Three actresses vying for female lead opposite Tom Cruise in One-Shot

I pretty much rolled my eyes when it was learned that Tom Cruise would be starring as Jack Reacher in Christopher McQuarrie's adaptation of Lee Child's crime thriller, One-Shot. Even though I've never read any of the dozen or so novels involving the character, his description could only fit Cruise if we landed on Bizzaro World. Reacher is a 6 foot 5, powerful, blond ex-military officer turned American drifter, who finds himself in one pickle or another as he walks the countryside. Cruise is roughly the same height and stature as an Oompa Loompa, but since McQuarrie and Cruise are buds, the role goes to him. Whatever. 

But somebody'sgotta star opposite the guy, and hopefully not a lady who towers over him. A tough nut to crack, I know, but three fine actresses are up for the challenge. Rosamund Pike, Alexa Davalos, and Hayley Atwell are said to be testing for the female lead in the film which may begin shooting as soon as the fall.

Pike has seen her name up for everything lately, including at one point being rumored for roles in Man of Steel and X-men: First Class. She most recently won rave reviews for her performance opposite Paul Giamatti in Barney's Version. Even though I've seen everything in her filmography, Davalos hasnt made much of an impression on me. She was featured as Andromedea in Clash of the Titans, and starred with Daniel Craig in Defiance. I remember her mainly as the young chick who got stung by a horde of flying monsters in The Mist. Hayley Atwell is probably the hottest of them all right now, due to playing Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger. The superhero flick has certainly raised her profile, and in all likelihood makes her the clear frontrunner for the role.

One-Shot is the ninth in the Jack Reacher series, and sees him caught up in a mystery involving a sniper who randomly kills five people, then asks specifically for Reacher's presence. The female role is that of a tough lawyer and daughter of the D.A.