Picture Credit: Netflix
Following a massive launch on Netflix earlier this year, it’s no surprise that a sequel to the sci-fi action hit War Machine is officially in development, with Alan Ritchson and director Patrick Hughes set to return.
The news comes to us via an exclusive report from The Wrap, which revealed today that the creative team is already “heads down and getting busy on the sequel.” Netflix promptly also confirmed the news on social media:
If you need a refresher, the Lionsgate co-production debuted on Netflix back on March 6th. Directed and co-written by Australian filmmaker Patrick Hughes, the film starred Reacher sensation Alan Ritchson as a hardened Army Ranger trainee who finds himself going toe-to-toe with a deadly intergalactic force.
The first film left plenty of unanswered questions, opting for a bold, cliffhanger ending. Speaking to The Wrap, Hughes explained that the ambiguity was entirely intentional, fighting for a “shock-and-awe” conclusion reminiscent of gritty ’70s and ’80s cinema.
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“I said to Netflix, ‘I think more than anything, people want to know – What is [Ritchson’s] name? Where are they from? What do they want? What is happening?’” Hughes explained. “Do we really think in the first 24 hours of us being hit by these, we’re going to know where they’re from, what they want and how to overcome them? No. This is like, just shock-and-awe.”
However, Hughes promises that War Machine 2 will deliver the answers fans are craving. When asked if the robotic marauders were the aliens themselves or if something else was piloting them from a home world, Hughes assured fans that in the sequel, “you are going to find out.”
While no official cast list for the sequel has been announced by Netflix just yet, Alan Ritchson will be back in action.
Per Deadline, Hughes is to direct and co-write the script alongside James Beaufort. In addition to his directing and writing duties, Hughes will produce the sequel through his Huge Film banner alongside his producing partner Greg McLean. They will be joined by fellow producers Todd Lieberman and Alex Young of Hidden Pictures, as well as Range Media Partners’ Rich Cook, with Valerie Bleth Sharp rounding out the team as executive producer.
Why War Machine 2 was a no-brainer for Netflix
If you’ve been following our Top 10 reports, you’ll know exactly why a sequel was greenlit. War Machine has been an absolute juggernaut for the streamer.
The movie has officially entered Netflix’s Most Popular Films List of all time, racking up an astonishing 139 million views since its debut.
Looking at its run in the Netflix Global Top 10, the film showed incredible staying power. It spent 8 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 charts, amassing 233.2 million viewing hours and 128.4 million completed viewing equivalents (CVE/Views) during that period.
