Since 2022, Alan Ritchson has been taking names and kicking butt in Reacher. With season 4 still months away, fans of Ritchson can watch the actor in War Machine, a new Netflix movie and the perfect substitute for Reacher. War Machine arrives at 12:00 a.m. PT on March 6, 2026, making it the ideal Netflix movie to watch this weekend.
Similar to Jack Reacher, Ritchson’s character in War Machine is a rugged, no-nonsense soldier training to become an elite Army Ranger. The final stages of training are interrupted when an otherworldly machine crash-lands on Earth. Unfortunately for the soldiers, this machine isn’t friendly and begins destroying whoever and whatever comes in its path. With Ritchson at the center, Netflix hopes to replicate the success of Reacher with War Machine, a movie with the potential to become one of the streamer’s best action movies.
War Machine promises to be an action-packed film
The trailer teases chaos and havoc
There is value in movies that deliver on their premise. The worst thing a movie can do is fail to keep its promise. I expected The Rise of Skywalker to put an emphatic ending to the sequel trilogy, but instead, the Star Wars movie was more concerned with rewriting The Last Jedi. Those same feelings of disappointment returned for other movies like It: Chapter Two and Jurassic World Dominion.
Judging by the thrilling trailer, War Machine looks like a crowd-pleasing adventure made for action fans. Ritchson plays 81, the number given to him upon signing up to become an Army Ranger. The footage’s beginning moments showcase 81’s strength, agility, and athleticism. In other words, 81 is Netflix’s version of Jack Reacher.
What is supposed to be a final training task for the soldiers becomes an unexpected survival mission thanks to the arrival of the titular war machine, a gigantic apparatus that transforms into a killing device. “Whatever that thing is, it’s hunting us, and it won’t stop,” 81 says in the trailer.
War Machine will put Ritchson’s character through the wringer—81 nearly drowns while being attacked by the war machine. This action-packed movie gives me similar vibes to Extraction, the Chris Hemsworth-led thriller that is easily one of Netflix’s most successful franchises. If War Machine is half as good as Extraction, we’re in for a treat.
Alan Ritchson is becoming one of Hollywood’s top action heroes
The versatile actor has all the characteristics of a “top guy”
If you were to tell me that the obnoxious linebacker on Blue Mountain State would morph into a massive action star, I would never have believed it. Ritchson’s always had an energetic presence on screen. He might have played a distasteful college kid on BMS, but Ritchson’s character was the best part of BMS. The comedic timing has always been there. He has that lovable persona for a big guy, which made him a perfect fit to play a Ninja Turtle.
The action hero didn’t come later in his career. Fans of Smallville and Titans might point to Ritchson’s appearances in those shows as a blueprint for his current roles. Personally, I didn’t fully see it back then. As Hollywood has taught us, it takes one role to change a career. For Ritchson, that role came on Prime Video’s Reacher.
As Jack Reacher, Ritchson is a stone-cold killer—an outlaw who won’t stop until he achieves justice. Reacher is the smartest guy in the room, but if the situation calls for violence, he’ll throw someone’s head through a car window. With all due respect to Tom Cruise, Ritchson is the ideal actor to play Reacher because of his imposing physical presence and deadpan humor. With 30 novels and short stories in the Reacher series, Prime Video could keep making the series for a long time.
When comparing Ritchson to past action stars, he’s the millennial version of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ritchson can play the Terminator-esque character in Reacher, but I could also see him doing a version of Kindergarten Cop. Ritchson and Schwarzenegger will share the screen in an upcoming Christmas comedy, The Man with the Bag. If all else fails, Ritchson can become a singer thanks to his angelic voice.
Alan Ritchson has more action roles on the horizon
Ritchson’s upcoming slate is loaded
Ritchson certainly understands that a show like Reacher only comes around once in a career. After spending a decade in supporting roles, Ritchson is turning his Reacher success into more leading roles. Besides War Machine and Reacher season 4, Ritchson’s upcoming slate includes Motor City, a silent revenge film set in the 1970s; Runner, an action thriller from Expend4bles director Scott Waugh; and a biopic about decorated war veteran Michael Thornton.
Ritchson is not slowing down; you have to strike when the iron is hot. If Ritchson keeps making movies like War Machine, then I’ll keep watching.
War Machine
- Release Date
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March 6, 2026
- Runtime
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107 minutes
- Director
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Patrick Hughes
War Machine begins streaming on March 6 on Netflix. By the time Netflix’s top 10 list drops next week, don’t be surprised if War Machine cracks the top five.
If you’re staying on Netflix, check out some of the streamer’s best thrillers, including Don’t Move and Spiderhead. If you head to Prime Video to check out Reacher, make sure to give Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock a shot.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
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Two or four
Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription.
