Jai Courtney and Alan Ritchson chat in War Machine
For the last few years, Alan Ritchson has been one of the most dependable action leads on television thanks to Reacher. But there is a big difference between starring in a hit series and proving you can anchor a giant original movie that audiences all over the world immediately click on.
That gap is starting to disappear fast. War Machine is currently the No. 1 movie on Netflix worldwide, according to FlixPatrol’s March 8 rankings, a major global win for the streamer and an even bigger one for Ritchson as he pushes beyond TV stardom. And now, it sounds like he is already thinking beyond just one movie. The cast is led by Ritchson as 81, with Dennis Quaid as Sergeant Major Sheridan, Jai Courtney as Lufkin, Esai Morales as Novak, Stephan James as Slade, Keiynan Lonsdale as Joel, Daniel Webber as Harris, and Blake Richardson as 15. Speaking to ScreenRant, the actor made it clear that he is already thinking far beyond just one movie. “War Machines is gonna be sick. The whole thing — we got a whole thing,” Ritchson said, before revealing just how much groundwork has already been done for a sequel. And sometimes the obvious title is the best one. “When I sat down and wrote War Machine, I was like, this is a fully formed standalone story, and heaven forbid, touch wood, if I ever got the opportunity to take it further, I know exactly where it’s going, and I’ve sketched it out.” That alone is a pretty huge update for a movie that has only just exploded on Netflix. But Ritchson went even further, explaining that he simply could not help building out the future of the story in his head once he connected with the character and the world around him. “It’s impossible not to, as a writer, to think about,” he said. “I fell in love with the character of 81 and the universe of sort of, everything he’s going through. So look, if that call comes in, then yes, I’m ready to pull the trigger.” Who Is Alan Ritchson's Character Based On? One of the more interesting things about Ritchson’s comments is how much affection he clearly has for 81 as a character. He suggested there’s a lot more backstory there than audiences currently know, but he also wants to preserve some of the mystery. Asked how much of 81’s identity has been figured out, Ritchson teased, “We know. We’re not gonna say. You got to stick around for this, for the sequel.” “We had one of them. It was, like, the biggest argument on set. All the crew were like, ‘No, his name’s Gerald.’” That mystery is clearly part of the appeal for Ritchson. He also explained that his approach to 81 was shaped by a classic Western archetype, which honestly makes a lot of sense when you look at how the character moves through War Machine. Subscribe to the newsletter for War Machine insights Craving more on War Machine, sequel possibilities, and character mysteries? Subscribe to our newsletter for focused coverage and thoughtful analysis of this film and similar streaming phenomena - deep dives into casting, backstory, and creative direction. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. “I grew up on a very healthy appetite of westerns,” Ritchson said. “One of my favorite story forms is that drifting angel archetype. It’s Pale Rider. It’s the guy, the Man with No Name, and I really love that story form.” 6 10 War Machine Like Follow Followed MA 15+ Action Science Fiction Thriller Release Date March 6, 2026 Runtime 107 minutes Director Patrick Hughes Writers Patrick Hughes, James Beaufort Producers Todd Lieberman, Alexander Young, Patrick Hughes, Greg McLean, Rich Cook Cast See All
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