Alan Ritchson has spent months telling anyone who will listen that Reacher Season 4 might be the show’s best season yet. And early reviews for Reacher were willing to back him up. Before the new episodes even hit streaming for folks with an Amazon Prime subscription, the action series debuted with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, and naturally, its extremely online leading man had something to say about it.

Ritchson celebrated the early reviews on Instagram the day before Season 4 premiered, sharing the perfect Tomatometer score with the caption, “One hundo P! Okayyyy!” before reminding everyone that new Reacher was arriving the following day. At that point in the post, which you can see below, every review counted by Rotten Tomatoes was positive.

Obviously, a Rotten Tomatoes score based on early reviews is going to change once more critics get their hands on the season, and that is exactly what happened here. As of this writing, Season 4 sits at 91% from critics based on 23 reviews, while audiences are actually liking it even more, giving the season a 92% Popcornmeter score. So Ritchson cannot technically brag about the “one hundo P” anymore, but I doubt anyone at Prime Video is losing sleep over numbers like those.

The funny thing is that the current 91% actually puts Season 4 below the previous two seasons on the Tomatometer. Season 1 earned 92%, while both Seasons 2 and 3 currently sit at 98%. Audience scores tell a different story, though. Season 4’s current 93% is considerably higher than Season 2’s 77% and Season 3’s 73%. That is quite a run for a show primarily built around watching an enormous man figure out a mystery and then punch the people responsible for it.

Season 4 is a book-to-screen adaptation of Lee Child’s Gone Tomorrow and drops Jack Reacher into a more complicated conspiracy after a disturbing encounter on a subway. Rotten Tomatoes’ roundup of the first reviews describes the season as darker and more complex, with critics particularly praising its hand-to-hand action. Several reviews also noted that the mystery gets busier than usual, and not everyone thinks all those moving pieces work.

That tracks with something Ritchson was already teasing before the premiere. The Fast X actor called Season 4 “by far the best season” the show has made and said production filmed more fight scenes than ever before. Considering Reacher has never exactly been stingy with broken bones, that is saying something.

The first three episodes of the eight-episode season arrived August 12, with new installments dropping weekly through September 16. Prime Video has already renewed the series for Season 5, so Jack Reacher will continue wandering into towns where everyone would be much better off if they simply left the gigantic stranger alone.

A perfect 100% may have lasted only through the first wave of reviews, but 91% from critics and 92% from viewers four seasons into an action series is hardly a consolation prize. So, Ritchson can probably keep the “one hundo P” post up.

Spoilers for the first three episodes of Reacher Season 4 (and what could come based on the book, Gone Tomorrow, and Alan Ritchson’s comments) are ahead! You can stream the show with an Amazon Prime subscription and catch new episodes on Wednesdays.

I’m used to Jack Reacher fighting off hulking men and dealing with his issues through brute force and his intelligence. However, in the critically acclaimed fourth season of Reacher, it would seem brute force won’t get him the win this time, because the villain (at least for now) is seemingly someone he does not expect. And because of that, I’m actually terrified to see what happens next in the season of Reacher that just premiered on the 2026 TV schedule.

Lila Hoth Seems Harmless

When we meet Lila (Agnez Mo) in the premiere, she introduces herself and her mother to Reacher, and they talk about a jump drive. Lila tells Reacher she has leukemia, and her mother has a kidney disease. So, when she was calling around trying to find information about her estranged father who could help her with said medical issues, she met Anna Merrick, the woman who shot herself at the start of Season 4. Lila claims her father could be Congressman John Sampson, and she’s trying to get in contact with him to get a DNA test.

Then, in Episode 3, we learn that Lila is claiming to be a journalist, and she shows up after a violent incident to give Reacher new clothes. It’s during this scene that she apologizes for lying to him and talks about her drive to get to the truth and the story that made her lie. It’s also where she says that she’s the reporter who put Anna on that subway.

However, based on Ritchson’s comments about Lila from San Diego Comic-Con and the basic knowledge I have of Gone Tomorrow, which is what this book-to-screen adaptation is based on, I’m pretty sure Reacher still does not know the truth about Lila. And it’s the fact that he hasn’t clocked her that makes me nervous.

Alan Ritchson Warned Us That Reacher Sleeps With The Enemy

Now, if you’ve read Gone Tomorrow, or if you heard Alan Ritchson at Comic-Con this year, you know that Reacher sleeps with Lila. At SDCC, the actor specifically said that “in the book” Reacher gets “a little romantic with Lila Hoth.” He then went on to say that this is great for the show, because it really differentiates this story from previous seasons of Reacher.

So, going forward, Jack Reacher has “a different kind of relationship with the villain in this story,” according to Ritchson, and that makes it all the more enticing to watch. It also makes it a lot scarier. That’s because it seems like Reacher is unaware of the fact that Lila might be bad…

I’m So Scared To See How Lila Challenges Reacher

During the scene in the hotel, Reacher notes that he’s a 250-pound former soldier and Lila is a 110-pound reporter with average security. He implores her to go home, but she refuses, and that’s scary. She’s clearly not afraid of a challenge; she’s not going to run, and she’s certainly not afraid of Jack Reacher.

Plus, so far, we’ve seen a man fall from a roof and some brutal kills. So, it’s obvious that the villain of this season is ruthless. Now, I don’t know exactly what Lila will do next, and that unpredictability makes me anxious. However, I do know from these three episodes that Reacher seemingly doesn’t suspect her, but probably should.

She easily lied to him, and it seems like she’s very capable of manipulating him. So, while Paulie was Reacher’s biggest physical challenge last season, I have a feeling Lila will prove to be an even scarier adversary who forces Alan Ritchson’s character to work in a way he never has before.

Alan Ritchson is in high demand these days, but even as he pops up in 2026 movie releases like War Machine and the dialogue-free Motor City, fans of the hit Prime Video series Reacher don’t have to worry. Jack Reacher’s adventures will continue for at least two more seasons, with the first of the new episodes premiering August 12. Reviews have dropped for Reacher Season 4, and I’m happy to report that Ritchson seems to have followed through on the big promise he made.

Alan Ritchson had said he wasn’t sure showrunner Nick Santora could top Season 3, but after seeing how different and unexpected the new story is — with Reacher uncovering a political conspiracy and getting, ahem, involved with the enemy — the actor called Season 4 “the best season we’ve ever made by a long shot.” Luckily for us, the critics seem to agree! Sherin Nicole of RogerEbert’s review reads:

Alan Ritchson Batman rumors aside, Reacher Season 4 may not just be the best but also the bloodiest season, according to Raphael Motamayor of The Wrap. It’s also the funniest yet, with a timely political story that Motamayor says results in possibly the series' best twist to date. The critic writes:

David Caballero of Collider rates it a 9 out of 10, writing that the most recent installment stays true to itself while delivering a product that’s “more muscular and unforgiving than ever.” Viewers will be cheering through gritted teeth, Caballero says in his Reacher Season 4 review:

Ryan Britt of Men’s Journal says this is Jack Reacher’s most James Bond-like season yet, with its old-school, emotionally charged action and a story where the romance is so closely connected to the character’s motivation and possibly even his downfall. Britt continues:

Craig Elvy of ScreenRant gives Reacher Season 4 an 8 out of 10, noting that the action this season shifts into a higher gear than before. The critic lists “artful driving stunts, nail-biting aerial work, and a greater focus on blades,” as the series offers set pieces that audiences haven’t seen anywhere else (which is saying quite a lot). Elvy writes:

It’s hard to argue with the above reviews, and few critics are. Reacher Season 4 started with a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 11 reviews but has since dropped to 87% as more opinions are gathered. Either way, if you’re even remotely invested in Reacher, you’ll definitely want to check out what Alan Ritchson called “the best season.”

The first three episodes of Reacher Season 4 drop Wednesday, August 12, on the 2026 TV schedule and can be streamed with a Prime Video subscription. New episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays thereafter.

The current King of Action TV, Reacher’s Alan Ritchson, teamed up with the king of action movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger, for an upcoming holiday movie that sounds like it could be a Christmas delight for fans. As it turns out, Ritchson also came away from the project with a personal gift of his own, as he got a lesson in appreciating fame and perspectives from the Hollywood icon.

In the upcoming 2026 release The Man with the Bag, Schwarzenegger’s take on Santa Claus has to seek out the help of a small-time crook, Ritchson’s character Vince, to aid in his mission to retrieve a stolen sack of presents. And when it drops in December, it’ll be his fourth starring role in a 2026 feature (after War Machine, Runner and Motor City), and it’ll arrive after both the fourth season of Reacher and the first season of Neagley, which he guest-stars in. Needless to say, he’s everywhere.

As it turns out, working with a mega-celebrity like Arnold Schwarzenegger helped Ritchson gain a more rounded point-of-view about his own popularity, which he addressed during his appearance on the podcast Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (via YouTube). He addressed his increasing discomfort with being famous, saying:

Ritchson the pointed out how his family has also become more disdainful about how familiar he now is to the population at large, and how it causes constant disruptions when they go out to dinner or anywhere else. The struggle for him is balancing that time, as his wife would prefer him to shut off the fan-behooving part of his personality during family togetherness, but he understands that fans naturally don't get how stressful and constant the interruptions can be.

But while those situations can be stressful for Ritchson, who says it's a constant struggle to worry about who he might disappoint on any given day, he pointed to Schwarzenegger being at a point where he just eats it up and gives in to the public's desires more often than not. The actor gave a specific example, saying:

Alan Ritchson pointed out that he understands he may never be at the level of fame that Schwarzenegger has amassed over the years, and the Terminator star can still take the time to be so openly accepting to all of his fans. That had an inspiring effect on Ritchson, who said he pointed out his perspective shift to his wife, and how his co-star inspired a new kind of appreciation.

The next few years may very well push Ritchson's fame beyond the threshold for mega-stardom. For one, he's got an overall deal with Amazon MGM to produce and star in new TV projects, and two, he recently signed a feature production deal with Netflix. Not to mention he admitted he’s in talks with James Gunn for a DCU role, though apparently not Batman. So even as famous as he currently is, the sky is still the limit as far as where he's going next.

As far as his upcoming Schwarzenegger collab, The Man with the Bag is directed by Adam Shankman, from a script written by Allan Rice, and also stars Awkwafina, Kyle Mooney, Ken Jeong, Jane Krakowski, Liza Koshy and Michael Cyril Creighton. It’s set to make its streaming debut (via Amazon Prime subscription) on December 2, 2026.

There are mild spoilers for Reacher Season 4 and the book it's based on in this story. You’ll be able to stream the series with an Amazon Prime subscription on August 12.

When Alan Ritchson was asked to explain what the “high octane” fourth season of Reacher was about at San Diego Comic-Con, he did warn that he was going to “spoil [it] in five seconds.” However, he also rightfully noted that this is a show based on books. So, the following information was fair game to share, and honestly, it made me even more excited for this book-to-screen adaptation.

Season 4 of Reacher is based on Lee Child’s Gone Tomorrow, which will follow Jack Reacher as he dives into a major conspiracy after witnessing a woman shoot herself on the subway (which is implied in Season 4’s trailer). During this mission, he’ll get twisted with someone named Lila, and according to Ritchson, this relationship will get spicy:

Sleeping with the enemy usually does not turn out well…and according to Alan Ritchson, that’s what makes this season so fun. He also noted that this is a very different situation for Reacher to be in. Explaining why he’s excited for this storyline, the actor said:

Thankfully, the moderator followed up by asking if Reacher catches feelings this season. While Ritchson did confirm his character sleeps with the enemy, he wouldn’t give the most direct answer about Reacher’s true feelings, as he said:

Well, now I really can’t wait for Reacher to return on the 2026 TV schedule. Alan Ritchson had already said Season 4 was their best yet, and this twist in the plot makes me believe that statement even more.

I love a good villain, especially a female villain, and I love that she’ll challenge Reacher in a new way. Plus, we’ll get a pinch of romance too, which is always a welcome addition (even if it ends terribly for everyone).

Now, to see where things go from here, you can catch the Season 4 premiere of Reacher on August 12 on Amazon Prime.

Alan Ritchson is quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars on the big and small screen, and his widespread popularity will no doubt continue to grow as Reacher Season 4 drops (via Amazon Prime subscription) and Fast 11 gets closer to filming. He technically doesn’t even need to use words to win over critics and audiences, as evidenced by the acclaimed action thriller Motor City. So it’s perhaps no surprise that Netflix has secured the actor for a huge deal that likely paves the way for War Machine 2 and more.

