck Liam Neeson's career has been riding this phenomenon for the best part of a decade

 Blackie wrote:

 Pacific wrote:
Channing Tatum might work...

 Blackie wrote:
How old is supposed to be the character in the books? Idris elba is 46 and Tom Cruise was 50 at the time of the first movie. Aren't they too old for the part?

I'd like a younger actor, someone who is 35ish. Like Joseph Gordon Levitt, Jake Gyllenhaal or Ryan Gosling.

Also Michael Fassbender, Christian Bale, Tom Hardy or Sam Worthington could work but I'd prefer a younger actor and all those ones are already too famous for portraying a character in some action movies.

None of these actors come even close to the physical scale of Jack Reacher. Maybe Tom Hardy comes closes but I don't think he suits it as an actor.

Again, you'd need the actor to 'act being 6'4" and physical', which is back to Tom Cruise problems.

Being exactly like the book is irrelevant, Jack Reacher is a not a real character. IMHO the main problem with Tom Cruise wasn't his height but his way of acting, which is the same every role he portrays and I find it very annoying.

The physical status is not a problem, I don't think he must be like Dwayne Johnson to fit the character and all the actors I've listed can gain the required weight, it's Hollywood. They were just the first names that came to my head though, I'm sure there are several other actors that can fit the role. With Dwayne Johnson we'll end up with another action for families full of moralism, like all the movies in which the ex wrestler had the leading role.

I guess it's a subjective thing, but the vast amount of fan outrage about TC's casting was that he was so utterly unsuited to the physicality of Jack Reacher.

If you've read the books then his size is a big part of what makes the role. Lee Child's said himself that he had to be the physical presence that made people instinctively react to him. And it made it semi-believable when he fought other military, police or gang guys.

If you're not going to fulfil that component of the character, why not make a different film and call it something else? It's basically like making a Peewee Herman re-launch and casting John Cena in the lead role.

 Hulksmash wrote:
Carl Urban. Tell me that man couldn't pull it off!

I can totally see that. Karl did such a great job with Dredd that the few inches of difference in height would not matter.

Yeah, but Cruise could pull off the intensity of the character. Honestly, few other actors can act as "intensely" as Cruise can.