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Disappointment For Fans: Most Popular 'Jack Reacher' Book Blocked For Series
Lee Child has made it clear that adapting '61 Hours' is impossible due to its complex snow-covered setting and logistics.
Warning! The article below may contain spoilers.
The Reacher series is performing excellently on Prime Video, and with the successful third season, it seems there’s no end in sight. However, there’s one book from the Jack Reacher series that author Lee Child has stated will never be adapted. Interestingly, this is one of his most popular novels. So why does the author want this title to be skipped?
The show has plenty of material to draw from. With 29 books and a short story collection, there’s no shortage of choices for future seasons. Both fans and lead actor Alan Ritchson have expressed their preferences. However, there’s one title Child has explicitly excluded: 61 Hours. According to him, the story just isn’t suitable for television. In an interview, he stated: "I love that book, but it's impossible to film. Everything takes place in a snowy landscape. You can’t do a second take once there are footprints in the snow."
His reasoning is striking, especially since numerous shows and films have already successfully shot in snowy environments. Think of True Detective: Night Country, which excelled in its icy setting. Nonetheless, Child remains firm: for him, the book is visually too complicated to portray credibly.
61 Hours, originally published in 2010, revolves around Reacher taking on a motorcycle gang and a drug lord in a frigid town in South Dakota. The story also features one of Reacher’s most thrilling adversaries: an invisible hitman who never misses. For many fans, that’s reason enough to put this book at the top of the adaptation list.
While a full adaptation seems unlikely, Child does not rule out that elements of 61 Hours could still appear in future episodes. "If a book doesn’t work, we steal the good scenes or dialogues and place them in another season," said the author, who is also an executive producer on the series.
Given the success of season 3, which attracted a record number of viewers, the creative team will have to work hard to surpass that achievement. The hitman from 61 Hours could very well be the key to unlocking more excitement.
The show has plenty of material to draw from. With 29 books and a short story collection, there’s no shortage of choices for future seasons. Both fans and lead actor Alan Ritchson have expressed their preferences. However, there’s one title Child has explicitly excluded: 61 Hours. According to him, the story just isn’t suitable for television. In an interview, he stated: "I love that book, but it's impossible to film. Everything takes place in a snowy landscape. You can’t do a second take once there are footprints in the snow."
Unfilmable According To The Creator
His reasoning is striking, especially since numerous shows and films have already successfully shot in snowy environments. Think of True Detective: Night Country, which excelled in its icy setting. Nonetheless, Child remains firm: for him, the book is visually too complicated to portray credibly.
61 Hours, originally published in 2010, revolves around Reacher taking on a motorcycle gang and a drug lord in a frigid town in South Dakota. The story also features one of Reacher’s most thrilling adversaries: an invisible hitman who never misses. For many fans, that’s reason enough to put this book at the top of the adaptation list.
Still Elements Of The Book In Sight
While a full adaptation seems unlikely, Child does not rule out that elements of 61 Hours could still appear in future episodes. "If a book doesn’t work, we steal the good scenes or dialogues and place them in another season," said the author, who is also an executive producer on the series.
Given the success of season 3, which attracted a record number of viewers, the creative team will have to work hard to surpass that achievement. The hitman from 61 Hours could very well be the key to unlocking more excitement.
