It’s official: Prime Video has given a series order to a Reacher spinoff, expanding the hit drama’s universe. It stars Maria Sten, reprising her fan favorite character from the mothership, Frances Neagley. Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, made the announcement at the Prime Video Presents: Trailblazers event in London.
As Deadline revealed exclusively last month, the untitled project (aka Neagley), had been on fast track, nearing a green light.
The offshoot was created for television by Reacher executive producer and showrunner Nick Santora, who developed the mothership series based on Lee Child’s books, and Nicholas Wootton, with whom he previously worked on Prison Break. The duo will executive produce and co-showrun the spinoff, produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Skydance Television and CBS Studios.
Sten’s Frances Neagley is a private investigator in Chicago and former military colleague of Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) in the Army’s 110th Special Investigations Unit. When she learns that a beloved friend from her past has been killed in a suspicious accident, she becomes hell bent on justice. Using everything she’s learned from Jack Reacher and her time as a member of the 110 Special Investigators, Neagley puts herself on a dangerous path to uncover a menacing evil.
Ritchson is expected to appear on the spinoff as a guest star, reprising his role as Reacher.
“As Reacher continues to resonate with our global customers in a profound way, expanding on the storytelling and characters with a spinoff was an easy decision,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “With Nick and Nicholas as well as our partners Skydance and CBS Studios, we’re confident this new chapter, starring the amazing Maria Sten, will not only honor the Reacher legacy but also bring fresh energy and excitement to new and longtime fans alike.”
In addition to Santora and Wootton, the series is executive produced by Lee Child, Don Granger, and Lisa Kussner with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell for Skydance Television. Carolyn Harris, Kenny Madrid, and Niko Fernandez will oversee the project for Skydance.
“Lee Child created an immensely rich character with Neagley, and Maria Sten brought her to life in such a vivid, authentic way in Reacher,” Santora and Wootton said. “Amazon, Skydance Television, and CBS Studios have been tremendous partners from the start, and we are excited to explore Neagley’s story further and dive into what makes her so unique.”
Frances Neagley was introduced in Season 1 of Reacher, based on Child’s The Killing Floor novel, in which the character does not appear. She played an integral part in Season 2 based on a book in which Neagley is a main character, Bad Luck and Trouble, emerging as Reacher’s sidekick he can bounce ideas off.
Reacher and Neagley have become such a popular on-screen duo that when Prime Video revealed that Season 3 would be based on Child’s Persuader, another book that Neagley doesn’t show up in, the streamer made a point to announce that Sten would be back reprising her role alongside Ritchson.
In Season 3, which will likely set up the spinoff, veteran military police investigator Jack Reacher (Ritchson) must go undercover to rescue an informant held by a haunting foe from his past.
“I’m beyond thrilled to further explore the world of Neagley and her somewhat mysterious background,” Sten said. “She’s such a wonderful character to play and I’m very excited for everyone to get to know her a little better.”
This marks Skydance Television’s seventh series with Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video following hits Reacher and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, as well as the upcoming Cross and the recently announced The Runarounds, an action-adventure series starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham, and a docuseries on the Idaho Murders.
“We are thrilled to be expanding the world of Reacher with Amazon and CBS Studios to explore the fan favorite character of Neagley with the extraordinary Maria Sten,” said Dana Goldberg, Chief Creative Officer, Skydance. “Nick Santora did an incredible job adapting Lee Child’s Reacher novels for television. With Nick and Nicholas Wootton at the helm, audiences are in for another captivating adventure in the Reacher universe.”
Reacher Season 2 was the #1 title on Prime Video worldwide across both series and movies during its premiere weekend (based on viewership).
With its universe expansion, Reacher is joining Prime Video’s flagship drama, The Boys, which has spawned four other series to date, and Terminal List, which also has an upcoming offshoot alongside the popular mothership Chris Pratt series.
Sten, whose series credits also include Swamp Thing, is represented by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, The Initiative Group and Granderson Des Rochers.