Tom Cruise could star in a sequel to Jack Reacher, according to reports.

It was reported in January of this year that it was "unlikely" the Hollywood actor would reprise his role or that there would be another installment in the franchise due to lacklustre reviews and only a moderate showing at the box office.

Based on a series of novels by British author Lee Child, the film starred Cruise as a former military police officer turned vigilante who wanders across America as a drifter, but his casting drew criticism from fans who felt that he lacked the stature and tough guy image to play Reacher. The character written by Child is said to stand at 6ft 5in tall and have a 50-inch chest.

However, Deadline reports that with the film's global box office figures climbing to $218 million, Paramount and Cruise are hoping to fast-track a sequel with original director Christopher McQuarrie returning to helm the project. It is believed that the script would be influenced by Child's 2013 novel Never Go Back, in which an old flame of Reacher's is arrested, leading him to start an investigation.

In August of this year, Tom Cruise confirmed that McQuarrie would also direct Mission: Impossible 5. Cruise first appeared as elite secret agent Ethan Hunt in 1996's Mission: Impossible and has reprised the role in three sequels. The most recent instalment, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, came out in 2011 and grossed nearly $700 million (£450 million) at the box office worldwide - the highest total of Cruise's career.