A new piece of evidence has fans convinced that Reacher Season 4 won't be Alan Ritchson's next appearance as Jack Reacher. Ritchson has portrayed the titular ex-military operative and lone wolf for three seasons on Prime Video, with each outing pushing Reacher to the limit. Throughout his adventures in the live-action series, Reacher's most consistent and reliable ally has been Frances Neagley (Maria Sten).
While Reacher refused to involve Neagley in his mission to eliminate Xavier Queen in Reacher Season 3, trouble managed to find its way to Neagley after she became a target of Quinn's henchmen, prompting her to help her old friend and be part of his quest to take down the ruthless and dangerous Reacher villain.
After successfully defeating Quinn in Season 3, the anticipation is high for two upcoming projects in the Reacher universe on Prime Video: Reacher Season 4 and the Neagley spin-off series. While both shows have no release update yet (Neagley began filming in March 2025), it seems that Ritchson will bring his Reacher character to life sooner rather than later.
In a post on Instagram, Alan Ritchson shared new behind-the-scenes images from the set of Neagley, showing him alongside Maria Sten, co-showrunners Nick Santora and M.J. Bassett, and the author of the Reacher novels, Lee Child.
Ritchson, via his caption, paid tribute to the individuals in the photo before clarifying that he only "stopped by" the Neagley set to see Maria Sten in action.
"I owe my career to the people standing next to me. Legends… all of them. Stopped by the Neagley set to see my dear friend [Maria Sten] who is absolutely crushing it."
Based on the photo, I'm convinced that Ritchson will return as Jack Reacher in the Neagley spin-off show, and this is more than just a set visit. Ritchson also wears his classic minimalist costume as Reacher (denim pants, basic shirt, and leather jacket), further proving this theory.
In a previous interview with Forbes, Maria Sten and Alan Ritchson played coy about Reacher's appearance in Neagley, but the actor did point out that the character's inclusion makes sense:
Alan Ritchson: "That would make sense, but we cannot confirm that it would make sense. It just makes sense in a world of hypotheticals."
Frances Sten: "Yes, we can neither confirm nor deny such rumors."
Alan Ritchson: "Like if he popped in for a couple of episodes. But it could happen.”
First announced in October 2024, Neagley will focus on the titular character's adventures as a private detective in Chicago, Illinois, diving deep into her complex past and present.
Alongside Neagley star Maria Sten, the cast of the upcoming spin-off includes Greyston Holt as Detective Hudson Riley, Jasper Jones as Keno, Adeline Rudolph as Renee, Matthew Del Negro as Pierce Woodrow, and Damon Herriman as Lawrence Cole.
How Reacher Fits in the Neagley Spin-Off
Neagley has been present in every central mission Reacher has in the past, and she has also proven herself to be a reliable ally by saving the life of her "boss" and friend many times.
Although Neagley's plot remains shrouded in secrecy, it makes perfect sense that Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher will appear to aid his longtime friend in whatever mission she has. A man of Reacher's skills is valuable in whatever Neagley is dealing with in her series.
In Reacher, Neagley often appears whenever Reacher needs information or an extra hand against the threat he's dealing with, and the same could happen in the spin-off. Reacher might have important information about the villain Neagley is trying to pin down, and he could offer his help immediately, so he decides to head to Chicago.
While Reacher trusts Neagley to handle any threat, she may end up in a bind, leading to a precarious situation where she needs a strong ally to save her from harm.
It's also possible that Reacher's appearance in the spin-off might be based on flashbacks from their time together in the military or in between seasons. This could be a way for the series to fill the gaps and explore their friendship further while not moving away from whatever situation Neagley has in the modern day.
