Cobie Smulders to be Tom Cruise's co-star in 'Jack Reacher 2'?

Los Angeles: Actress Cobie Smoulders is in early talks to star as the female lead in the sequel to 2012 thriller "Jack Reacher".

Tom Cruise, who starred in the first film, will be back for the upcoming second part. Details surrounding her casting are still cloudy but it is being said the "How I Met Your Mother" actress has landed the coveted role of Danika, reported TheWrap.

"Gone Girl" actress Rosamund Pike starred as the female lead in the first film but Cruise, 53, liked to keep things fresh by introducing new characters.

Edward Zwick of "The Last Samurai" is taking over the directing duties from Christopher McQuarrie, who will resume his involvement in the sequel as executive producer alongside Cruise and Don Granger.

Based on Lee Child's novel "Never Go Back", "Jack Reacher" reportedly grossed USD 218 million worldwide.

The sequel will follow Reacher as he travels to the headquarters of the US Army Military Police Corps to have a dinner with his female commanding officer. By the time he gets there, she has been arrested, and Reacher finds himself being charged with pummeling one guy and fathering a child with a woman. He can't remember either transgression but gets to the bottom of it with cunning and sometimes brute force.

The picture is scheduled to be released in late 2016 with production to start in November.