Netflix Greenlights “War Machine” Sequel After Record-Breaking Viewership

Netflix announced a sequel to *War Machine* is entering production. Patrick Hughes will return to direct and co-write with James Beaufort. Production will be overseen by Todd Lieberman (Hidden Pictures), Greg McLean (Huge Film), Alex Young (Hidden Pictures), Rich Cook (Range Media Partners) and executive producer Valerie Bleth Sharp, with Hughes also producing. While the full cast is unconfirmed, Alan Ritchson is expected to reprise his lead role.

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*War Machine*—co-written and directed by Hughes and starring Ritchson as an Army Ranger trainee battling an intergalactic force—premiered on Netflix on March 6. Co-produced by Lionsgate, the film ended with an ambiguous cliffhanger that hinted at a larger universe. Within weeks it entered Netflix’s Most Popular Films List, amassing 139 million views and ranking among the platform’s ten most-watched original movies.

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Key personnel include director-writer-producer Patrick Hughes, co-writer James Beaufort, lead actor Alan Ritchson, producers Todd Lieberman (Hidden Pictures), Greg McLean (Huge Film), Alex Young (Hidden Pictures), Rich Cook (Range Media Partners) and executive producer Valerie Bleth Sharp.

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The film has logged 139 million streams since March 6, placing it at No. 10 among Netflix original movies and potentially moving to No. 9 as counts continue.

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Netflix’s decision to commission a sequel highlights the platform’s focus on extending original properties that have generated high viewership. With 139 million streams placing *War Machine* in the service’s top-ten original films, the franchise provides an opportunity to develop the larger universe hinted at in the first movie’s ambiguous ending.

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Hughes said the sequel will expand the world while preserving the shock-and-awe tone, and he wants to answer lingering questions about the alien threat without sacrificing mystery. He described the project as “very, very exciting,” noted the team is “heads down and getting busy on the sequel,” and warned the new installment will “not do what’s expected” while delivering a “big” continuation.

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• “you are going to find out.” — Patrick Hughes, Director

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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? Because that micro to the macro, I think, is really interesting, because audiences get so attuned to going, Okay, everything’s resolved in one movie. And I was like let’s treat this like what it is, which is fucking shock-and-awe.” — Patrick Hughes, Director

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• “I never thought I’d get a tattoo. He’s covered in him. I don’t have him. We’ve got ‘War Machine’ now,” — Patrick Hughes, Director

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• “I’m pinching myself every day.” — Patrick Hughes, Director

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• “I’ve got an absolute banger. I’m excited. It’s fucking big,” — Patrick Hughes, Director

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No official cast list or plot details have been released, and the start date for principal photography remains unconfirmed.

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Hughes indicated the team aims to begin filming soon, with pre-production already underway.

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