Netflix Signed A First-Look Movie Deal With Alan Ritchson

On the heels of the massive success of the sci-fi action romp War Machine, Netflix is staking semi-permanent claims in Alan Ritchson as a viewership commodity. According to Deadline, the streaming giant and the actor's Dancing Skeletons production shingle have partnered for a first-look creative deal for a slate of movies that Ritchson will star in and produce.

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to think that the Titans vet is more or less becoming the platform's action hero equivalent of Adam Sandler, who has been an audience-amassing value add for Team Netflix since 2014, starring in 15 or so features, a stand-up special, and other projects. Not that they were all comedies, much as I'm sure not all of Ritchson's Netflix projects will be action-oriented. (Which makes this the time for Blue Mountain State to return anew, no?)

In any case, Ritchson obviously has a ways to go to catch up with the Sandman's streak, but the dude has an uncrushable work ethic that makes me think he could hit 15 Netflix movies in the next 5 years alone.

Considering War Machine recently broke into the bottom of Netflix's all-time Top 10 movies, with 139.9 million views racked up during the 91-day window post-release, a sequel seems imminent, but has yet to be announced. That said, we already know what to expect first from this new partnership.

Alan Ritchson's First Project Under Netflix Deal Is With Fast & Furious Franchise Writer

Before this new first-look agreement was finalized, Ritchson was already set to headline the hurricane-set military action movie Maelstrom for Jaume Collet-Serra (whose Carry-On was another huge hit for the platform). After that, he'll be teaming up with another superstar creative in screenwriter Chris Morgan, who has handled storytelling duties for the Fast and Furious franchise since Tokyo Drift. The project also boasts the production power of Jeff Kirschenbaum and Joe Roth of RK Films, with the former being a Universal exec who oversaw F&F development before taking on producer duties.

The project is a still-untitled heist thriller centering around MotoGP. The narrative follows a group of motorcycle thieves who take their crimes global, targeting priceless relics around the world. Naturally, the only person who can stop them is a former MotoGP would-be-superstar recruited by Interpol to track them down. The harder part comes when he realizes the group is possibly being led by a younger brother that he thought was dead. Cue the dramatic blasts.)

Sounds like a fun idea, and I can easily see why the project was pitched to Netflix by Ritchson, Morgan & Co. as "Fast & Furious with motorcycles," as well as why Netflix's Powers That Be were quick to agree to it.

Helping things along is that MotoGP will be fully on board as well. The road-racing brand has signed their own deal with Netflix to serve in a consultation capacity during the development process. It's not everyday a huge company agrees to lend its products to movies where crimes are commited using said products. But that's usually less of a concern when it comes to higher-priced tie-ins like vehicles and resorts.

It's unclear if this new first-look deal throws a wrench into the works regarding his talks to play a DCU character, and it's also unclear whether or not this will potentially hinder Reacher beyond the already renewed Season 5, or if it will have an effect on his still-fresh creative deal with Amazon MGM to produce new TV projects.

Whichever way it goes, I do believe both Alan Ritchson and Netflix both come out of this looking like winners, winners, chicken dinners. Now who's going to be the genius who writes the movie where Ritchson and Adam Sandler play brothers?

We know Jack Reacher will appear on Neagley when the spinoff premieres on the 2026 TV schedule. However, that got me wondering: Will we ever see Neagley’s characters on Reacher? Well, thankfully, we got to ask the cast of this new show that question.

When Neagley premieres, not only will we get to see Maria Sten’s titular character back in action, we’ll also get to see her with a whole new cast of characters. Notably, this show will be different than Reacher, because it will follow the same set of people if it gets to go on (which could make it a bit deeper than the flagship series). So, when CinemaBlend’s Sarah El-Mahmoud asked Greyston Holt about the potential for crossover during an interview at San Diego Comic-Con, he made a good point about how this new project stands on its own:

In Neagley, Holt plays Detective Hudson Riley. He’ll work closely with the titular character, and I’m really looking forward to seeing their dynamic. So, obviously, I’d also like to see how he fits into the greater world of Reacher.

Meanwhile, Jasper Jones will play Keno in Neagley. We don’t know much about his character yet. However, we do know he’d be down to crossover with Reacher, as he told us at Comic-Con:

I also think it would be fun to see the creative teams flex their muscles a bit to get a crossover going. While we’ve seen Neagley a lot on Reacher, and we know Alan Ritchson’s character will appear in the new spinoff, it’d be interesting to see how Neagley’s other stars interact with the different world of Jack Reacher. So, in the words of Jasper Jones:

I see Holt’s point about the two shows being different worlds, and I get that Reacher’s whole thing is that it bounces around and features a new cast with every book-to-screen adaptation of Lee Child’s novels.

However, I still think it’d be entertaining to see Hudson Riley or Keno pop up in the world Alan Ritchson’s character runs. If Neagley does go on for multiple seasons, and these two guys become vital characters in her world, obviously, I think it’d be awesome to see how they fare over on the show that started it all.

For now, however, they’ll be sticking to Neagley. But have no fear, you’ll still get some crossover because Alan Ritchson is set to appear in the spinoff. So, make sure you have your Amazon Prime subscription ready, because Reacher will begin airing Season 4 on August 12, and it will be followed by Neagley’s series premiere on September 16.

Alan Ritchson was born to be an action star, so it felt like a no-brainer to see him join the Fast & Furious franchise with Fast X (streaming with a Peacock subscription), alongside Vin Diesel. As Aimes, the actor got in on the stunts and fistfights and clearly had a great time being a part of it all. But it’s been three years since the film came out, and with no release date on the 2026 movie calendar, fans are wondering when the final installment of the franchise will finally hit theaters. And they’re not the only ones.

The Fast and Furious movies first revved onto the big screen 25 years ago and the scope and scale has only gotten bigger and wilder with each release. Over two decades of the action-adventure empire has been building toward this moment. But following Fast X's cliffhanger ending and the excruciatingly long Fast Forever delay, questions continue to arise about when we’ll finally get to learn how it all ends. The Reacher star recently appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast to promote his latest action flick, Motor City, and of course, the conversation turned to what he’s heard about the status of the Fast franchise. He said:

When it comes to putting seemingly impossible things out into the world and making them happen, there is no better manifester than Vin Diesel. Unwilling to give up on anything, it’s admirable to witness his unwavering grind, and I’m sure Alan Ritchson and the cast appreciate the push to get Fast Forever into production.

After defying the laws of physics countless times, even launching a car into space using a rocket in F9, it’s hard to scale things back down. And all of that comes with a hefty price tag. But Ritchson, who has described his franchise character as “disarmingly unflappable with a down home charm,” is right that there has to be a more efficient way to shoot and to pull things back while still honoring what the Fast and Furious world has become. And really, it comes down to family. Smallville’s Aquaman is optimistic that it will happen, and reassuringly said:

Fast and Furious has become one of the most popular action franchises of the 21^st century, encompassing not just movies, but an animated series, theme park attractions, video games and more. It has also embraced some of the biggest names in the genre, counting Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren and Gal Gadot among its cast ranks.

But honestly, as long as the character dynamics stay true and their bonds remain strong, I know I’d be down to see a conclusion that recalls where it all began. A final chapter that stays more grounded and pulls back from all of the over-the-top stunts bordering the absurd and takes things back to Los Angeles to honor the franchise’s roots would definitely get me into a theater to see the final film that’s currently slated for March 17, 2028.

At one point, Jay Baruchel was set to join Season 4 of Reacher, which ironically premieres on the 2026 TV schedule very soon. However, he had to drop out. Now, as Season 5 of the action series kicks into high gear, he’s joined the cast (again), and I’m thrilled about it.

Jay Baruchel Is Joining Reacher Season 5

As we get ready to watch Season 4 of Reacher with an Amazon Prime subscription, Alan Ritchson and co. are hard at work on Season 5. Production on the book-to-screen adaptation began about a week ago, and now more casting news has been released.

Specifically, Jay Baruchel is set to join the ensemble, and he will play Chief Buck Bauer in the next installment of the show. Alongside him, Kevin Durand, Amanda Ip and Ciara Bravo have also joined the cast, creating a very fun crew for Reacher’s next adventure.

That next adventure will be based on Lee Child’s book Make Me. This novel follows Reacher as he stops in a mysterious town and works with a private investigator to find someone. As they uncover information, they realize there’s quite the criminal conspiracy to deal with.

Outside of names, no further details were provided about the characters the new cast will be playing in the show. Based on the information about the book, though, I cannot wait to learn more about them and the roles they play in Reacher’s story.

However, this news also has me thinking about what could have been…

Reacher Season 4 Was Actually Supposed To Feature Jay Baruchel

Originally, Baruchel was supposed play small-town policeman Jacob Merrick in Season 4 of Reacher. Considering Alan Ritchson’s character tends to work closely with someone like this, I imagine he would have played a large part in the upcoming episodes.

However, the How to Train Your Dragon star was “forced” to exit the series, according to Deadline, over a personal matter. He was then replaced by Christopher Rodriguez-Marquette, and on August 12, we’ll get to see him sharing the screen with Ritchson in the fourth season of Reacher.

At the time, I was admittedly disappointed to hear Baruchel had to leave. While I get why and I’m looking forward to seeing Rodriguez-Marquette, I was stoked to potentially see the This Is the End actor in this show. I feel like he and Ritchson would have a very entertaining chemistry and would juxtapose each other nicely.

So, I’m over the moon that Jay Baruchel was able to return to Reacher, and hopefully he'll stick around this time.

Considering how Amazon is cranking out shows, and the fact that Season 5 of Reacher is already in production, hopefully we’ll get to see Jay Baruchel and Alan Ritchson sharing the screen sooner rather than later. However, thankfully, we have a set of episodes that Ritchson has called “the best season [they’ve] ever made by a long shot” to hold us over, as Season 4 of Reacher begins airing on August 12.

Alan Ritchson has been in seemingly just as many conversations about Batman as some of the actors that have played the DC vigilante, with fans rallying for James Gunn to cast him as the DCU’s Dark Knight. There’s a time when that maybe could have happened, but Ritchson’s latest comments poured water on the Bat-rumors, in light of a potentially different path forward with DC Studios.

While promoting the fourth season of Reacher at San Diego Comic-Con, Ritchson formally addressed his current DC situation before thousands of people, as seen in our post below.

For those unable to watch the video, here's how he clarified things (while still technically keeping the Batcave door open):

In the days ahead of SDCC, Ritchson confirmed that he and James Gunn have been talking, which is likely part of the reason why he took the time to address it on stage, but didn’t tip his cowl towards any of the other characters who might be up for contention, or even if he’d be more interesting in joining an upcoming DCU movie or something on the studio’s TV side. But that’s okay, because fans have puh-lenty of ideas for characters that the Motor City star should embody in live-action.

DC Characters That Fans Want To See Alan Ritchson Play

• Hawkman, Captain Atom, or Wildcat would all be great roles for Alan. - @brettofbakerstreet
• I’m hoping for the New God Orion😍 - @wondervaughn_1
• He’d be the best Shazam. Man on the outside, big kid on the inside! - @zxanajae
• Bane for sure - @klarcjwilson
• Booster Gold! Bet me! 🙌 - @firechkn00
• Aquaman please - @sincerelyyoursvic
• Green Arrow. - @levelupboxing
• The other character is…Bruce Wayne. - @lorcanaman
• Buff joker incoming??? - @ryzmechaa
• He would be a great “Azrael” - @kingfaouaz

I mean, hand to Detective Comics #27, I'd welcome Ritchson in literally any one of the roles mentioned above. Though Green Arrow would probably be my bottom choice, if only because Oliver Queen isn't always meant to be a brickhouse of a human being.

The most likely, perhaps, would be Wildcat, in that Ritchson would be able to spotlight his muscles and fisticuffs without an abundance of CGI and green-screenery. (I assume, anyway.) And the actor hasn't dismissed potentially playing Wildcat the way he has with other roles.

Personally, I'd love to see him in the role of Azrael, but that would require the DCU getting to a point where adding the religion-fueled behemoth to the narrative makes sense, and we're certainly not there yet without a Batman.

Booster Gold would be the best character for Ritchson to get to play up his comedic charms as one of the more ego-driven and oblivious DC superheroes. It'd also be great to see this completely modern looking dude zipping through time streams and showing up at different points in history.

To be sure, almost every one of the heroes and villains mentioned above was suggested by a variety of commenters. (Okay, maybe Buff Joker was just a one-off.) So there are more than enough people hoping for each potential outcome. But then of course there are those who still want the Reacher actor to play the Caped Crusader, even if it isn't the one we've all grown up with.

• I think he’s the only man that can play Absolute Batman rn - @xiamcellx
• Ok not Batman… buuuut…. Maybe the voice of Absolute Batman👀 I can see it, he has the voice - @aye_itzjordan_
• He can definitely be Absolute Batman 🙏 - @raafiqirtaza
• Absolute Batman is the only thing that fits!!! - @datoneguyplayscards

At this point, the wildly popular Absolute Batman comic series is being adapted into an animated series, so the actor would only be able to lend his voice to the role in that capacity, rather than in live-action where his build could be utilized. But then, Bruce Wayne is still in his 20s in that timeline, which essentially rules Ritchson out, especially if there aren't even plans to make a live-action version anytime soon.

Though it's still too early to know if we'll see Alan Ritchson showing up in the DCU in any upcoming 2027 movies, I'm fairly confident James Gunn will figure out a way to get him on the big screen with the quickness. (And no, that's not a winking nod suggesting he should be The Flash, although it would be scary as all hell to see that dude running at you at full speed.)

While Alan Ritchson has been working as an actor for some time now, he’s truly reached (no pun intended) a new level of stardom in the past several years. Ritchson has been open about seeking to be authentic as his celebrity status grows, and that includes being honest about his political leanings. The highly sought-after Reacher star recently shared his brutally honest thoughts on politicians and the Epstein Files. The White House later called him out and, since then, Ritchson has also shed light on why he’s open about his politics.

How Did The White House Respond To Alan Ritchson's Initial Comments?

Ritchson recently spoke about politics during a podcast interview, noting that he’s not a “loose cannon” when it comes to sharing his political beliefs. The actor just referred to himself as an “exception to the rule” that sees celebrities being hesitant to talk about the government. Eventually, the Playdate alum mentioned the Epstein Files and questioned where they were. From there, he also suggested that the files were being protected by “pedophiles.”

During his address, Ritchson didn’t specifically name any politicians, but he did mention someone who had “has the keys to the nuclear [powers].” He also added that said person is“all up into 13-year-olds” and should “go to jail.” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson later released a statement that was shared with Entertainment Weekly and, in it, she said the following:

Ritchson has not formally responded to that particular statement from the White House, as of this writing. However, as mentioned, he did address his tendency to be open about politics in general.

Alan Ritchson Shares His Take On Being Honest About His Political Standing

More recently, Ritchson has been promoting a myriad of projects, with his latest being the well-reviewed action movie Motor City. The star also appeared at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend to promote the upcoming fourth season of Reacher (for which there’s a trailer). The Associated Press caught up with the actor and asked him about his tendency to be “loud and proud” about his convictions, leading Ritchson to say:

Over the years, a number of actors have spoken freely about their politics, while others opt not to share their views for varied reasons. It’s been alleged that, in some cases, stars choose not to speak up out of fear that their careers will be negatively affected. Whether that’s definitely true is something that can be debated. However, in Ritchson’s case, he doesn’t seem to be taking any professional hits as a result of his opinions.

Aside from his aforementioned 2026 movie release and the fourth season of his Tom Clancy show, Ritchson is also co-leading the upcoming action comedy flick Runner, which drops in September. Ritchson is also teaming up with Arnold Schwarzenegger in a forthcoming holiday film, The Man with the Bag. And, for a while, Ritchson’s also been linked to the role of the DCU’s Batman and, while he finally shut down that Dark Knight chatter this weekend, he also confirmed he’s in talks for a different role in that continuity.

It’s fair to assume that some may have varied thoughts on Alan Ritchson’s decision to speak out about politics as his star continues to rise. Regardless of that, though, it is fair to say that Ritchson has the freedom to share what he wants and is entitled to his personal opinions.

29 years ago, when Jack Reacher was first introduced in Killing Floor, I can’t imagine that anyone assumed at the time that author Lee Child and San Diego Comic-Con would be uttered in the same breath. But 2026 ain’t got time for such hypothetical assumptions, and the annual con is indeed where Reacher Season 4’s first trailer was viewed en masse, and it’s a banger. A head-banger to put it more specifically, as the final seconds of the preview lay out.

Season 4 — set to stream via Prime Video subscription on August 12, 2026 — will see Ritchson’s migratory grunt in a story adapted from the character’s 13th novel, Gone Tomorrow, in which Reacher has a terribly unlucky encounter with a stranger on a subway that pulls him into a “complex and deadly game that pits him against ruthless foes from the highest echelons of power.” Sounds like your average seasonal adventure for the former military behemoth (where “former” only applies to military and not to behemoth).

As it goes with Reacher, the fourth season brings in a largely new cast of characters, with GLOW and Black Panther vet Sydelle Noel stepping up to portray NYPD homicide investigator Tamara Green. She’ll not only be working on the case with him, but she’ll also be getting down and dirty with him in other ways.

As such, it makes sense that she’s the one who gets to be the fan surrogate poking fun at the character for his less-than-convincing attempts to “blend in” to a crowd of normies.

That's a big ol' nope from me, Det. Green! For all the excellent instincts and know-how that Reacher has at his mental disposal, he sure does tend to over-estimate just how much work a hat can do to distract others from seeing the rest of his hulking frame. For a lot of people, the hat is only seen after the biceps and the shoulders, and that's if Reacher is wearing a shirt. If he's not, forget about it. (Alan Ritchson keeps those abs going 24/7 for mor than just kicks.)

I guess it makes a LITTLE more sense with Season 4 taking place in New York City, where the population is more distinct than some of the more rural areas that he's been known to travel through.

As the trailer shows us, Det. Green isn't even Reacher's only romantic foil in Season 4, as he's seen shirtless and making out with Agnez Mo's Lila Hoth. (Seemingly with the same blood on his face.) She's also connected to the overall deadly game narrative, so it's possible, or even likely, that this hook-up is more for the benefit of someone gaining information as opposed to making a genuine connection. Or hell, maybe Green, Lila and Reacher will become a throuple by the middle of the season. Anything happens in 2026, baybeeee.

The trailer makes it look like at least half of the conversations Reacher gets into in Season 4 will lead him to start throwing fists and knees. Which is a pretty good average in my book. With Season 5 already going into production, the future looks quite nice. Although these rose-colored glasses I'm wearing could just be stained with somebody's blood.

Reacher Season 4 kicks into gear on August 12, 2026, with Maria Sten's spinoff Neagley premiering a month later on September 16, 2026.

There’s been a whole lot of chatter about Alan Ritchson and his potential to play Batman in the DCU, and he’s actively been a part of that conversation. However, now he’s put it to rest (for now). That’s because, at San Diego Comic-Con, he fully addressed the rumors, noting that while Bruce Wayne is probably out of the equation for now, his conversations with DC are by no means over.

This comes just days after Ritchson made suspicious comments about Batman and DC, saying that “the future is bright, and the horizons are broad.” However, during Reacher’s panel at Comic-Con, he was a lot clearer about the Caped Crusader specifically, saying:

Again, there’s been a ton of chatter about Ritchson and Batman, specifically. So, this statement from the actor is huge, because it essentially puts those rumors to rest, while also making it clear that a new kind of speculation can begin. To hammer that point home even further, he said:

Well, that answer sounds definitive, so it seems Bat-fans can finally lay down their speculation caps. Check out Ritchson's address during the panel:

This all came after Ritchson said he was booked until 2028, and the moderator made a comment about Batman. The Reacher star cleared the air once and (seemingly) for all. He’s not playing him. However, he is also still very much in conversation with DC.

He’s made it apparent that he and DC’s boss James Gunn have talked, and he’s excited to potentially work with him. They just have to find the right character first. Well, it seems like they have someone in mind…it’s just not the one we all thought it could be.

That’s exciting in its own right, though, because a door full of possibilities just opened. Like, maybe he could play Orion or Hawkman or even Captain Atom. So, while it seems like we won’t see Ritchson in a DC project for a while, and we very much will not see him as Batman, it feels like someday he will step into a superhero (or maybe villain) costume.

If you’d like to see Alan Ritchson actually in action while we wait for updates on the superhero front, you can watch him as an action hero in Reacher. That’s the show he was at Comic-Con for, and Season 4 is set to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule on August 12 for those with a Prime Video subscription. It’s also already in production on Season 5 (proving just how busy Ritchson is), so we’ll likely see more of him as Jack Reacher before we see a DC project from him.

However, if there’s anything you should take away from this story, it’s that Alan Ritchson’s future with DC is very much bright, and they have someone in mind for him to play (it’s just not Batman).

Alan Ritchson has openly stated he'd like to play Batman, and if his towering frame in Reacher is a resume to play the Caped Crusader, I'd say he's perfect for the job. It seems like James Gunn might agree, especially after a cagey response from the actor when he was asked whether he'd play the DC hero.

Ritchson was a guest on Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, in which the host brought up that Gunn is a big fan of the action star. Ritchson acknowledged the question and followed up with this:

Ok, then. For some reason, Alan Ritchson and James Gunn are speaking a lot. That feels like a big deal, especially since he's busy making Superman: Man of Tomorrow and overseeing other DC projects. Why exactly would he be making a good deal of time for Ritchson unless he was tied to that in some way?

It's a question Horowitz was understandably also curious about. He wanted to know if this was a confirmation that Ritchson is in conversations to play the DCU Batman, who is separate from Robert Pattinson's Batman. Or, he could be playing an entirely different character in the DC universe. All the actor could say was this:

If Alan Ritchson thought that was going to end the questions, he was wrong. Of course, people want any details about what he might be doing in the DCU, if anything.

Readers know by now that NDAs signed by actors and actresses associated with any upcoming superhero movie are pretty iron-clad. So there was no way this line of questioning was ever going to end with Ritchson detailing what these conversations were about and who he would be playing. What he did say, however, was this:

I think that's a smart response. The DCU, after all, is coming off a disappointing showing for Supergirl, but Superman was well-received. I think there's an understandable amount of caution being taken by Ritchson, and wanting to ensure he's not rushing too quickly into something that doesn't feel right.

Based on this final bit, however, it sounds like whatever is being discussed, the Reacher star feels good about it. Here's how he characterized the situation, and I would note the adjective he used for the future:

Ok, so, Alan Ritchson as Batman is confirmed? Of course, Josh Horowitz had to give one more try to get the actor to fess up. This final attempt sent me as, Ritchson continued to tease the host and audience with his responses:

• Josh: Do you have a character in mind that you're not going to tell me today?
• Alan: Yes.
• Josh: And it's not Batman?
• Alan: Look, the future is bright, and the horizons are broad, and anything is possible for any of us. You know?

I guess, in light of the recent news that The Batman: Part II was delayed yet again, this is something positive to look forward to. I do worry about how Warner Bros. Discovery may feel about having two cinematic Batmans operating in movies at the same time, as the company heads historically frowned on that and prevented certain characters from being used in The CW's Arrowverse when they were a part of the DCEU. I would love to see Ritchson as Batman, but not sure I want to see less of Pattinson's Batman as a trade-off.

Of course, we don't actually know what Ritchson could do in the DCU, and won't until he and James Gunn are ready to announce it. Here's hoping we get some news eventually, and this isn't a whole lot of teases and excitement over nothing.

Alan Ritchson has been highly sought after since blowing up on Reacher, but before a new, best-yet season of the hit Prime Video series hits the 2026 TV schedule next month, we’ll have the chance to see (but not hear) him on the big screen. Motor City is a new action flick, and if you’ve ever wished you could have all brutal fights with none of the cheesy, testosterone-fueled banter, this may be the pick for you.

Potsy Ponciroli’s Motor City is virtually free of dialogue, making for a pretty unique crime thriller set in 1970s Detroit. Alan Ritchson and his co-stars — Ben Foster, Shailene Woodley and more — may not have had a lot to say, but the critics won't shut up about the movie.

Steve Pond of The Wrap calls it a “hyper-adrenalized revenge thriller” that replaces conversation with a variety of noises and fun needle drops. Pond says:

Even without the dialogue, Owen Gleiberman of Variety says Motor City delivers love, violence and suspense. Audiences are tasked with interpreting the characters’ looks and gestures, making this movie a “true immersive cinematic experience.”

Anzhe Zhang of Slant also calls it immersive, particularly when the soundtrack matches the action on the screen. Not limited by the restraints of a traditional story, The 2026 movie release is “exhilaratingly alive throughout its set pieces.” Zhang rates it 2.5 stars out of 4 in his Motor City review, writing:

Other critics, however, grew tired of the dialogue-free gimmick, with David Rooney of THR calling the exercise “overstretched.” Alan Ritchson still brings gravitas to the project through his hulking physical presence alone, the critic says, but the supporting cast is lacking depth, and the flick is overall “rendered a bit silly by its silence.” Rooney continues:

Jesse Hassenger of AV Club gives it a C, agreeing that Alan Ritchson is well-suited for the “strong and silent” character of John Miller. While the intent was ambitious, Motor City was unable to shed its clichés. Hassenger’s review reads:

Critics are definitely intrigued by the choice to silence Motor City’s characters, but they’re iffy on the end result. The movie has a score of 69% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing, and I’ll be interested to talk about what moviegoers think of Alan Ritchson’s latest when it hits theaters on Friday, July 24.

