According to TVLine, Prime Video is reportedly gearing up to expand one of its most successful shows with a potential Reacher spinoff. The new series would focus on Frances Neagley, a fellow member of Jack Reacher’s former Army unit, the 110th MP Special Investigations Unit.
Maria Sten, known for her roles in Swamp Thing and Channel Zero, has portrayed Neagley in both seasons of Reacher and will return for the upcoming third season. Although Neagley doesn’t appear in the source material for Season 3, Lee Child’s Persuader, Sten is expected to lead the spinoff, according to reports from Deadline.
Amazon has not officially commented on the spinoff rumors. (Or as Lee Child might put it, “Prime Video said nothing.”) But it is certainly exciting news for fans who might want to have two concurrent shows set in thise universe. Until it’s announced though, I will have to make a vesper martini and wait.
Neagley, who like Reacher goes by her last name, left the Army as a Master Sergeant and now works for a private security company. The character also deals with haptephobia, a fear of being touched, making a pivotal moment in the last season even more significant when she comforted a dying hero who had sacrificed himself to save a young girl.
Reflecting on the emotional scene, Sten told TVLine, “It’s a moment where she knows this person is about to leave this Earth, and in that moment, he needs connection.” Sten added that Neagley’s typical reluctance to let others get close stems from her constant feeling of being unsafe, but in that instance, she found a rare moment of vulnerability.
Reacher has been a massive hit for Prime Video, earning a Season 2 renewal just three days after its premiere. The show, led by Alan Ritchson, dominated streaming charts, with its first three episodes of Season 2 garnering 1.7 billion minutes viewed, according to Nielsen.
Nicholas Wootton, who previously worked with Reacher showrunner Nick Santora on Prison Break, is reportedly helping develop the Neagley spinoff and would serve as co-showrunner if the project moves forward.
