• News
  • Reviews
  • Features
    • Articles and Long Reads
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Flickering Myth Films
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on FlickeringMyth.com
    • Write for Flickering Myth

Flickering Myth

Film & TV News, Reviews and Features

  • Movies
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Long Reads
  • Trending
  • Franchises
    • Marvel
    • DC
    • Batman
    • Star Wars
    • Transformers
    • G.I. Joe
    • Masters of the Universe
    • Street Fighter
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    • Star Trek
    • The Lord of the Rings
    • James Bond
    • Alien
    • Predator
    • Doctor Who
    • Harry Potter

Dwayne Johnson reveals he was turned down for Jack Reacher

April 15, 2020 by EJ Moreno

During a Facebook live stream, Dwayne Johnson opened up about losing out on the chance to play the role of Jack Reacher, the protagonist of Lee Child’s bestselling book series, and a role that would ultimately go to Tom Cruise in 2012.

“In Hollywood, actors are kind of like in-a-box. There are actors that can vie for a particular role because it allows for them to have a certain look, skin color, size, etc. Fortunately, for me, there aren’t a lot of guys at all who look like me. So, all of my roles, from the beginning of my career, I’ve been a lucky son of a bitch that they’ve been created and designed for me — except Jack Reacher,” said Dwayne Johnson

Johnson would go on to explain, “Now, this was ten years ago, and I was in a much different place, I recognize that Tom was the biggest movie star in the world, and I was not.”

Johnson, the wrestler-turned-actor, felt in many ways he was perfect for the part. The physical attributes line-up as they share similar heights and weights, 6′ 4″, and 280 lbs. Also, Johnson said both him and the Jack Reacher role were ‘bad dudes.’

“I got the call saying ‘Hey, you didn’t get the role’ Look, I didn’t even know if I had a shot for it, but the people around me at that time made me think that I did. I felt like I did, I felt like ‘Why not me?'” he continued in his Facebook video.

SEE ALSO: Dwayne Johnson teases new characters for Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw sequel

Do you think Dwayne Johnson would have been a better vhoice for the role in Jack Reacher rather than Tom Cruise? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or by reaching out to us via social media @FlickeringMyth…

Filed Under: EJ Moreno, Movies, News Tagged With: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Reacher, Tom Cruise

About EJ Moreno

EJ Moreno is a film and television critic and entertainment writer who joined the pop culture website Flickering Myth in 2018 and now serves as the executive producer of Flickering Myth TV, a YouTube channel with over 27,000 subscribers. With over a decade of experience, he is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who is also part of the Critics Choice Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

ADD US TO YOUR PREFERRED SOURCES

WATCH OUR LATEST VIDEO HERE

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The 10 Best Villains in Arnold Schwarzenegger Movies

The Definitive Top 10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies

The Top 10 Horror Movies of 1985

The Essential 1990s Superhero Movies

10 Upcoming Horror Movies to Watch Out For in 2026

Terry Gilliam: An Auteur of the Fantastical

Stand by Me at 40: The Story Behind the Masterful Coming-of-Age Classic

Essential Domestic Thrillers of 1991

The Best Worst Movie: How Showgirls Became Camp Canon

The TV Shows That Dared To Be Complex Before Complexity Was Allowed

FEATURED POSTS:

Earth-2 Superman, Mary Shazam and Star Sapphire DC Multiverse McFarlane Collector Edition figures launch pre-orders

Movie Review – Godzilla Minus Zero (2026)

Rogue is Unleashed with Iron Studios’ Marvel Savage Land collectible statue

“I’ll Be Back…to Kill You”: Why The Terminator is Pure Horror

McFarlane Toys unveils new DC Multiverse Batman action figures

Out, Out, Brief Candle: Patrick Stewart, 1940-2026

10 Hospital Horror Movies Worth Checking In For

10 Bizarre Horror Movies That Embrace the Absurd

FLICKERING MYTH FILMS

   
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
    • Articles and Long Reads
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Flickering Myth Films
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on FlickeringMyth.com
    • Write for Flickering Myth

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Movies
  • Features and Long Reads
  • Trending
  • Franchises
    • Marvel
    • DC
    • Batman
    • Star Wars
    • Transformers
    • G.I. Joe
    • Masters of the Universe
    • Street Fighter
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
    • Star Trek
    • The Lord of the Rings
    • James Bond
    • Alien
    • Predator
    • Doctor Who
    • Harry Potter
  • Flickering Myth Films
  • About Flickering Myth
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth