‘Last Samurai’ Helmer Ed Zwick In Talks To Direct ‘Jack Reacher’ Sequel
TheJack Reachersequel is about to take a big step forward.Ed Zwick(The Last Samurai) is reportedly in talks to direct the follow-up to theTom Cruisethriller. In addition, Zwick andMarshall Herskovitzwill take a pass at the script. More on the Ed Zwick Jack Reacher sequel news after the jump.
Deadlinereports Zwick and Herskovitz are in negotiations to rewrite theJack Reachersequel script byRichard Wenk(The Equalizer), and that Zwick will direct.Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote and directed the firstJack Reacher, will executive produce. Cruise is expected to reprise his lead role as a former MP.
Based on the book series byLee Child, 2012’sJack Reachermade only $80 million in the U.S. on a $60 million budget. But it raked in another $138 million worldwide for a total gross of $218 million. That was good enough for Paramount, whichgot the ball rolling on a sequelin early 2013.
The firstJack Reachermovie was based on the ninth book in Child’s series, titledOne Shot. The sequel will be based on the 18th novel, 2013’sNever Go Back. Here’s howDeadlinedescribes it:
In it, Reacher heads back to his old military base in Virginia to take a woman to dinner who is now the commanding officer. By the time he gets there, she has been arrested, and Reacher finds himself being charged with pummeling one guy and fathering a child with a woman. He can’t remember either transgression but gets to the bottom of it with cunning and sometimes brute force.
Zwick and Herskovitz previously worked with Cruise on 2003’s The Last Samurai. Since then Zwick has also directedBlood Diamond,Defiance,Love & Other Drugs, andPawn Sacrifice. Herskovitz wroteLove & Other Drugswith Zwick and producedBlood DiamondandDefiance.
