Robert Patrick has worked with both Alan Ritchson and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and shared his opinion on which star outsizes the other.

SUMMARY

 Alan Ritchson is physically bigger and has more muscle mass than Arnold Schwarzenegger, according to actor Robert Patrick.
 The comparison between Ritchson and Schwarzenegger highlights the changing standards of physicality in action movies over the years.
 Ritchson’s role as Jack Reacher in the hit Prime Video series has showcased his physical strength and intimidating appearance, propelling his career forward.

There are few actors who are as intimidating on screen as Arnold Schwarzenegger in his introduction as the Terminator. But Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher could certainly give him a run for his money, and it seems that someone who agrees is Robert Patrick. Having appeared alongside both actors, Patrick revealed in a new interview which of the action heroes actually has the bigger muscles.

Having appeared as T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, where he battled with Schwarzenegger’s “good” T-800, and more recently played the villainous Shane Langston opposite Ritchson in the hit Prime Video series of Reacher, Patrick seems to be in the perfect place to comment on which of the mighty men is physically superior. When asked to spill the beans on the subject by CinemaBlend, Patrick said:

Alan’s bigger. Don’t tell Arnold I said that. . But right now, Alan in his present state and age, he’s bigger. … Alan encompasses a lot of similarities in the size of his massiveness of muscle gain. And he moves very well. And Arnold moves very well. They’re both athletic guys.

Can Alan Ritchson Match Schwarzenegger’s Iconic Screen Presence?

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher without a shirt with a cut on his abdomen and a woman out of focus behind him in Reacher Prime Video

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an industry unicorn; a one-off, never-to-be-repeated success story that is the stuff of Hollywood legend. Having dominated the action genre from his role in James Cameron’s The Terminator, through movies such as Predator, Commando, The Expendables and many more, the Austrian Oak’s on-screen charisma has made him one of the most recognizable figures in Hollywood.

Alan Ritchson is the new kid on the block when compared to Arnie, but his physical appearance has significantly impacted his choice of roles.

He has portrayed Hawk in Titans and previously acknowledged his capability to play diverse characters, from superheroes to stepdads. However, in taking on the role of Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s series, Ritchson has found the perfect role to match his physical strength and intimidating appearance.

The comparison between Ritchson and Schwarzenegger highlights the evolving nature of physicality in action movies over the last five decades. While Schwarzenegger’s physique set a benchmark in the 1980s, Ritchson’s transformation into Jack Reacher has raised the bar once again for the genre’s next icons to aim for.

Currently, Reacher is one of the biggest shows on TV, and even after being on release for just a few days at the end of the year, the second season became Prime Video’s biggest show of 2023. With season 3, and beyond, already in development, Ritchson’s career will only continue to grow, and who knows where it could lead in the future.

Reacher season 2 poster

Reacher

TV-MA
Action
Crime
Drama

Release Date: February 4, 2022
Creator: Nick Santora
Cast: Alan Ritchson , Maria Sten , Malcolm Goodwin , Willa Fitzgerald
Seasons: 2

As for Schwarzenegger, well, he is not down and out yet. His new series FUBAR, which proved to be a cliché-ridden but thoroughly entertaining action comedy hit on Netflix, will return for a second season. There is also still a chance that he could reprise one of his earliest roles as Conan in The Legend of Conan, which is still thought to be in development.