Alan Ritchson levels up again as ‘War Machine’ builds into a full franchise
- By Asim Mallick -
- Jun 03, 2026
Alan Ritchson’s rise in Hollywood has been a slow burn rather than an overnight shift, moving from early TV appearances to finally landing the kind of leading roles that now define his career. While Reacher made him a global streaming star, it’s his Netflix sci-fi action film War Machine that is now quietly shaping up as something even more significant, with a sequel reportedly in development.
Ritchson’s early career included small but steady work in shows like Smallville before he broke through with Blue Mountain State, which later became a cult favourite. A string of guest roles followed across series such as New Girl and Black Mirror, though it wasn’t until Titans that he began to be seen as a serious action contender.
The real turning point came with Reacher in 2022, where Alan Ritchson took on the role of Lee Child’s wandering ex-military investigator. The series became a major success for Prime Video, built on stripped-back storytelling and heavy physical action that suited Ritchson’s presence perfectly. Even so, his film career didn’t immediately mirror that momentum, with smaller supporting roles and a few underperforming titles failing to make a major impact.
That changed with War Machine, directed by Patrick Hughes, where Alan Ritchson plays a hardened Staff Sergeant known only as 81. His military training exercise quickly turns into a survival fight when an alien war machine comes face to face with the movie’s protagonist.
The film’s twisted ending teased a larger conflict and a broader expansion of its sci-fi world. Instead of wrapping things neatly, it pushes the story forward in a way that feels designed for continuation.
With a sequel now expected, War Machine is positioning itself as the start of Ritchson’s first real sci-fi franchise era, adding a new layer to his growing status as a modern action lead.