Alan Ritchson's New Action-Packed Thriller Officially Sets All-Time Rotten Tomatoes Audience Record

Published Sep 12, 2026, 11:43 PM EDT

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Alan Ritchson's new action thriller proves to be one of his career best.

The Reacher icon recently teamed up with Owen Wilson in the new movie, Runner. The unlikely duo must deliver a liver that would save a sick girl, only for the cartel to go after the same package in a cat-and-mouse chase. Reviews for Runner were generally positive, and it became Ritchson's second-highest-rated movie with a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, just behind Ordinary Angels (84%).

With moviegoers also responding favorably, the latest actioner is a clear winner. With over 100 verified ratings, Runner clinches Ritchson's third-best audience score in his entire career with a strong 90%. The movie now ranks behind Ordinary Angels (99%) and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (91%).

In most reviews of Runner, critics and audiences were entertained by the high-stakes thriller and violent action, while Wilson's charm and humor balanced out Ritchson's stoic hero for an odd-couple dynamic. Despite the formulaic story, the movie is well-paced, easy to follow, and has all the best qualities of a B-level action flick.

Alan Ritchson's 5 Highest-Rated Movies	Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Ordinary Angels (2024)	84%	99%
Runner (2026)	70%	90%
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)	68%	91%
War Machine (2026)	66%	63%
Above the Shadows (2019)	63%	63%

Despite competition from Practical Magic 2, Coyote vs. Acme, and The Odyssey, Runner had a decent showing. The action thriller cracked the top 5 box-office charts and is projected to generate $6 million during its opening weekend. That's already better than Ritchson's other release, Motor City, which debuted with $1.69 million.

Ritchson has been on a roll in 2026. His last two movies, War Machine and Motor City, also became his highest-rated features, and he is just one film away from a perfect streak. Ritchson's final 2026 movie is Amazon's The Man with the Bag, releasing on December 2. His co-stars include action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, Awkwafina, Liza Koshy, and Ken Jeong. Meanwhile, War Machine cracked Netflix's Most Popular movies list with 139.9 million views, and a sequel is in development.

Ritchson will reprise his iconic role as Jack Reacher twice in 2026. Season 4 premiered last month and will air the final episode on September 16, 2026. Then, he will have a supporting role in the upcoming spinoff series Neagley, which launches on the same day. Amazon has also already renewed Reacher for season 5, which will be based on Lee Child's Make Me.

Scott Waugh directed Runner, while Miles Hubley and Tommy White penned the story. Rodrigo Santoro, Leila George, Adriana Barraza, Sullivan Stapleton, and Peta Sergeant make up the supporting cast.

Runner is now playing in theaters.