With Season 4 of Reacher now in the rearview mirror, the Prime Video juggernaut is charging ahead with its expanded universe. Maria Sten's Frances Neagley is headlining her own spin-off series, with Alan Ritchson popping in for a guest stint, while the main show is already deep into production on Season 5. The series has never been shy about hopping around Lee Child's book chronology—Season 1 adapted the debut novel The Killing Floor, Season 2 jumped to Book 11 (Bad Luck and Trouble), Season 3 tackled Book 7 (Persuader), and Season 4 drew from Book 13 (Gone Tomorrow). Season 5 is set to adapt Make Me, one of the darker entries in the series.
But fans have long wondered about one particular book: Die Trying. When a fan on Threads lamented that Season 5 wouldn't feature the story where Reacher battles a white supremacist militia, Ritchson himself chimed in. He called Die Trying his personal favorite of Child's novels and revealed that it was initially greenlit for adaptation—until, in his words, “someone got re-elected.” This isn't the first time Ritchson has voiced his love for the book; he previously told Men's Journal alongside co-star Sten that he'd love to see Season 4 take on that story. While that dream seems shelved for now, Die Trying remains a fan favorite and arguably the most natural fit for a high-octane, epic season.
What Is Die Trying About?
Each season of Reacher offers a fresh setting and a new adventure, keeping the series endlessly rewatchable. Season 1 had Reacher uncovering a counterfeiting ring in rural Georgia; Season 2 reunited him with his old military unit; Season 3 saw him go undercover in a smuggling operation; and Season 4 dropped him into a political conspiracy in Philadelphia. Die Trying would continue that trend, but with a twist: it's arguably the most unique premise in the entire series.
The novel opens with Reacher getting kidnapped by the Montana Militia, an ultra-right-wing extremist group that has absorbed smaller militias and fortified a compound in the state. Their fanatical leader, Beau Borken, aims to declare independence from the U.S. To prove his legitimacy, the militia kidnaps FBI agent Holly Johnson—who happens to be the daughter of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Reacher is dragged into the chaos and must fight his way out of hostile territory, rescue Holly, and stop Borken's planned Fourth of July terrorist attack.
A Bigger, Epic Scope for the Reacher Saga
What sets Die Trying apart is its scale. Instead of a gang of criminals, Reacher faces an organized militia with political ambitions. The involvement of the FBI, the Pentagon, and the White House elevates the stakes to a national level, and the Independence Day setting adds a layer of patriotic tension. It's a far cry from the more personal vendettas of previous seasons.
The TV series has also expanded certain characters beyond their book roles. Neagley, for instance, appears in seasons where she wasn't in the source material, and Oscar Finlay returned in Season 2 despite not being in Bad Luck and Trouble. Season 3 introduced General Leon Garber (Andreas Apergis), Reacher's mentor and surrogate father figure. Die Trying is actually Garber's first appearance in the books, so adapting it would give Apergis a chance to reprise the role and deepen that relationship—a treat for fans of the show's expanded universe.
One of Reacher's Best Scenes Ever
Beyond its epic scope, Die Trying contains a sequence that could be a career-defining moment for Ritchson. In the book, Reacher gets trapped in a dark, tight cave and can't escape. It's a rare instance where his imposing physique works against him, and the typically unflappable hero experiences genuine panic. The show has already flirted with this idea in the Season 4 finale, where Reacher's size becomes a liability in a brutal fight. But the cave scene is a masterclass in vulnerability, and Ritchson nailing it would be a highlight of his performance.
While Die Trying may not be on the immediate horizon, the franchise's global appeal suggests there's plenty of appetite for more adaptations. The Neagley spin-off is already expanding the world, and Ritchson's record-breaking viewership proves audiences are hungry for more. Whether Die Trying eventually gets its due remains to be seen, but fans can hold out hope that the star's favorite story will one day make it to the screen.
