Alan Ritchson as 81 in War Machine
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for War Machine!Alan Ritchson stars in Netflix's action sci-fi film War Machine, which could be the start of a new franchise for the actor and streaming service. The movie, which debuted on March 6, follows Ritchson's unnamed Staff Sergeant 81 as he trains to become an Army Ranger, only for his final test to be interrupted by an attack by an alien machine.
War Machine melds action, sci-fi, and war movies together to make for an entertaining and easy watch on the streamer. It's proven to be a strong performer, too. War Machine has been a huge streaming success on Netflix, jumping to No. 1 on the charts immediately upon release. With high viewership numbers and favorable reviews from critics and audiences, there is clear franchise potential with Lionsgate and Netflix's project. While War Machine 2 has yet to be officially announced, the reception to the first film makes such a development more plausible. Ritchson could be on the verge of a major new action franchise, and the roadmap for where it could go has already started to take shape. How War Machine's Ending Sets Up A Sequel After Ritchson's 81 successfully defeats one of the alien machines in combat and saves his last living team member, War Machine could have wrapped up the story rather succinctly. But it went in the completely opposite direction, by not only leaving the door open for another movie, but directly setting up a sequel that now becomes necessary. War Machine's ending includes many pivotal reveals that tease where the sequel will go. The biggest is confirmation that the attack on 81 and his team was not an isolated incident. These alien machines crash-landed around the world and have been destroying cities and killing countless humans. And to make matters even worse, tens of thousands more deadly robots are on the way. While Earth's forces have managed to fend off the first wave of the attack, this is just the beginning of a larger war between the species behind the giant machines and humanity. That's why 81's revelation on how to kill one of the robots is so crucial. He and others will now have some understanding of how to defeat machines from the next wave more quickly, which will come in handy as the number of them increases. To further set up War Machine 2, the movie's final moments show 81 loading up to return to the fight. He's not going to sit idly by and lick his various wounds while humanity staves off an alien invasion. Ritchson's unnamed Ranger has become a prominent figure in the fight against these machines, delivering a rousing speech to send his fellow Rangers into battle. Where his helicopter is taking him isn't confirmed, but War Machine ends with the promise that 81 is going back to war. The only way we'll see that happen is if Netflix and Lionsgate move forward with plans for War Machine 2. War Machine 2 Is Already Planned Out As we wait for an official announcement on a War Machine sequel, the good news is that some work on it has already been done. The studios have yet to commission writer-director Patrick Hughes to develop a follow-up, but that hasn't stopped him and Ritchson from discussing and mapping out what's next for 81. The star and director confirmed as much during an interview with ScreenRant, stating that ideas are already formed for War Machine 2's outline. Hughes said that even though the film was written as "a fully formed standalone story," but, through that process, he realized "if I ever got the opportunity to take it further, I know exactly where it's going, and I've sketched it out." He went on to say: It's impossible not to, as a writer, to think about. 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. Ritchson provided his own teases for how exciting War Machine 2's plans are. Calling it War Machines, the hopeful franchise star said he and Hughes have "tons" of ideas for future installments. And as far as the first sequel is concerned, Ritchson promises War Machine 2 "is going to be sick." He even jokingly teased there could be eight sequels. Ritchson and Hughes' excitement for War Machine's franchise potential is abundantly clear. And with the first sequel already sketched out, the writing process could go quickly should Hughes get the greenlight. That's great to hear, as it could help deliver a faster turnaround for this sequel than is typical in Hollywood. Netflix and Lionsgate will likely just need to be ready to back a bigger budget, as it seems War Machine 2's scope will be much larger. What War Machine 2 Could Be About & What Cast Could Return While the details of War Machine 2's story haven't been revealed, the direction the possible franchise is heading down seems easy to piece together. The sequel would certainly focus on 81 as he embarks on a new chapter of the war against these machines. This could include picking up directly after War Machine's ending or using a time jump to radically change the state of Earth and the war. It's also reasonable to expect that War Machine 2 will explore more about the alien robots. Why they came to Earth, what they want, where they come from, and more would be questions worth answering. And as the film would uncover more layers about the machines, it'd also make sense to reveal more about 81's backstory. Subscribe to the newsletter for War Machine sequel insight Want deeper coverage of War Machine's sequel prospects? Subscribe to our newsletter for in-depth analysis, casting and plot breakdowns, and savvy takes on where the franchise could go—along with broader film and streaming coverage. 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. Should War Machine's sequel happen, Ritchson will obviously be back as the star. While the franchise could support spinoffs set in different locations of the machine's attack, that would not work as a proper sequel. Audiences want to see more of 81, so Ritchson's return is a must. Beyond him, there are only a few members of War Machine's cast who could come back. Dennis Quaid's Sergeant Major Sheridan and Esai Morales' First Sergeant Torres would both make sense as prominent figures in the Army and direct contacts for 81 and other Rangers. Speaking of, Stephan James' Staff Sergeant 7 is alive by the film's conclusion but recovering from injuries. If a time jump occurs, it's possible that 7 rejoins 81 on the battlefield. The only other cast member who may return is Jai Courtney as 81's brother. War Machine shows him near death after an attack in Afghanistan, and 81 is told he died just 100 yards away from the base. But, Ritchson's character repeatedly states he was still alive the last he remembered. I'm not counting out the possibility that 81's brother is still alive and will make an unexpected return in War Machine 2. With there being so much potential for future entries, hopefully its only a matter of time before Netflix and Lionsgate make a War Machine sequel official. It'd give Ritchson the action franchise he really deserves. 38 8.6/10 6/10 War Machine 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed R 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 8 Images Close Cast See All
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