Robert Patrick Boards Reacher Season 2, Replacing Rory Cochrane
"Reacher" was a huge hit for Prime Video, breaking streaming records and finally giving Jack Reacher the on-screen treatment fans demanded. Naturally, "Reacher" season 2 is highly anticipated, and now there's even more reason to look forward to the show's return. As Deadline reports, veteran actor Robert Patrick joined the cast of the show before production wrapped in February, taking over a "major role" from Rory Cochrane.
Season 2 of the wildly popular series is based on Lee Child's 11th Jack Reacher book, "Bad Luck and Trouble," and it seems Patrick was brought in to play the role of Shane Langston, an ex-NYPD cop who now runs security for a private defense contractor. Cochrane reportedly left the production at the end of last year due to a "scheduling conflict" after the "Reacher" shooting schedule changed, clearing the way for Patrick — best known for his portrayal of the T-1000 in "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" — to take over.
According to the outlet, Cochrane had yet to film any scenes, which is intriguing as his "major role" is that of a series regular and shooting on season 2 wrapped in late February, giving Patrick only a couple of months to film all his scenes. Whatever the case, when "Reacher" season 2 does finally hit Prime Video, the 64-year-old will be lending his considerable talent to the series.
Patrick's role is kind of a mystery
Season 2 of "Reacher" appears to be shifting the California setting of the "Bad Luck and Trouble" book to New York City, where Alan Ritchson's ex-military policeman will likely unravel the mystery of who's taking out former members of his Army squad. In the book, Reacher clashes with LAPD cops, but based on the casting announcements thus far, it looks like the show will focus on the NYPD. Robert Patrick's character, Shane Langston, doesn't actually appear in the novel, and looks to be an original creation by showrunner Nick Santora, who has otherwise stayed close to Lee Child's original vision for Reacher. That's the main reason why we're unlikely to see Oscar Goodwin's Finlay or Willa Fitzgerald's Roscoe show up in season 2.
But with the role of Shane Langston, Santora and co. appear to be straying once again from Child's book for season 2, meaning we're not entirely sure how the character fits into the narrative at this point. That said, the novel does feature a former LAPD officer by the name of Allen Lamaison, who, following his departure from the force, becomes director of the defense contractor, New Age. It seems likely Langston will be a version of Lamaison, or perhaps Lamaison's right-hand man.
With production wrapped and Amazon likely keen to capitalize on its series' success, it probably won't be very long until we find out just what Santora has in store for us. And Patrick will no doubt be a worthwhile addition to the show, having delivered solid performances of late in Netflix's "The Night Agent" and Paramount+'s "1923." No doubt he'll more than hold his own, even opposite the hulk of a man that is Ritchson, when "Reacher" season 2 arrives.