After seeing Neagley pop up season after season in Reacher, her own spinoff is finally about to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule. While it will feel like it's in the same universe, and Alan Ritchson will even show up in Neagley, they’re also “fundamentally different” shows. To that point, one of the showrunners explained why this new series is “much deeper” than the flagship series.

With Season 4 of Reacher being released right before Season 1 of Neagley, I can’t stop thinking about the shows' differences and similarities. That feeling was amplified when the showrunners were asked about how their series differs from the Alan Ritchson-led book-to-screen adaptation. Getting specific about a structural difference, showrunner Nick Santora told EW:

One of Reacher’s signature elements is the fact that the cast changes every season, and he moves on to a new place. It’s one of the reasons why I love it so much, as each story stands on its own. It allows us to see Alan Ritchson’s character in a brand new situation every single season, and it's always fun to see how they shake things up. However, it also means we move on fast, and you can’t get deeply invested in anyone other than Reacher and Neagley.

Neagley will be different, because the characters will stick around. That provides an opportunity to get more invested in more than the titular character, as Santora explained:

This is one reason why Neagley is “much deeper” than Reacher. However, the other reason revolves around the fact that as Reacher moves from place to place, he’s motivated by the “gears and springs,” as Santora explained. Neagley, meanwhile, is more complex psychologically:

Now, I don’t think this is a knock on Reacher in the slightest. What makes that show fun is that this guy is constantly moving, and he’s always involved in high-octane action. Meanwhile, it sounds like Neagley will keep its cast of characters around and focus more on what’s going on internally.

Personally, I love that these two Reacher shows will be different, and I’m really excited to see how they complement each other.

So, to see if Neagley is indeed “much deeper” than Reacher, you can catch Season 4 of Reacher (which Alan Ritchson has called the “best season” yet) on August 12. Then after it finishes its run, you’ll be able to stream Season 1 of Neagley with an Amazon Prime subscription on September 16.

Just in case the first half of 2026 felt like it was severely missing enough Alan Ritchson whupping other people’s behinds — save for Netflix’s War Machine, but that was whupping robotic behinds — the back half of the year is course-correcting in the best possible way. Not only can we look forward to Reacher’s best-year-yet with Season 4 (and the Neagley spinoff) finally arriving on the 2026 TV schedule, but the actor has a whopping three other 2026 movie releases releasing in the next six months. He’s kind of a busy dude.

But he’d be even busier if he somehow was able to take all of the movie and TV offers that landed on his plate immediately after Reacher became one of the most-watched streaming shows available via Amazon Prime subscription. Appearing on CBS Mornings to promote his hardcore new movie Motor City, Ritchson was asked what drew him to the Potsy Ponciroli-directed project, at which point he addressed just how many offers he fielded due to Reacher’s popularity, saying:

I suppose the exact number might never be known, but Alan Ritchson didn't exactly make it seem like he was exaggerating in saying he had upwards of 40 offers waiting for his assessment as Reacher quickly rose through the pop culture zeitgeist. If anything, it's like he's low-balling that number as not to make anyone jealous.

That's a wild amount of job offers to get in any capacity in any industry, and it sounds like the actor did his due diligence when parsing through all of the genre-specific pitches and narratives, picking projects that align with both his talents and his fanbase. With the possible exception of the Kevin James-starring action-comedy Playdate, but at least that movie helped him learn why it's okay to not say "yes" to everything.

Much like Reacher can be a man of few words, Ritchson's Motor City was filmed almost entirely without dialogue, and there are reportedly only around 5 lines of dialogue, with action sequences telling most of the story. In the film, he plays ex-con John Miller, who spent years in jail for a crime he didn't commit, and who immediately goes on revenge journey post-release against the Detroit mobster who framed him and stole the love of his life.

Ritchson shared Motor City stood out from the other 39 or nor so offers he got, saying:

Considering he was still in Jack Reacher's headspace when he read through Motor City, it's perhaps no surprise that found connective tissue between the roles, and thinks of them both as action heroes that audiences can live through vicariously. In his words:

Check out the trailer for Motor City below, in which the lack of dialogue can immediately be picked up on.

Motor City is set to hit theaters on July 24. How fantastic would it be if this dialogue-lite movie becomes a hit based on word-of-mouth recommendations? And we only have mere weeks to wait until Reacher Season 4 debuts on August 12 with its first three episodes.

Reacher Season 4 is one of the entries on the 2026 TV schedule that I’ve been anticipating most. Alan Ritchson has been hyping it up big time, and now, we’re getting quite close to being able to stream it with an Amazon Prime subscription. However, there’s also a big reason to already be excited about what’s to come after this season, as the show’s star has shared a thrilling update about Season 5.

Now, we already knew Reacher Season 5 was happening; it got renewed earlier this year. However, what I didn’t expect was an update about when it would start filming. That’s exactly what Alan Ritchson provided, though, when chatting with New York Live about why he thinks Season 4 of Reacher is some of their best work yet:

Typically, a show gets renewed after its newest season airs, and then it begins production a few months after that. However, that’s not the case for the next season of Reacher. In fact, it sounds like Ritchson is going to begin work on Season 5 before Season 4’s premiere on August 12. That means we’ll probably be able to stream Season 5 even sooner than I expected.

Now, Season 1 of Reacher premiered in early 2022, and then Season 2 came out nearly two years later, in December of 2023. The turnaround on Season 3 was faster, as it premiered about a year after that in early 2025. Ritchson finished work on Season 4 in March of this year, and by the time it premieres, it will have been about a year and a half since the last time we got new episodes. I’m hoping that we’ll get Season 5 no longer than a year after Season 4, because waiting is hard.

Based on Alan Ritchson’s update about going into production soon, that seems possible. And that, my friends, is thrilling, especially since we haven’t even seen Season 4 yet.

Speaking of Season 4, we should really be getting hyped for that. It’s a book-to-screen adaptation of Lee Child’s Good Tomorrow, which will see Reacher race through Manhattan as he’s chased by a bunch of bad guys. Based on the premise alone, it sounds amazing. However, Alan Ritchson has made it abundantly clear that he thinks this is Reacher’s finest installment yet. So, you better be ready to watch it on August 12.

Then, it’ll really be time to get ready for Season 5, because not only is it confirmed to be happening, it’s already being worked on.

Among the most anticipated projects landing on the 2026 TV schedule is no doubt the fourth season of Reacher, as fans can’t get enough of watching Alan Ritchson’s nomadic bada-s putting his fist through other characters’ faces. The actor is well aware of its popularity, especially after it was recently renewed for Season 5, and he’s now made a big move to keep that creative relationship locked up.

Ritchson has agreed to a three-year, first-look TV deal with Amazon MGM Studios that will put him atop the chain of command for developing and producing new episodic projects for the studio aimed at those with Prime Video subscriptions. The deal was set up by Amazon MGM for Ritchson’s production company Dancing Skeleton, and will likely continue the actor’s growing involvement behind the scenes on the projects that he signs on to star in.

It’s a huge, if not entirely shocking, move for Ritchson to align himself with one studio, considering how wildly popular he’s become in the years since he first started playing one of author Lee Childs’ most beloved character. He’s clearly got a good thing going on Reacher, for which he’s also an executive producer, and which also has the Maria Sten-starring spinoff Neagley also hitting the service this year.

Alan Ritchson shared the following thoughts as his official statement, which lends to the belief that Reacher isn’t going away anytime soon. As he put it:

You might be wondering how the Titans vet can work on developing new TV projects while also managing to keep his abs ripped all the time, and…well…that’s just plain magic, I think.

Interestingly, the deal is specifically relegated to television content, and not film projects. That obviously lends itself to all things Reacher, but Ritchson has also been ramping up his filmography credits with movie roles, and has half-jokingly addressed his inability to say “no” to new roles. I’d think Netflix’s War Machine was his biggest hit from the past year.

That said, he also co-starred in the nutty comedy Play Date opposite Kevin James, which was a Prime Video original. And two of his already filmed upcoming projects are also plugged in at Amazon, making the TV deal seem all the more natural a pairing. Here's a look at all of the upcoming projects Ritchson has on the way (at least the ones that are in active development).

Here’s hoping we get an actual release date for Reacher Season 4 at some point soon, since we know that wrapped filming months ago. I assume we’ll be seeing Neagley first, given it came first in order of production, but who knows. Maybe with his new deal, the actor can demand that the newest episodes of the flagship series go live first, and then he’ll get YOU, my pretty, and your little dog, too.

Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson are certainly keeping themselves busy with multiple projects on the 2026 movie calendar, not to mention Ritchson’s continued success on Reacher. However, while fans wait on a release date for the Prime Video action series, it seems like they are finding new appreciation for a movie Ritchson and Cavill did together back in 2024. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an under-rated gem, and it’s absolutely crushing on streaming right now.

Movie lovers with a Peacock subscription seem to have rediscovered The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, because according to the streaming service’s May 26 numbers, it holds the No. 1 movie spot, beating out titles like Another Man’s Wife (a romantic thriller starring Taye Diggs), Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair and the family-friendly Secret Life of Pets.

So why is The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare moving the needle now, two years after its release? The movie just landed on Peacock last week, so its subscribers may just now be getting a chance to see the film — or rewatch it, for that matter.

It doesn’t hurt that Alan Ritchson is always in high demand, and it’s been over a year now since Reacher Season 3 ended. One can only rewatch War Machine (streaming with a Netflix subscription) so many times, right?

However, I have to think that In the Grey's current run in theaters might also have something to do with it. Both the new release and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare were directed by Guy Ritchie, reuniting him not only with Henry Cavill but also Eiza González in one of her best roles.

In the Grey may have served as a reminder to audiences just how bizarrely fun a Nazi-killing movie can be. The movie received mixed reactions from critics at the time, but even with its tepid 68% Tomatometer score, audiences loved it, giving it a cumulative 91% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter. It seems even then that people knew The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare cast had set this movie up for long-term fandom, as reactions included:

• Great film wonderful cast chemistry under rated soon to be cult classic!!! – B
• There was no time to get a breather in between all the action! I enjoyed it immensely. – Mirabel
• Such a great spy thriller with the right amount of action and comedic witt! Masterful cast, classic Guy Ritchie film. They dont make them like this enough anymore. – David
• Never have I laughed so much with killing Nazis! Its goofy but cool at the same time. – Grae

We haven’t seen the last of Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson on our screens this year. Cavill will reprise the role of Sherlock Holmes for Enola Holmes 3, while Ritchson has Runner and The Man with the Bag slated for 2026 releases.

However, it’s nice to have a little blast from the recent past to throw on in the meantime. If you haven’t seen The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, or just haven’t seen it in a while, head on over to Peacock and see why this title is so popular.

When it comes to the world of Prime Video’s Jack Reacher, our attention is currently on Season 4 of Reacher (which should premiere on the 2026 TV schedule) and its Season 5 renewal. However, I also haven’t forgotten about the Neagley spinoff that’s on its way too, and one of its stars opened up about what we need to know about it and how it differs from the flagship series.

Adeline Rudolph is the star I’m referring to, and she’s set to play Renee alongside Maria Sten’s Neagley in the upcoming Reacher spinoff. The series started filming in early 2025, and now the wait is on for Season 1’s release. So, Collider asked Rudolph about the new show, and she provided a tease that helps clarify the differences between Sten’s series and the Alan Ritchson-led project:

Well, I love the sound of that! As a fan of Reacher, the last season got me very stoked for Neagley. She’s been a mainstay on the show since Season 1, and I feel the potential for her to lead her own series. What makes me even more excited is the fact that it will be a bit tonally different. While Rudolph didn’t elaborate on what exactly that means, I generally love the idea of this show differentiating itself from the flagship series by way of its tone.

Now, right before the actress noted how the two shows differ, Rudolph also called out some other things that excite her about this spinoff. Hyping up the project’s star, Maria Sten, and more, she said:

Alright, let’s break all that down. First, Sten has been hyping up Neagley and sharing updates about the production for a long time now. Her enthusiasm for the project is infectious, she’s been candid about how hard the work has been, and I cannot wait to see her back in action. So, to hear Rudolph compliment the lead was wonderful.

