How to Watch Jack Reacher Movies in Order? | Shows and Movies

In 2012, Jack Reacher blasted its way into theatres and screens, promising fast-paced action and a thrilling story. If you are looking for Jack Reacher movies in order, continue reading as we explain all you need to know.

Jack Reacher is based on Lee Child’s novel series, One Shot, starring Tom Cruise. Upon its release, the movie met with mixed reviews from critics, as most are of the view that the movie is an average crime thriller with a charismatic performance from Tom Cruise, but a bad execution of the plot.

Despite such reviews, Jack Reacher has a significant box office success, making $218 million worldwide.

How many Jack Reacher movies are there?

To date, there are two Jack Reacher movies as follows:

  • Jack Reacher (2012)
  • Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016).  

How to watch Jack Reacher movies in order?

Here is how you can watch Jack Reacher movies in the correct order:

1. Jack Reacher (2012)

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Director: Christopher McQuarrie
IMDB Rating: 7.0/ 10
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Jai Courtney, Joseph Sikora, Josh Helman, David Oyelowo
Runtime: 2 hours 10 minutes

Five people are shot dead in a park by an expert sniper, and the police quickly arrest a said culprit, closing the case shut. But instead of confessing to his crimes, the man writes the words “Get Jack Reacher.”

After watching the news, Reacher arrives in the city to confirm for himself why he was requested but gets into more than what he bargained for.

2. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

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Director: Edward Zwick
IMDB Rating: 6.1/ 10
Starring: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge, Robert Knepper, Patrick Heusinger, Danika Yarosh, Holt McCallany
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes

After dismantling a human trafficking organization, Jack Reacher goes to Washington DC to invite his friend Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) to dinner, to learn that she has been arrested for espionage.

He learns that she has been accused of killing two soldiers in Afghanistan. Jack Reacher is also framed for the murder of Colonel Moorcroft and is sent to prison where he meets Susan as both realize they have been framed because of a conspiracy involving the military, and a government contractor who is a powerful arms dealer. Who can they trust?

Is there a third Jack Reacher movie?

Despite recent rumors, there is no Jack Reacher 3 movie, and we fear it will never happen. Despite the film’s box office success, Tom Cruise will not be returning for another film.

He recently returned to Top Gun Maverick, then there is another Mission Impossible sequel planned with an untitled Space X movie as well. On top of that, Lee Child was not a fan of Cruise’s casting as Reacher in the films, as he said he did not meet the criteria of the character saying:

“Cruise, for all his talent, didnt have that physicality. I really enjoyed working with Cruise. But ultimately, the readers are right. The size of Reacher is really, really important, and it’s a big component of who he is … the idea is that when Reacher walks into a room, you’re all a little nervous just for that first minute,” Lee Child.

However, McQuarrie is still thinking of a Hard R-rated take on Jack Reacher with Cruise that will resemble the Child’s graphic source material. I hope we get a sequel sooner than later.

Jack Reacher TV Show 

Amazon Prime has brought us a new TV show based on Lee Child’s novel, called Reacher. The 2022 series has a high rating on IMDB with 8.1 stars and a total of eight episodes. 

Jack Reacher is arrested for a murder he did not commit. However, as more bodies start dropping in the town, he finds himself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy involving dirty cops, scheming politicians, and powerful arms dealers. Jack Reacher must find out what is happening in Margrave, Georgia, and stop the killings.

The show is not related to Jack Reacher movies at all, so there’s no connection. The reboot series stars Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, with Malcolm Goodwin, Willa Fitzgerald, and Kristin Kreuk.

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FAQs

Do you need to watch Jack Reacher 1 before 2?

Yes, you should watch Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher before watching the second movie, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, otherwise, the story will not make much sense.

How many Jack Reacher movies did they make?

Jack Reacher series has been adapted into two films starring Tom Cruise – 2012s Jack Reacher, and its sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back in 2016.

Is Jack Reacher on Netflix?

Yes, Jack Reacher (2012) is available to watch on Netflix. However, it is limited to a few countries such as Germany, Argentina, South Korea, and Mexico. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) is also streaming on Netflix.

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What order do the Jack Reacher films go in?

Here is the correct order of the Jack Reacher film series:

  1. Jack Reacher (2012)
  2. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

What should I watch if I like Jack Reacher?

Here are some movies like Jack Reacher for action thriller fans that are worth the watch:

Jack Reacher Books in order: read Lee Child’s novel series

Here is a list of Jack Reacher books in the order in which they are written for fans who want to continue the story:

1 Killing Floor  16 The Affair 
2 Die Trying  17 A Wanted Man 
3 Tripwire  18 Never Go Back 
4 Running Blind 19 Personal 
5 Echo Burning  20 Night School
6 Without Fail 21 The Midnight Line
7 Persuader  22 Make Me 
8 The Enemy  23 Past Tense 
9 One Shot  24 Blue Moon 
10 The Hard Way 25 The Sentinel 
11 Bad Luck and Trouble  26 Better Off Dead 
12 Nothing To Lose  27 No Plan B
13 Gone Tomorrow  28 No Middle Name 
14 61 Hours  29 Jack Reacher’s Rules 
15 Worth Dying For 

Conclusion

Now you know how to watch all Jack Reacher movies in order. I have listed all the movies and shows available till today, including Tom Cruise’s films and the Amazon Prime show Reacher.

Fortunately, the movies are available to watch on Netflix, so if you are a subscriber, you can watch the action-packed films today, and enjoy an epic performance by Cruise, and Rosamund Pike.

Jack Foster is a tech geek and a binge-watcher with a major interest in streaming. He loves to blog about the latest movies, TV series, all events, and happenings in the steaming and entertainment industry.