It looks like that Jack Reacher sequel might actually be coming to fruition. Director Christopher McQuarrie’s adaptation of the popular Lee Child character was a modest success when it opened last year, grossing $218 million worldwide. The critical response was quite positive both with regards to McQuarrie’s take on the material and Tom Cruise’s portrayal of the lead character, and fans of the film (myself included) were eager to see the franchise take off. Though initial reports made the prospect of a sequel coming to fruition seem unlikely, the film’s box office push over the $200 million mark forced Paramount and Skydance Productions to reconsider. And reconsider they did, as the studios are now actively developing a follow-up based on another one of Child’s novels. Hit the jump for more.

The folks over at Deadline report that Paramount and Tom Cruise are now trying to fast track a Jack Reacher sequel based on Lee Child’s 2013 Reacher novel Never Go Back. The story finds the titular Reacher heading back to his old military base in Virginia in order to take an old flame out to dinner. When he finds out that the woman—now a commanding officer—has been arrested, things heat up and Reacher must get to the bottom of what’s really going on.

The hope is that McQuarrie will return to direct the sequel, but he’s currently busy prepping to direct Mission: Impossible 5 with Cruise so he’s unable to pen the screenplay. The studio is currently out to writers for Never Go Back, and it’s possible that Cruise and McQuarrie could move on to the Jack Reacher follow-up after they complete their duties on M:I 5. The fifth entry in the spy franchise starts production next summer in anticipation of a December 2015 release date.

Read the synopsis for Never Go Back below: