s Neagley may be one of the best characters in Jack Reacher novels, actress Maria Sten has portrayed her in every season of Reacher. Neagley does not appear in The Killing Floor, the novel that the first season of Reacher was based on, but she was written into the season and quickly became a fan-favorite character.

Neagley had a much larger role in Reacher season 2, which made sense since she was a prominent character in Bad Luck and Trouble, the book the season was based on. The response to her character in the first two seasons has proven that it doesn't actually matter whether Neagley appears in the source material. Neagley is getting her own spinoff.

Lee Child Was Right To Be Worried About Neagley's Spinoff Ruining Her Mysterious Aura

Lee Child Refused To Write A Neagley Spinoff For Years

Since its premiere in 2022, Reacher has become one of Prime Video's most popular series, which is why it wasn't necessarily a surprise when a Neagley spinoff was announced in September 2024. However, I was immediately worried about it ruining the character, especially since Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher novels, has refused to write a spinoff Neagley story for years. Thankfully, my worries have gone away after learning that Lee Child is excited and even "jealous" about the Neagley spinoff. Talking about why he never wrote a Neagley spinoff, Child said:

I was nervous about doing it, because the thing about her, it seemed to me, was that she’s mysterious. She’s unexplained. I didn’t want to go too deeply into what made her who she is. I felt that would burst the bubble somehow, so I shied away from it.

Despite believing for years that centering a separate story around Neagley would ruin the character's mysterious aura, Child has now itted that he was wrong. He even praised Reacher showrunner Nick Santora, who is also developing the Neagley spinoff, for pursuing a project that he was afraid of for years. Therefore, it seems like Child is very confident that Santora has come up with an amazing idea for the Neagley spinoff show, which is a huge relief.

Lee Child's Seal Of Approval Makes Me Think Reacher's Spinoff Series Will Do Neagley Justice

Nick Santora Must Have A Great Idea For The Neagley Spinoff

Even though Santora has done an exceptional job adapting several Jack Reacher novels, no one knows Reacher's characters better than Child. After all, Chid has been writing Jack Reacher novels since The Killing Floor was released in 1997. Child has spent decades getting to know these characters on a deeper level, which is why I no longer have any reason to doubt that the Neagley spinoff will be another exceptional entry in Prime Video's franchise.

If Neagley is a success, then Reacher could become an even bigger franchise for Prime Video and even more spinoff shows could be made.

Even though Child has full confidence in the project, the Neagley spinoff is still a major risk. Reacher has been an extremely successful show, but Neagley's series will prove whether the franchise can find similar success without its main character. If Neagley is a success, then Reacher could become an even bigger franchise for Prime Video and even more spinoff shows could be made. Future spinoff shows could potentially follow characters like Oscar Finlay and Karla Dixon.

How Neagley's Spinoff Can Explain Her Origin Without Ruining Her Enigmatic Aura

Neagley Is A Very Mysterious Character In Reacher

Not many plot details are currently known about the Neagley spinoff. However, when the show was announced, it was revealed that Neagley will be shocked by the death of a close friend. In the show, Neagley will suspect that something is not right about her friend's premature death, so she'll start to investigate it and eventually discover a web of lies. The show will have to explore Neagley's personal life, but it is currently unknown if it will explain her origin.

Not much is known about Neagley, other than the fact that she is a skilled private investigator and was a member of the 110th Special Investigations Unit. The show doesn't necessarily have to reveal everything about Neagley's personal life, but much like Reacher season 1, it will have to show glimpses of how she became who she is today. Reacher is also a very mysterious character, and the Prime Video series continuously explores his backstory just enough. Therefore, just like in Reacher, it shouldn't be hard for the Neagley spinoff to show glimpses of her past without ruining the character.