Secondly, Damon Herriman was a fun name to hear. He’s set to play Lawrence Cole in Neagley. Sadly, we don’t know much about his new character or Rudolph’s. However, what is exciting is that the two actors both worked on Mortal Kombat II as well! Rudolph played Kitana while Herriman portrayed Quan Chi, and they just released the film on the 2026 movie schedule. So, it will be fun to see them in another project together.

Overall, this update was very nice as we continue to wait for Neagley. It also helped us Reacher fans set our expectations as we prepare for the series’ first spinoff.

Right now, Neagley does not have a release date. However, the hope is that it’ll premiere in 2026 alongside Season 4 of Reacher. So, as we learn more about this spinoff, we’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, you can go see Neagley in the first three seasons of Reacher with an Amazon Prime subscription.

With the standalone Jack Ryan movie set to drop this month on Prime Video, action TV fans are getting antsy about the eventual return of Reacher for what'll presumably be a bone-shattering fourth season. We still haven’t actually seen any footage, though star Alan Ritchson has made it clear his nomadic bada-s will be as bloody as ever for his next self-assigned mission. But before any of that happens, fans can already celebrate getting more Reacher even beyond the 2026 TV schedule.

Yes, Prime Video has officially ordered up a fifth season of Reacher, which is as strong a sign of the platform’s confidence as anything, considering neither Season 4 nor Maria Sten’s Neagley spinoff has premiered yet. (Not that anyone should expect both of those seasons to take sudden nosedives in viewership.) To be expected, Ritchson took to Instagram to share the news with his followers, but I don’t think anyone could have expected his announcement to actually be a veiled complaint about his slobbery dog. Here's what he had to say (the post can be viewed lower down):

Most TV actors would be treating this news as if nothing else could possibly be more important, but Alan Ritchson isn't "most TV actors." He's Reacher, dangit. And Reacher doesn't like having sheets all over his gawd-mn couches because his beast of a pet can't stop leaving his doggie DNA everywhere. Season 5 is great, but sitting on dry and furless couch cushions is everything. (That goes double for when the ripped actor is shirtless, which seems to be often enough.)

As it often goes with Ritchson's sillier posts, the comment section is fully alive with congratulatory Reacher fans, quite a few horned-up and thirsty Ritchson fans, and plenty of people who are completely taking Bear's side and agruing that it's his world that Ritchson is butting into. More on those in a sec, because we're making way for a comment from his former Blue Mountain State co-star:

• PAGE KENNEDY: I’m def coming to play season 5

I can't speak with certainly for how much the BMS and Reacher fanbases coincide, but it's definitely not a net zero. Expect some huge celebrations if a Thad and Radon reunion actually does happen in Season 5.

Now check out a selection of Bear-supporting comments from a bunch of people that Ritchson hasn't shared the screen with before:

• That’s Bear claiming the couch coz he believes you’ll be too busy filming Reacher season 5 to properly use it anyway 😋😆😆 Congrats on the new season! 🙌🙌🔥 - @chiqui_cat
• Little Bear deserves that couch! Sweet wittle cutie patootie! Can't wait for Reacher to come back! Love this man! - @courtneyaharrison_
• Burying the headline!! SEASON 5!!!!! Heck yeah!!! 🙌🙌🙌. (But what a handsome pupper!!) - @2goldens2birds
• Sorry @alanritchson Bear is the man of the house you just live there❤️🤷🏾‍♀️😂😂😂😂😂😂 - @naomilazare
• Why are you beefing with Bear’s couch? - @hi.this.is.tatum
• A couch wit no Bear is like a bed with no mattress. Bear on couch it is 😌 - @cecilecubilo
• I feel like it should totally have a dog on a couch in an episode and have Reacher break the 4th wall and stare at the camera in disgust, lol - @everydayclark

I love how many people just instantly take the dog's side. Maybe he's posting videos on Doggy Instagram where he's complaining that Ritchson keeps his couches too clean, and doesn't have enough slobber on anything in the house.

Check out Ritchson's full post below, whether your're more pumped about Season 5 or about adorable pups.

Unfortunately, we don't even have a Reacher Season 4 premiere date to look forward to just yet. Just like we don't know whether or not War Machine 2 is happening with Lionsgate and Netflix, and we also don't know much about Ritchson's upcoming Survivor-esque reality show. So I guess just rewatch the first three seasons via Amazon Prime subscription and hope for more info soon.

Jack Ryan may have ended its four-season run on Prime Video after four seasons, but the John Krasinski-led franchise is returning by way of a new film, subtitled Ghost War, that’s set to hit the 2026 movie schedule. The existence of the follow-up flick is a testament to the IP’s continued popularity as well as the buzz surrounding the Tom Clancy TV universe as a whole. Given that, CinemaBlend recently asked Krasinski about the notion of crossing over with Alan Ritchson’s Reacher. However, Krasinski's idea got me even more excited.

Considering the ongoing success of the Clancy shows, it would just make too much sense to have some cross-pollination. Jack Ryan and the record-breaking Reacher honestly do feel like a match made in high-octane heaven. When I spoke to Krasinski in promotion of Ghost War, he didn’t confirm whether or not he’d spoken to Prime Video about having Ryan cross paths with other do-gooders. However, he did confirm that he’d spoken to a fellow A-lister about bringing back their Clancy character:

Michael B. Jordan notably plays the role of John Kelly in 2021’s Without Remorse, and the film sees Kelly – a former Navy SEAL – on a quest for retribution following the deaths of his wife and unit cohorts. Honestly, I hadn’t even considered the notion of Jordan (a newly minted Oscar winner) reprising Kelly let alone teaming up with Jack Ryan. However, the thought of such a crossover is just too cool to ignore, and it delights me that John Krasinski has apparently even spoken to the Creed star about it.

Of course, as mentioned, Jordan’s availability is a factor, but I think this project is worth pursuing. Jordan would lend a considerable amount of star power to an already-flourishing franchise. Not only that, but he and Krasinski could make for an imposing on-screen duo. Like the A Quiet Place star, Jordan can also bring a significant level of physicality to the proceedings. After all, Jordan did have to do quite a bit of training for Without Remorse, and he even learned to hold his breath under water for nearly three minutes.

While I’d be down to see Jack to team up with John, I still wouldn’t turn my nose up if Jack Reacher were to be involved. Alan Ritchson remains a star in his own right, and I could easily see him and Krasinski standing alongside each other. I honestly still think that could happen at some point, and Krasinski seems to like the notion of more crossovers as well:

A crossover may not be announced right now, but Prime Video subscription holders still have plenty to look forward to when it comes to Tom Clancy-related content. Ghost War aside, there’s also the upcoming fourth season of Reacher, which has also been renewed for Season 5. Aldis Hodge’s Cross is also returning for a third season and, on that note, it’d be great to see Alex Cross join forces with another character as well. In the meantime, though, I just hope the producers will keep a seat warm for Michael B. Jordan.

For right now, though, look forward to streaming Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War on Prime Video, as it hits the streamer on May 20. Prepare yourself for John Krasinski's reprisal by streaming all four seasons of the show now. Also, stream Without Remorse while you're at it.

When it comes to 2026 movie releases finding success on streaming, there’s few big wins like War Machine. The action/sci-fi flick that reminded us of the original Predator still boasts a spot on the Netflix top ten right now, even though it’s been out for two months now. So, I’d think it’d be a shoe-in for an Alan Ritchson-led sequel, but then I heard what one head honcho thought about it.

What The Lionsgate Film Head Said About A War Machine Sequel

Even though War Machine got a Netflix release through and through, it was actually produced by Lionsgate, with the original intention to bring it to theaters. However, the studio ultimately decided to make it a streaming movie, and that absolutely worked in the movie’s favor given all the people who are watching it with their Netflix subscription.

When Lionsgate’s film head Adam Fogelson was asked about a War Machine sequel, I figured he’d be all for it, but in a new interview with Business Insider Fogelson didn’t have much to say about another movie starring big star, Alan Ritchson. He apparently isn’t “ready” to announce a followup, and when asked whether another instalment could go theatrical, he said this:

Hey, I could be reading this wrong, but it doesn’t exactly sound like Fogelson’s amped to give us more War Machine. Chances are it’s just too early for the film head to discuss continuing the franchise at this time, but considering all the good buzz about the movie I guess I expected a bit more from the head honcho. We’ll have to wait and see what happens, of course.

What Has Been Said About Another War Machine Movie?

Contrary to Fogelson’s tight-lipped words on War Machine 2, the writer/director of the movie Patrick Hughes has definitely shared his interest in another movie. While he originally thought of it as a “fully formed standalone story,” he’s since said that he’d be absolutely “ready to pull the trigger” and has “sketched” out what happens next already. Alan Ritchson is also on board with it, and is already calling it War Machines - perhaps as a little homage to the title of the first Alien sequel.

It would probably come down to how the actor would be able to fit it into his schedule given he’s been everywhere lately. Ritchson has his own survival competition show for Netflix on the way and always seems to have his Reacher abs maintained for the next installment. The fourth season of the Prime series is expected to come out this year, so there will definitely be more chances for the actor to advocate for more War Machine movies.

Have you ever read about an upcoming show and realized you’re the exact target audience? Well, that’s pretty much where I’m at with a new Netflix project. The untitled reality competition show (check) is hosted by Alan Ritchson (check) and looks to be a blend of social strategy (check) and real tests of survival (check). Yeah, as a Survivor/ Traitors/ Eco-Challenge/ Amazing Race fan, it’s exactly what I’m looking for. I’m even hyped on the rumored cast too, at least apart from two frustrating decisions.

Let’s get to the negatives later though. First, let’s talk about who is rumored to actually be on the show. The Instagram account Reality TV Fan, which is typically a very reliable source for casting news in the reality community, dropped a bunch of names over the weekend, and we’ve got some heavy hitters that should appeal to different fandoms. There’s some Survivor representation (Natalie Anderson and Andrea Boehlke), some Bachelor standouts (Corinne Olympios, Matt James and Jason Tartick) and even the always popular Tom Sandoval. You can check out the full list below…

I’m certainly not going to complain about who was picked. This group looks like it’s going to be a really nice blend of personalities and assumedly, a wide range of actual survival skills. We don’t know the full format of the competition, but diversity in ability level is almost always the right approach to casting a show like this. Besides, the execs over at Bunim/ Murray have been swimming in the reality TV pool for decades. They know what they’re doing.

That being said, we also have rumors of who the two alternates that got cut are, and I’m screaming internally at what we missed out on. Christian de la Torre, best known for the chaos he caused on the US version of Traitors Season 1, was apparently in the casting process until the end and got the boot. He was heavily rumored to be on a season of Beast Games and was reportedly an alternate that was cut too; so, that makes this doubly sad.

In addition to Christian, Lauren O’Connell was apparently also cut at the last minute. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because she was a prominent character on Survivor’s Edge Of Extinction season. She was perhaps overshadowed a little by the outrageous chaos of Rick Devens, but her determination in challenges and fun energy would have likely been real good fits in a competition like this. I’ll be watching the season and wondering in the back of my head what she would have brought.

It’s unclear when this untitled series might air or even get a name, but considering we’re getting all these pretty extensive casting rumors, I’d imagine that means the show is filming or about to start filming. That could mean we’ll see it on Netflix later this year. Whenever it gets here, expect to see a bunch of outdoorsy challenges that likely have more in common with early seasons of Survivor than something like The Amazing Race. Also expect to see host Alan Ritchson show everyone what a beast he is in real life too.

Alan Ritchson has found his name in the news a lot recently, despite the fact that we’re still waiting for news on when the next season of Reacher might air. His popularity has been two-fold, as he’s the star of a recent hit Netflix movie, War Machine, and has been at the center of controversy following a physical altercation caught on video between him and a neighbor.

While Ritchson was ultimately cleared of wrongdoing, the initial video showed him striking another man repeatedly on a city street. That might have caused some fans of Ritchson to question him, but one person who clearly didn’t was the actor’s War Machine co-star Blake Richardson. He recently took to Instagram to sing the praises of the actor whom he had admired for a long time. Richardson wrote:

Richardson goes on to say that he found Alan Ritchson to be both incredibly hard working on the set as well as gracious, while also shouting out the actor's role in the comedy Blue Mountain State, which is where many fans likely first discovered him. Unless that is, you remember him flirting with Paula Abdul on American Idol.

Ritchson apparently invited the cast to his place for dinner with his family after the first day of shooting. This allowed the cast to get to know each other and have fun together, which made the rest of what Blake Richardson calls a “grueling and physically demanding shoot.”

