Reacher Just Kicked Down the Door to Another Amazon Action Franchise

Alright, if you like watching massive dudes turn bad guys into mincemeat, you probably already know about 'Reacher.' The show landed on Prime Video in 2022 and immediately steamrolled its way to the top of the streaming charts. Seriously, it was the first Amazon original to ever snag the #1 spot on Nielsen's list of most-watched subscription streaming shows. Not bad for a series that’s basically a one-man wrecking crew with the personality of a cinderblock and arms the size of Christmas hams.

Since then, 'Reacher' hasn’t slowed down even a little bit. Both Seasons 2 and 3 cranked out over 1 billion minutes watched after launch, which is a truly stupid amount of time to spend watching Alan Ritchson stomp around and break faces. Season 4 is already on the books for 2026, so if you’re a fan of punch-heavy justice, rest easy—the content gods are providing.

Now Enter: Reacher… in The Boys?!

Here’s where things get weird in a way I love. Out of nowhere, 'Reacher' made a cameo in another one of Prime Video’s buzziest shows, 'The Boys.' (Kind of—in a very meta, only-in-TV way.) If you caught the Season 5 premiere of 'The Boys'—titled 'Fifteen Inches of Sheer Dynamite' (subtle, guys)—you saw Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher pay a visit to The Worm (Ely Henry). The Worm used to write for Vought Studios, but, as Butcher puts it, got "put out to pasture" by the powers-that-be.

While Butcher’s there, The Worm is pounding away at a spec script for—you guessed it—'Reacher.' And because nothing in 'The Boys' happens without a wink and a nudge, he types out a gloriously ridiculous line:

"You know what they say about huge guys – they have huge c**ks."

Subtlety is so overrated. The Worm only gets about that far before Butcher interrupts. He needs The Worm’s help busting Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie out of a Vought internment camp. For the record, Worm’s specialty is dirt (literally).

Easter Eggs and a (Ridiculous) Crossover Wish List

If you squint at The Worm’s laptop, you’ll spot icons for a Reacher fan edit, something X-rated about Rings of Power, a Wheel of Time file, and what looks suspiciously like 'The Expanse' movie. Somebody please let that last one be real, though I won’t hold my breath. These details are either a gift for super-nerds or a cruel prank by Amazon’s prop team.

• 'The Boys' has a thing for poking fun at its own platform. Eric Kripke and his team never miss a chance to parody whatever’s making noise on TV, and putting 'Reacher' on blast for its hyper-macho hero is just too perfect. If you know anything about 'The Boys,' the fact that their world includes a 'Reacher' script fits like a glove.
• No Alan Ritchson cameo—just some grade A roasting. Don’t expect the man himself to show up; this is 'The Boys' tipping its hat (and middle finger) at another set of Prime Video moneymakers.

Honestly, it's hard not to imagine 'Reacher' firing right back with a sly nod in Season 4. Maybe Homelander does his laser eye thing and Reacher just shrugs and cracks him in half like a breadstick. Somebody ought to write that up—and with Amazon's cross-promotional powers, who knows?

Bottom line: this is the kind of bizarre, self-deprecating crossover that most streaming services would never allow, but Prime Video seems to enjoy tossing these references around. And I’m here for it.