Since its release on March 6, the Netflix original sci-fi action movie War Machine has been dominating the Top 10 charts. Not only did the movie make a massive splash around the world, becoming the No. 1 movie just days after its drop, but it’s also still making its presence known. In the daily Top 10 most popular ranking in the United States, the new hit maintains its place near the peak.
Reacher star Alan Ritchson leads War Machine as Staff Sergeant 81 as he joins his team for the final stretch of the US Army Ranger selection process. However, the crew gets far much more than they bargained for when they are forced to take on and defeat an unprecedented and out-of-this-world threat to humanity: a killing machine ready to do some real damage.
While viewers around the world are still loving every second of War Machine, likely turning the movie back on for repeat viewings, you might be looking for more action-packed Netflix movies to add to your watch list. Ready to turn movie night into an epic adventure? Here are three movies you should check out next if you can’t get enough of War Machine (and one even shares a title).
Extraction (2020)
- Directed by: Sam Hargrave
- Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Priyanshu Painyuli, Golshifteh Farahani, Pankaj Tripathi, David Harbour
Considering Extraction stars Chris Hemsworth, one of the most famous action movie stars of the past two decades, and it’s been out for nearly a decade, it’s unlikely that most action fans haven’t already watched the massively popular Netflix original movie. But it’s never too late for a rewatch, and the great thing about this particular title is that there’s a built-in double feature.
Extraction made its premiere in April 2020, and if that particular month and year means anything to you, then you’ll know it was right at the start of the pandemic. The movie was insanely successful because it was good, sure, but we were all stuck at home. And who wouldn’t want to join an Australian mercenary on a dangerous mission to save a kidnapped child as an escape from reality?
During that time, Extraction launched as the biggest debut for a Netflix original movie, which easily made it a shoe-in for a sequel. Extraction 2 was released in June 2023, also becoming a well-received Netflix blockbuster. In addition, Extraction 3 and a spinoff movie are in the works, and an offshoot series is coming soon, too. It’s the perfect time to get back into these movies!
The Old Guard (2020)
- Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
- Starring: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo, Matthias Schoenaerts, Chiwetel Ejiofor
From one pandemic sensation to another, there’s just something about the Netflix action movies form this particular era. The Old Guard, which stars Academy Award winner Charlize Theron, was released in July 2020 and was an instant favorite among audiences. Even though the sequel was released last summer, chatter has slowed down for this movie, but it shouldn’t.
Based on The Old Guard comic book series Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández, the superhero film centers on a team of warrior mercenaries who put their lives on the line to keep the mortal world safe from threats. However, their next mission becomes one of revenge against those who learn their secret and look to take advantage of it for financial gain.
The Old Guard was well-received and a viewership hit upon its summer 2020 premiere, leading to the obvious decision to bring the team back for a sequel. Stuck in a development for a while amid the pandemic and the strikes, The Old Guard 2 finally arrived in July 2025 to less fanfare. But this is still an excellent back-to-back movie marathon that’s full of pulse-pounding thrills.
War Machine (2017)
- Directed by: David Michôd
- Starring: Brad Pitt, Anthony Michael Hall, Anthony Hayes, Topher Grace, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton, Ben Kingsley
Did you know there are two Netflix original movies titled War Machine that you can watch right now? You might know that fun fact if you searched the title in search of the movie everyone’s talking about right now and were confused which one is the right one. Well, they are both hit original movies from the streaming service that are worth watching, but they are very different movies.
This War Machine borrows its inspiration from the nonfiction book The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan by Michael Hastings and fictionalizes the true events. The satirical comedy stars Brad Pitt as General Glen McMahon, who’s tasked with winning the Afghanistan war but faces his own rise and fall based on his attitude and methods.
After one look at their respective Rotten Tomatoes scores, it’s safe to say that War Machine (2017) wasn’t as well received as War Machine (2026), and the nine-year-old movie with this title might not have the same action impact. But isn’t it funny that the streaming service has two movies with the same title? What are the chances? Honestly, just watch it for the bit.