The only problem that apparently sprang up is that Richardson’s character in War Machine clashes with Ritchson’s, and the fact that he liked the Reacher star so much potentially made it difficult for him to act like he didn’t. Richardson added:

People looking for flaws in Alan Ritchson may have felt they founds them after video went viral that showed Ritchson striking another man on the street. However, initial impressions were not what they appeared to be. Later bodycam video revealed that Ritchson had not been the aggressor in the altercation, which had been over noise the actor and his sons were allegedly making on motorcycles. It was ultimately Ritchson who was given the opportunity to press criminal charges, though he reportedly declined to do so.

Blake Richardson’s comments certainly reinforce the idea of Alan Ritchson as a standup guy, which likely puts his fans at ease. Check out his post below.

Anybody who had been looking forward to the new season of Reacher can seemingly do so with a clear conscience. Alan Ritchson is a good guy. The people who know him confirm it.

Alan Ritchson always seems to be ripped; that’s not a secret. He works constantly, and more often than not, he’s pulling off difficult action sequences in said work. That’s especially true for Reacher. So, he has to stay in tip-top shape. However, you might think that when a show like that wraps, he relaxes a bit at the gym. But guess what? He doesn't, and he just explained why he keeps the six-pack during the off-season in a shirtless gym post.

Now, Reacher Season 4 wrapped production in November 2025. Then, in March 2026, Ritchson updated us, explaining that he’d finished ADR and the show would be “hitting the airwaves very soon.” However, just because they’ve wrapped another season of this Prime Video show does not mean the titular star is going to stop staying in Jack Reacher shape, as he posted on Instagram:

Well, the photo speaks for itself. Alan Ritchson is in fantastic shape. However, there are deep reasons behind this choice to essentially stay in Reacher shape. While he could cool down the workouts a bit in the off-season, I have mad respect for why he really doesn’t. In the words of the actor:

Clearly, the War Machine star has made staying in impeccable shape part of his day-to-day life. It obviously has tons of benefits too. The photo shows that off, however, as the actor said, consistency has lots of other benefits too. For example, I'd assume it will be easier for him to hop right back into work if Reacher gets renewed for a fifth season.

Now, speaking of Reacher, I’m hopeful that Season 4 will premiere on the 2026 TV schedule. It seems very possible, and my excitement for it only grows every time the Playdate actor talks about it.

I’m not kidding, the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation has been very hyped up by Ritchson. At first, he was worried it wouldn’t top Season 3, but he quickly realized that this new installment is “different,” and he said that he thinks it's “for sure the best season.”

Along with the actor explaining how great he thinks the season is, he also called out the action in it. At one point, he said what we’re about to see is so “high octane” that people should check their “heart health” before they watch. Well, considering the fights he got in during Season 3 and his pristine physique, I have no doubt Ritchson and his crew figured out how to up the action ante for Season 4.

So, get ready, folks. Clearly, Alan Ritchson is committed to the part (even during his off-time), and he’s confident in what they’re about to deliver to fans. With that said, make sure you have your Amazon Prime subscriptions ready. Reacher is coming back.

Meanwhile, Alan Ritchson’s abs aren’t going anywhere.

American Idol has made some music stars household names over the years. It’s also turned some of its also-rans into viral sensations. However, sometimes people who have auditioned for the show have gone on to become famous in their own right. Such was the case with Reacher star Alan Ritchson.

If you’re a fan of Idol, or of Ritchson, or you just spend far too many hours of your life on the internet, there’s a good chance you already knew that Alan Ritchson once auditioned for American Idol. The fact that he attempted to charm his way onto the Idol stage by serenading Paula Abdul is well-known. But if you haven’t seen the clip before, you really need to. It really is a hilarious preface to the actor's machismo-driven career path.

For as many people who have seen this clip before, there are always those for whom it is new when it ends up making the rounds on social media. It’s honestly worth it to see it every now and then because the reactions are always great. Comments here include:

• Alan Ritchson has always been hot before be beefed up. - @AreYourOrLah
• Crazy fit for AI? Alan Ritchson in Idol era must’ve been a vibe. - @yappingbucket
• wait alan ritchson on idol? that's wild - @UseVektorizeAI
• Don't think ive ever seen Reacher smile, nevermind sing - @gigidygigidygo

While some in the comments are critical of Ritchson’s singing, I’d argue he’s not all that bad. It’s difficult to imagine that he was ever going to win American Idol, but the guy can carry a tune.

The fact that we’re seeing this clip again is no accident. Ritchson’s name has been in the news recently following a physical altercation with a neighbor that resulted in a very different video going viral, one that showed Ritchson striking a man several times. In the end, it was Ritchson who was offered the opportunity to press charges in the incident, as the police believed the other man could be charged with reckless endangerment, but Ritchson declined.

The time will probably come several years down the line when the video of Ritchson's physical altercation will go viral again, and a lot of people will be surprised by it, having never seen it before.

For those fans keeping score, Alan Ritchson received three positive votes for his little serenade, but he was eliminated early in Season 3, before American Idol reached the final 32 contestants. No need to worry about him fizzling out of Hollywood, however, as indicated by all of his successes.

Ritchson recently wrapped post-production on Season 4 of Reacher, which is promised soon. He’s also expected to appear in the upcoming spinoff series Neagley. Both shows are available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Some use their Prime Video subscription to watch Alan Ritchson get physical in the hit series Reacher, but the past week has seen him in headlines for a brawl that has nothing to do with the show. A viral video showing the actor in a physical altercation with a neighbor spread quickly online, prompting questions about what happened before and after the footage began. It wasn’t long before authorities determined Ritchson acted in self-defense and that he was the one who could have filed charges. Now, with the incident behind Ritchson, one of his co-stars is weighing in on the viral scuffle.

Speaking with Page Six at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Agnez Mo addressed the incident directly, confirming she had spoken with Alan Ritchson since the bodycam footage surfaced. Mo did not hesitate when asked about the situation, saying:

Based on initial footage, it seemed Alan Ritchson had initiated the altercation, but additional details have since emerged. According to reports, neighbor Ronnie Taylor confronted the Ninja Turtles alum in the street and allegedly ran in front of his motorcycle, causing him to crash before continuing to escalate the situation. Ritchson reportedly attempted to leave, but the encounter turned physical after further pushing, which Taylor later acknowledged in statements following the incident. It was sometime later that authorities reviewed the situation and determined the TV star acted in self-defense, closing the case without charges.

Mo, who is set to appear in Reacher Season 4 when it lands on the 2026 TV schedule, described Ritchson in terms that contrast sharply with the tone of the viral clips. About the star of the Netflix action romp War Machine, she had this to say:

While the incident sparked online debate, Mo indicated that her response was more private than public, as she sent her co-star some “great vibes and positive affirmations.” The Fast X performer has not directly addressed the altercation in detail, though he did reference a “crazy week” in recent social media posts tied to finishing post-production work on the fourth season of his Prime Video show.

Production on the latest season of the book-to-screen adaptation of Lee Child’s best-selling novels, wrapped in December 2025 after several months of filming. While specific plot details remain under wraps, Agnez Mo indicated that those involved in the production are confident in how the season turned out, suggesting it could stand among the show’s strongest entries.

Mo joins Season 4 as Lila Hoth, a character positioned as a love interest for Jack Reacher. The role marks her first appearance in the series, and her comments about both the production and her co-star Alan Ritchson point to a positive experience on set. If early impressions hold, the next chapter looks set to continue the series’ emphasis on physically demanding, high-intensity storytelling that has defined Reacher so far. All of that aside, time will tell if any other members of the cast decide to speak out about Ritchson's incident.

As we continue to wait for Reacher Season 4, Alan Ritchson is throwing it back to that epic Paulie vs. Reacher fight from Season 3. In it, the titular character and his massive adversary got into a big fight, and it included them brawling in the water. Well, it turns out Ritchson had to deal with a pretty severe injury as they worked on this sequecne all because he decided to get a tattoo right before he filmed it.

We already knew that this fight in Reacher was “the most physically demanding thing” for both Ritchson and Olivier Richters, who played Paulie. (Just watch the show with an Amazon Prime subscription and you’ll see what I mean.) However, it turns out there was another painful challenge involved with creating it, too, because the Jack Reacher actor got a tattoo right before they filmed the underwater portion of the flight. Explaining all this to GQ, Alan Ritchson said:

No, it’s not a good time to get a tattoo, because you are supposed to wait until it's healed to go swimming. Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD, a board-certified cosmetic and medical dermatologist, told Allure that people should expect to wait “at least three weeks” before going swimming after getting new ink to let their skin heal.

People shouldn’t submerge their tattoos in water, like a pool, lake or ocean, because when you get a tattoo, it “creates intentional injury to the skin,” which means it can get infected easily, the actcile noted. Dr. Murphy-Rose specifically noted that “water can be contaminated and increases risks to a healing tattoo.” And that can lead to “scarring, ruining a tattoo,” and a slower healing process.

It sounds like what this doctor warned about is what Ritchson had to deal with, as he explained:

Well, it would seem the reward was greater than the risk for Ritchson. He alluded to that point too, by explaining he had to get the tattoo when he did because of how little time he has off. So, he had to do what he had to do, and that meant getting inked literally one day before he had to film a gnarly water fight. Speaking about his choice, he said:

I mean, in the end, he didn’t lose his arm, and his lighthouse tattoo is gorgeous. However, he did go down a wild and injury-inducing road to get there.

Hopefully, there wasn’t an experience like this while he filmed Reacher Season 4 (which just wrapped). However, I’m sure if it did, Ritchson will share the tale. He’s never been afraid to tell them before, and we know he’ll always commit to whatever he’s making – even if it means injuring himself in the process.

Alan Ritchson has been in the news a lot recently for something other than his work in TV and film. Following the release of viral videos showing the actor in a physical altercation with another man, Ritchson largely stayed off social media. But now that the issue appears to be behind him, he’s calling out the “haters” of his new Netflix movie and having fun doing it.

War Machine, available with a Netflix subscription, is getting generally positive responses from critics and fans, even though the film is being called "absurd." It has remained in Netflix’s Top 10 since it was released, which shows it's clearly getting a lot of eyeballs. While most people think the movie is some good fun, there have apparently been some detractors out there complaining about its lack of a realistic story, given Ritchson’s age and his place in the military in the movie. However, it appears the actor is having the last laugh on Instagram. Check it out.

Previously, the maximum enlistment age for the United States Army and most other military branches was 35, but that cap was just raised to 42. Alan Ritchson turned 43 years old last November, but that means he was no older than 42 at the time he filmed War Machine. His age may have seemed out of place before, but right now, it actually fits. As he says, War Machine now feels “prophetic.”

As Ritchson points out, the age of his character was specifically dealt with in the movie. The movie did address the fact that 81 (as the character is only ever known) was so much older than everybody else, so it’s not like it was completely ignored. While I’m sure not everybody is happy with the explanation, there at least was one.

The Reacher actor is probably quite happy to have something else to talk about that isn’t the recent viral video that showed him striking another man on a suburban street. While the initial video leak appeared to show Ritchson as the aggressor, other reports, as well as a later video that appeared to be shot from a body cam the actor was wearing, showed the other man started the altercation, and prevented Ritchson from an initial attempt to end it.

He still hasn’t made any public comment about the incident, only making a single Instagram post that included a Napoleon quote while the other man was giving interviews. In the end, it was Ritchson who was given the option to press charges in the incident, though he has declined to do so.

Ritchson is seemingly moving on now, and he's clearly not holding back when it comes to talking about his work.

So, with all that said, while War Machine was apparently not written with sequels in mind, the possibility of them is open following the film's success. If that happens, I'm sure some "haters" will find something new to complain about.

Alan Ritchson has always been good at keeping us updated about his book-to-screen adaptation of Reacher. He’s keeping that up, too, because while we’ve known that he’s been working on Season 4 of Reacher, we weren’t sure when we’d get to see it. Well, now the star has provided an update about when this action-packed series will be “hitting the airwaves.”

It’s been a little over a year since we watched Season 3 of Reacher, which included that epic Reacher and Paulie fight and so many other memorable action moments. Now, it seems possible that we’ll get to watch Season 4 and a whole bunch of new action-packed scenes very soon, as Alan Ritchson took to Instagram to say:

In his caption, the actor specifically noted that this was a “wrap for [him] on post-production,” which means he really is done with Season 4. So, I feel like the odds of seeing it on the 2026 TV schedule are very high.

