Alan Ritchson’s New Netflix Sci-Fi Movie Was Even More Physically Demanding Than Reacher

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Alan Ritchson admits his Prime Video series was demanding, but he says his new Netflix action movie presents a completely different kind of challenge.

Directed by Patrick Hughes, who also made The Hitman’s Bodyguard, War Machine stars Alan Ritchson as 81, a dedicated soldier chosen for a challenging Ranger training program. The soldiers face grueling exercises, culminating in a final test against a supernatural enemy that pushes their combat and survival abilities to the limit.

Before the release of the new film, Liam Crowley from ScreenRant spoke with Alan Ritchson for a cover story. Ritchson discussed the intense, multi-week boot camp he and some of his co-stars went through to prepare for the physically demanding role. He explained that his experience on the Prime Video series Reacher actually helped him get ready, noting that Reacher was also a very physical character.

Ritchson also explained that Reacher features significantly more close-quarters fighting than War Machine, noting that making the Netflix sci-fi film was incredibly challenging. Filming on location in Australia contributed to this, requiring Ritchson to perform demanding stunts in rough, rocky environments.

Alan Ritchson described the show’s physical challenges as incredibly intense, involving everything from mountain descents and whitewater rafting to zip lines and a grueling obstacle course similar to those used in Ranger training. He explained that no amount of preparation could truly ready you for that level of exertion, and while it was tough on the body, he found it exhilarating to play a character requiring such physical strength and stamina.

Before landing the lead role of Jack Reacher in the Prime Video series, Alan Ritchson was already well-known for action roles and physically demanding performances. He’d previously showcased his athleticism as Gloss in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and as Raphael – providing both the voice and motion capture – in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies. He consistently uses his physical abilities to enhance his work.

As he rightly points out, War Machine is fundamentally different from Reacher. The Prime Video series focuses heavily on its main character engaging in physical fights while uncovering various conspiracies. Importantly, it doesn’t delve much into his past military service before he became a Major in military police. This approach keeps the show realistic and believable, even though it’s still quite action-packed.

The Netflix sci-fi film demanded more from Ritchson than his previous roles. Filming on location in Australia – across challenging terrains like cliffs and forests – and the commitment to realistically portraying U.S. Army Ranger training created a uniquely demanding physical experience for him.

Similar to his work on War Machine, where he performed stunts using harnesses to fight a robotic enemy – a famously demanding process for actors in this genre – Alan Ritchson likely faced intense physical challenges on this film. Given that the movie could lead to sequels and Ritchson has hinted that season four of Reacher is also incredibly physically taxing, it’s going to be interesting to see which role pushes him the hardest.

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2026-03-06 19:11