Jack Reacher (2012) and Once (2007)

It's been over a decade since the debate first ignited: is Tom Cruise the right person to play the character of Jack Reacher? The answer came originally in the form of a 2012 movie, although the first big screen outing for Lee Child's famous character had been in development for well over a decade by that point.

In the end, Werner Herzog was recruited too. But it was the choice of director that would have a lasting impact on Tom Cruise's career.

The film Once though had barely any expectations on it, even for a cinema release. A few screens in Dublin, maybe? And when Cillian Murphy left the film, it looked like the tiny budget would fall away anyway. What happened next? Well it was that rarest of movie fairytales...

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Find Simon on Twitter and Bluesky at @simonbrew, and the podcast can be found at @filmstories

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