If I had to guess, I’d say that Ritchson really does mean we’ll be seeing Season 4 “very soon” too. Taking a look back, after Season 1 came out in February 2022, Season 2 followed in December 2023 after being delayed by strikes. However, a little over a year later, Season 3 premiered for those with an Amazon Prime subscription in February 2025. So, considering the show didn't face delays as it has in the past, it'd make sense if Season 4 dropped a little over a year after the last season came out.

Plus, Ritchson is all done with his ADR. That means he’s gone in and fixed all the audio and dialogue that needed to be redone in post-production. Therefore, they’re getting very close to having the episodes of Reacher ready for us.

Along with the release update, Ritchson also shared how proud he is of Season 4. While he was nervous that it wouldn’t top Season 3, he’s proven himself wrong. Over the last few months, the actor has been clear about this too, saying at one point that what’s coming next is “so different, and so unexpected.”

When the show wrapped on Season 4 late last year, it looked like the actor had been through a literal blood bath. So, whatever is coming next is bound to be high-octane and intense, which is what we’ve come to expect and love about Reacher.

Now, when it comes to what to expect “very soon,” we know Season 4 will be an adaptation of the book Gone Tomorrow. That novel follows Reacher as he races through New York City after meeting a mysterious woman on a subway, and he faces deception and lots of folks trying to kill him. So, it sounds like we’re in for a wild ride.

It seems like we’ll get to go on that wild ride soon, too! So, get ready, folks, Season 4 of Reacher has wrapped, and according to Alan Ritchson, we should be seeing this show’s “best season yet” on our screens “very soon.”

The attention on Alan Ritchson for the last few days has been the kind that most celebrities try to avoid. While most people enjoy using their Prime Video subscription to watch Alan Ritchson get physical, things got a little real recently after a viral video showed the actor in a fight with another man on the side of the road. Now, however, it appears the incident has reached a conclusion as no criminal charges are being filed, and Ritchson was the one who declined to press them.

While the video that went viral certainly indicated the possibility that charges could have been filed against Ritchson, it doesn’t appear that was ever considered. Instead, the option to press charges was open to Ritchson, but he has apparently decided to leave the issue behind him. In a statement (via USA Today), Brentwood, Tennessee, Police Department Captain Steven Pepin wrote:

The initial video that hit online showed a fairly one-sided affair where a man who appeared to be Ritchson struck another man, identified as Ronnie Taylor, several times before riding away on his motorcycle. However, even early on, it was being reported that what happened at the beginning of the altercation, before the video started, showed that Taylor may have been the actual physical instigator.

Taylor later spoke to TMZ and admitted to pushing Ritchson a couple of times before Ritchson “kicked the crap” out of him. Although he implied it was only because Ritchson was coming towards him on his bike.

A second video that is apparently a body cam worn by Ritchson shows a man identified as Taylor stepping out in front of Ritchson’s bike, causing Ritchson to slam on his brakes and fall before a verbal exchange begins. Ritchson does push Taylor, but then attempts to walk away before things escalate.

With this, the altercation between the two is likely over, though the possibility of civil litigation certainly still exists if either man believes they have a case. More than likely, this will simply fall into the history of times that celebrities have gotten into fights on video. Ritchson certainly isn't the first to find himself in this position.

Ritchson had made no public comments during the investigation, posting only a quote from Napoleon about not interrupting your enemy while they are making mistakes. Now that the investigation is closed, perhaps Ritchson will speak out on her perspective, or maybe this will all fade into the background, and fans can simply focus on the upcoming Reacher spinoff and the new season of the series.

Alan Ritchson’s name is in the news, but unfortunately, it's not because of his surprise hit Netflix movie, or the fact that a new season of Reacher is on the way. The actor is in the middle of a situation that has a lot of people asking questions after a video surfaced of him striking another man on a suburban street. Now Ritchson has made his first public comment, of a sort, since the incident. Meanwhile, the other man involved is saying a great deal more.

How Alan Ritchson Has Responded Following Viral Video

Yesterday, a video went viral that showed Ritchson striking a man on a suburban street. According to reports, there had been an altercation between the two over Ritchson and his two sons allegedly speeding through the neighborhood. While the video showed Ritchson as the aggressor, at least one report claims the other man, identified as Ronnie Taylor, put his hands on Ritchson first.

Alan Ritchson has remained quiet for the last day, with no official statement or interview being released giving his side of the story. However, he did make a not-so-cryptic post to Instagram in the wake of the video, making it clear there’s a particular reason he’s not talking.

Ritchson seems to feel that Taylor talking to the press about the altercation is ultimately going to backfire. As such, he’s going to let him continue to do so, while staying quiet himself. And Taylor is talking.

What Ronnie Taylor Is Saying About His Altercation With Alan Ritchson

Ronnie Taylor has given his side of the story speaking with TMZ. According to him, Ritchson and his sons had been making a great deal of noise, and driving too fast through the neighborhood. Taylor says he had no idea who Ritchson was, but after the actor had come down the street too fast previously, he walked out to try and get him to slow down. Taylor said…

Taylor seemingly admitting that he put his hands on Ritchson first may be exactly what the actor is referring to with his Napoleon quote. Police are reportedly investigating the incident, but thus far, no charges have been filed.

Alan Ritchson will next be seen in Neagley, the upcoming Reacher spinoff. The fourth season of Reacher will follow that. Both shows will be available with a Prime Video subscription.

Given the success of his latest movie, the Netflix action romp War Machine, Alan Ritchson has been making headlines for weeks now, usually in relation to doing many of his own stunts and getting bruised and battered while filming. He was at the center of a completely different kind of story on Sunday evening, however, when a phone-recorded video hit the internet showing the Reacher star getting physical with a neighbor in Brentwood, TN.

Though the details were few and far between when the video was first uploaded, and it appeared as if Ritchson was swinging fists at someone unprovoked, more (alleged) facts have surfaced during the time that it started to spread online. According to TMZ, the actor was riding his motorcycle through his neighborhood, with his two children following behind him on their mini bikes. The neighbor, who’s reportedly been identified as Ronnie Taylor, is said to have run out into the street in an attempt to stop Ritchson’s bike.

Taylor, whose actions were described as being “really aggressive” caused Ritchson to fall and crash his bike into the ground. (The actor is said to have suffered a minor injury to one of his fingers, as well as several cuts and bruises.) Afterward, the neighbor allegedly yelled at Ritchson while he was on the ground, daring the Titans vet to hit him. Ritchson initially didn’t feed into the neighbor’s challenges, and attempted to get back on his bike to ride away.

This is allegedly where things got physical between the two, as Taylor is said to have pushed Ritchson down to the ground, sparking the musclebound actor to get up and start swinging. Around this time is when the video recording started, with Ritchson seen standing above Taylor on all fours, swinging his fist and presumably connecting. After a few swings, Ritchson walks away from the man and makes a point of pulling his bike out of the middle of the street and over to the side.

Taylor gets up not long afterward and is still pretty clearly upset, and makes a point of yelling a few more things at Ritchson as the actor gets his bike set and ready to drive off again. It doesn’t appear as if either of his children were directly involved, and no arrests were made in the aftermath. The police were called to the scene, and Ritchson was reportedly cooperative the whole time.

According to TMZ, Ronnie Taylor accused Ritchson of riding his motorcycle down the neighborhood streets at high speeds for two days in a row. He said he called out the actor for his dangerous driving habits, which is what started their skirmish.

Alan Ritchson has quite a few new projects on the way that this altercation hopefully won’t cause any hiccups for. There’s the bloody new action movie Runner, there’s the highly anticipated Reacher spinoff focusing on Maria Sten, there’s the already wrapped Reacher Season 4, and plenty of hopes for a War Machine 2 to happen.

Alan Ritchson has become one of those actors who seems to fully embrace the physical demands of every new action movie role. Between his work on Reacher and his growing slate of projects, the actor has built a reputation for jumping into the toughest parts of a scene whenever possible. That approach was definitely on display while filming Netflix’s War Machine, where Ritchson tackled some pretty intense water-based stunts. What surprised me most, though, is that even after seeing the lengths he went to for some of the film’s river and underwater sequences, the production still needed not one but two stunt doubles for certain shots.

Ritchson recently shared a behind-the-scenes clip on his personal Instagram that shows just how much effort he put into those moments. The video, which you can check out below, features the actor plunging into a raging river while filming the sequence, alongside commentary from one of the stunt performers. The stunt double even jokes about how talented he is and how the actor doing so much of his own stunt work could end up putting him out of a job:

In the post, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles veteran also took a moment to shout out his stunt team, specifically thanking his two doubles, Ryan Tarran and Luke Davis. In the caption, Ritchson even pointed out that the “biggest bruise” he’d ever seen belonged to Tarran, a reminder that while the actor does a lot of the physical work himself, the stunt performers are still the ones taking some of the hardest hits.

Even with two doubles involved in the production, the behind-the-scenes footage makes it clear that Alan Ritchson handled a significant portion of the action himself. In the clip, he explains why he tries to perform as many stunts as possible himself, saying it ultimately comes down to giving audiences the most immersive experience he can. He shared:

One of the stunt performers in the video even jokes that when you have “a talented action hero like Alan,” it can make life a little stressful for the stunt team trying to stay employed. Of course, the comment is clearly made in good fun, but it does highlight just how much of the physical work Ritchson was willing to take on himself.

And the river sequence wasn’t the only demanding moment he tackled. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire performer also committed to some challenging underwater scenes for the film. In another behind-the-scenes clip shared by Netflix, the Reacher star can be seen walking along the bottom of a swimming pool toward the camera while holding dumbbells, staying submerged for nearly two minutes as part of the stunt preparation.

Even though Ritchson clearly handled a huge portion of the physical work, having two stunt doubles allowed the production to capture certain angles and repeat especially difficult movements without pushing the actor too far. It’s a pretty common approach in action filmmaking, especially when scenes involve water or other unpredictable elements.

Between the breath-holding, underwater walking, and the physical toll of filming in rough river conditions, Alan Ritchson clearly put in the effort to make the sequence feel as authentic as possible. And, based on the impressive viewership numbers War Machine has pulled in, audiences seem to be responding. But you don’t have to take my word for it—you can check out the action-packed 2026 movie schedule entry with your Netflix subscription and see how the stunt-heavy scenes turned out for yourself.

Given my profession as an entertainment journalist/film critic, I don’t often get the luxury of going into any movie totally blind. Be it via CinemaBlend’s coverage, social media, trailers or word of mouth, I tend to keep abreast of new releases, and I thusly have a good idea of what I’m in for whenever the lights go down in a theater or I press play on a streaming service. Recently checking out director Patrick Hughes’ War Machine was a super rare exception, however, (all I knew going in was that it had a cast including Alan Ritchson, Dennis Quaid, and Esai Morales) and I’m super happy about it, as the genre switch that’s executed in the second half of the action film delivered the experience I feel I was always robbed of while watching the original Predator.

Structurally, the two movies are very similar. Both open as relatively familiar military dramas – the 2026 film following its protagonist through Army Ranger School and the 1987 sci-fi classic tracking a paramilitary rescue team trying to save a stranded politician in a Central American jungle – but things take a sharp left turn when the soldiers find themselves in a fight with an extraterrestrial armed with advanced technology and a murder-centric determination.

In the latter, though, I never got to be surprised by the presence of the alien, and not just because the film opens with a spacecraft falling to Earth; it features one of the most iconic big screen monsters of all time, and I didn’t see Predator until long after it had already cemented itself in pop culture history.

War Machine, on the other hand, totally took me by surprise – and I was tricked in large part because of the predictability of the opening sequence. As soon as I saw Alan Ritchson’s beard in his first scene, I knew that there was surely a time jump on the way that would see him clean shaven; and purely because I had no idea Jai Courtney was part of the cast, I had an inkling that his character wouldn’t stick around for very long. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Courtney was a corpse and the story jumped two years forward.

I felt as though I totally had the movie’s number from that point: Ritchson’s protagonist, only identified as 81, was meant to be recognized as the titular “war machine” because of his stoicism and extreme dedication to honoring his brother by completing his Ranger training, and the story would see him process his trauma and learn how live with his grief by becoming a leader again. In my defense, War Machine ultimately does do all of that… but I’m also willing to admit that I wholly ignored all of the flags hinting sci-fi action was on the way (including the news broadcast about the “asteroid” passing by Earth, which I just excused as a minimal effort at character building). When the alien twist finally arrived, it successfully blew my mind, and sent my enjoyment of everything to a much higher level.

Come December 2026 and the opportunity to reflect on all of my cinematic experiences from the previous 12 months, I can say with absolute surety that War Machine is not going to be a title that finds its way on to my annual Top 15 ranking. At the same time, I doubt that I forget the wonderful surprise it delivers to unsuspecting viewers and the great value in blindly buying a ticket and taking the ride.

