Why Netflix’s New Sci-Fi Movie Is Dominating Streaming With Over 80M Views (& What It Sets Up)

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Netflix has released many original movies, but a recent science fiction film is proving to be a standout success and could launch a whole new series of movies. Netflix has been improving its original films lately, with popular releases like the animated hit KPop Demon Hunters, the comedy sequel Happy Gilmore 2, Guillermo del Toro’s horror film Frankenstein, and the drama Train Dreams. Although this new sci-fi action movie isn’t expected to win any Oscars, it’s already been viewed by over 80 million people and hints at a sequel that could become a major franchise for the streaming service.

War Machine quickly became a hit on Netflix, reaching the top spot on their global movie charts with 44.4 million views in its first week. After just two weeks, it had already been viewed over 80 million times, making it one of the platform’s biggest movies of 2026.

War Machine Also Sets Up a Sequel for Netflix

War Machine is a fun action film, and Alan Ritchson, a rising star, leads the way. Directed by Patrick Hughes (known for The Hitman’s Bodyguard), Ritchson plays Staff Sergeant 81, who participates in a training exercise with a group of recruits identified only by numbers. Their training takes a dangerous turn when they encounter an alien robot that has crash-landed on Earth, beginning a plan for global domination.

Alan Ritchson showed in his role as Jack Reacher that he’s a particularly charming and engaging actor, and he delivers that same quality in War Machine. The film has been well-received by critics, earning a 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes – a strong result for a sci-fi movie released directly to streaming. Plus, the ending sets up a much larger conflict: Ritchson’s character discovers that robots are attacking worldwide, and he’s the only one who knows how to stop them after defeating the initial threat.

I’m really hoping we get a War Machine sequel! Alan Ritchson has said he’s definitely up for returning, and even wants to explore how his character grows and learns from everything that happened. He told CBR that the movie’s ending really sets things up for more action, and he’d love to be involved in making it happen. Since he’s already a huge star with Reacher, this could be the start of a whole movie franchise for him, and I think he could really take it far.

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2026-03-21 16:10