War Machine is now available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

As fans wait for the already hyped-up Season 4 of Prime Video’s Reacher, star Alan Ritchson continues to build up his movie star cred, most recently with the critic-pleasing man-vs.-bot flick War Machine. (Read our War Machine review here!) He’s got a pair of action-centric features on the way, with a third currently filming, and even if they aren’t all deadly serious dramas, the actor is still making a point of bringing action movie heroes back to being believable human beings again.

To be sure, his 2026 Netflix movie has him and group of soldiers facing off against a giant deadly robot across some incredibly taxing terrain, which isn’t something the average person would excel at. But Ritchson’s character Staff Sergeant 81 isn’t a superhero or any kind of genetically modified warrior; he’s just well-trained, highly motivated by his personal hardships. Which is a theme that carries over into his now-filming biopic of war vet and former Navy SEAL Mike Thornton.

With Sylvester Stallone on board as an executive producer, the currently untitled feature reteams Ritchson with War Machine helmer Patrick Hughes, and centers on Thornton’s tireless and courageous efforts during the final days of the Vietnam War. Speaking to THR about why he wanted to join this particular project, Ritchson connected it to the movie that’s currently crushing in Netflix’s Top 10, saying:

At a point when so many action movies center on globally (or even galatically) catastrophic stakes, it can be easy for narratives to lose track of the humanity of it all while watching heroes that are 100% guaranteed to come out on top every single time. Ritchson wants to get away from that kind of approach, saying:

To be fair, I dunno that anyone watching War Machine ever truly thought Ritchson's character was truly in danger of being killed off. And if War Machine 2 happens, I doubt he'd succumb to any automaton's attacks in that one, either. But his point is still salient. Even if the actor is a hulking behemoth who looks like he could bring a redwood down from the right angle, audiences know that his character is running purely on adrenaline and not some kind of supersoldier serum.

We may not all be able to relate to an Army Ranger who put his life on the line to save the day, but there's something inspirational about watching someone else do it, and that feeling grows exponentially when it involves a real-life situation like Mike Thornton's Vietnam War heroics. It's harder to be influenced by MCU heroes whose powers and privileges aren't nearly as ubiquitous.

Ritchson says playing characters like 81 help him influence others to hopefully recognize their own strengths while making it through daily struggles.

It's an interesting view to bring to his future projects, seeing as how Ritchson was previously in talks to play a more villainous DC role, though it's not clear whether or not those talks have fizzled out or not. In any case, its probably smarter not to make comic book movie bad guys as relatable and inspirational as the heroes.

Next up on his docket, Ritchson has the Adam Shankman's Christmas-set action movie The Man with the Bag (opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Awkwafina) and Scott Waugh's action thriller Runner, co-starring Owen Wilson. It's unknown when the Navy SEAL biopic will hit theaters, but here's hoping it'll be out before the end of the year.

Mild spoilers below for anyone who hasn't seen War Machine, so be warned!

Alan Ritchson is having a moment. Between the continued popularity of Reacher and his growing slate of film roles on the 2026 movie calendar, the actor has become one of the most recognizable action stars working right now. His latest project, War Machine, has been racking up huge viewing numbers since making its streaming debut. It didn’t take long for him to celebrate the milestone online, and the numbers he highlighted are honestly pretty wild.

Ritchson recently took to Instagram to react to the film’s early streaming success, calling the amount of attention the movie has received “unheard of.” Sharing his excitement with fans, the actor wrote:

According to the numbers the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles actor shared, the film has already pulled in 39.9 million views, which is pretty impressive. Netflix doesn’t always publicly share detailed viewing figures, so when numbers like that start circulating, it’s easy to see why people are taking notice.

If you’ve been paying attention to the conversation around War Machine, available with a Netflix subscription, the strong viewership actually makes a lot of sense. The Netflix release has become a talking point online thanks to a surprising tonal shift that audiences didn’t necessarily see coming. The movie starts off feeling like a fairly straightforward action-heavy story, but eventually pivots into something much stranger and more of a sci-fi vibe, which has sparked plenty of discussion among viewers.

That kind of unexpected genre pivot can sometimes divide audiences, but it’s also the sort of creative swing that tends to get people talking—and talking is exactly what drives streaming numbers.

Critically, War Machine has landed in solid territory as well. The movie currently holds a 69% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a 72% audience approval rating, suggesting that while the film might not be universally loved, it’s connecting with a good portion of viewers. Cinemablend’s own Nick Venable gave it a three out of five-star review, calling it Reacher vs Robot. For a genre movie built around a bold tonal shift, those scores are actually pretty respectable. And hey, if these numbers are to be believed, it's sounding more likely that a War Machine 2 is a no-brainer.

Of course, Ritchson’s popularity probably isn’t hurting the film’s performance either. The actor has become a fan-favorite in recent years thanks to his work on Reacher, where his physical presence and dry sense of humor helped redefine the Jack Reacher character for television. That growing fanbase means that when the Fast X actor headlines a project, there’s already a built-in audience curious to see what he does next.

Pair that with a high-concept premise and a movie that’s willing to take some creative risks, and it’s easy to see why War Machine has found a sizable audience on Netflix. Whether audiences love the twisty direction the movie takes or simply enjoy the ride, the combination of Ritchson’s rising star power and a film that refuses to play things safe appears to be working. Judging by the “unheard of” viewership, plenty of Netflix subscribers are already pressing play to see what all the buzz is about.

Be sure to check out our streaming schedule to see what’s arriving on the small screen soon. And for fans of the actor, Reacher Season 4 is already on the way, with Ritchson teasing it could be one of the show’s best seasons yet.

Alan Ritchson has played Jack Reacher for three seasons (so far), and over the course of the series, his character has taken quite a beating. It’s basically becoming standard practice at this point that if you see Ritchson in a TV show or movie, he’s either going to beat someone up or get beaten up himself (or both), and the same is true in his new movie, War Machine.

The film, available with a Netflix subscription, sees Alan Ritchson as a combat engineer known only as 81, who must fight an otherworldly threat alongside a small group of soldiers. Ritchson tells THR that the film was even more physically gruelling for him than his previous endeavors, but he was able to get through it because his experience has taught him that pain is temporary. He said…

Alan Ritchson may only be acting like a super tough guy in movies, but there’s only so much you can pretend to physically exert yourself. At a certain point, you have to actually do what your character needs to do on screen. This can certainly lead to pain when you push your body too far too often, which, it sounds like Alan Ritchson has certainly done. Case-in-point, he ended up with a black eye filming the next season of Reacher that wasn’t from makeup.

Ritchson admits to having something of a problem because he likes to work with as few breaks between projects as possible. This causes a problem when the projects he’s doing lead to him being in pain, because it means he doesn’t get a break from that either. He continued…

We’ve certainly seen that Ritchson likes to work and doesn’t take breaks. Last year, he wrapped filming on the upcoming movie Runner, and then was almost immediately spotted filming a cameo for the upcoming Reacher spinoff Neagley. That rolled into the next season of Reacher in fairly short order.

When Ritchson says he doesn’t remember the pain, he’s apparently being quite honest. He said that even when he sees the finished film, he doesn’t remember whatever he went through, and is instead just proud of the project. He said…

As a fan of Alan Ritchson, I’m certainly appreciative of his willingness to go through some pain to do some incredible stuff on film. I’m certainly looking forward to Season 4 of Reacher to see just what he does, as he’s promised the upcoming season will be one of the show’s best.

Spoiler Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for the War Machine ending. If you have yet to watch the new Netflix movie, please proceed with caution.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve watched War Machine with your Netflix subscription, and are coming here to find out what’s next for Alan Ritchson’s silent warrior. While Netflix has yet to announce War Machine 2 (or whatever it ends up being called), the new 2026 movie has been incredibly popular with users since making its streaming debut. That said, it should only be a matter of time before we see Staff Sergeant 81 take on even more high-tech aliens.

So, what’s been said about what could end up being the next great action franchise for the streamer? Come with me if you want to see what both Alan Ritchson and the film’s director, Patrick Hughes, have said about the possibility of even more sci-fi action! But before, I have to break down the War Machine ending and how it perfectly sets up a sequel.

The War Machine Ending Perfectly Sets Up A Sequel

The War Machine ending does leave us with unanswered questions about the titular alien robots and their origins, but the new action flick does do a great job of laying the groundwork for a sequel somewhere down the road. The movie ends with Alan Ritchson’s Staff Sergeant 81, who learned that you could defeat the robots by blocking their ventilation system to overheat, being accepted into the 75th Ranger Regiment of the United States Army, and being asked to join in on the counteroffensive.

Though things do wrap up with a Christopher Nolan-like ending in the sense that one story ends as another begins, the final scene in War Machine perfectly sets up a sequel (or sequels) in that it teases even more action to come in the future. With tens of thousands of those war machines set to invade Earth, 81 and the rest of the survivors have their work cut out for them. So, will it happen?

Patrick Hughes Initially Saw War Machine As A Standalone Story, But He's Ready To Pull The Trigger

With a concept like the one on display in War Machine, no one would hold anything against you if you were under the impression that this was something always meant to be a franchise. However, director Patrick Hughes, who previously helmed action flicks like The Expendables 3 and The Hitman’s Bodyguard, revealed in a recent interview that this was originally a standalone story.

When speaking with ScreenRant ahead of the film’s Netflix debut, Hughes was quick to dismiss the notion that this was always going to be a franchise, but he did say that he has since sketched it out and knows exactly where it’s going:

With War Machine being incredibly popular with Netflix users (it’s sitting atop the Netflix Top 10 at the time of this writing), I wouldn’t be surprised if the streamer gives Hughes and company the green light sooner or later. Considering his “ready to pull the trigger” comments, Hughes could hit the ground running as soon as that call comes in!

The Director Has Also Said There’s A Broader Story

Though Patrick Hughes, who was at one point eyed to remake The Raid, didn’t open up about a possible story direction for War Machine 2, his comments in the ScreenRant interview make it seem like he has a lot of the next movie planned out already. Around the same time as that chat, the director caught up with Decider and discussed what went into making 81’s story come to life while hinting at what could come for Alan Ritchson’s deadly character if given the opportunity:

The idea of starting with the micro and ending with the macro worked out really well for War Machine, considering the audience knew about as much as 81 throughout the movie. Now that both Ritchson’s character has a better grasp of what’s happening on a global level, the possibilities are limitless. Now we just need Hughes to open up some more about the “broader story.” And if the ending moments where humanity’s preparing for war are a part of this, things are about to kick off!

Alan Ritchson Has Hinted At ‘Tons’ Of Ideas For A Movie He Thinks Will Be ‘Sick’

Patrick Hughes isn’t the only person opening up about the idea of War Machine 2 in the future, as the first film’s main attraction is also trying to drum up support for a full-on franchise centered around Staff Sergeant 81. When speaking with ScreenRant alongside the director, the Jack Reacher star took a less-than-subtle way of addressing the question when asked about plans for a sequel. I’ll let the man speak for himself:

In case you missed it, the War Machines title Ritchson joked about was an homage to James Cameron’s 1986 sci-fi classic, Aliens, a movie that supercharged the genre and inspired countless action flicks in the 40 years that have followed. Oh, how much I would give to see Ritchson stroll into Netflix’s headquarters and write a dollar sign at the end of War Machine like that remarkable (and remarkably true) Cameron story. I would pay to see that!

Only time will tell what’ll happen with the War Machine franchise. That said, with the movie being a big title for Netflix and Alan Ritchson being one of the biggest stars in Hollywood right now, I think it’s a matter of when instead of if.

Filmmaker Patrick Hughes went from the independently financed neo-western thriller Red Hill to the gargantuan action sequel The Expendables 3, and he’s enjoyed a string of moderately budgeted blockbusters ever since. (The Hitman’s Bodyguard, its sequel, and 2022’s romp The Man from Toronto.) The sci-fi-leaning War Machine marks his first return to screenwriting and producing since his debut, and it shows, for better and for worse.

Hughes isn't the Netflix release's biggest draw, though. That distinction belongs to Alan Ritchson, whose Reacher series has cemented his appeal as a hulking action star with charm and brains to spare. War Machine feels crafted specifically to match the actor’s physical talents, but unfortunately fails to highlight his charisma or feature an iota of humor.

Of course, this isn’t the kind of movie one turns on expecting wit-soaked comedy on par with Mel Brooks or Billy Wilder. No, the target audience here includes those who want everything on the screen (actors included) to have at least an 80% chance of exploding at any given moment. Those who share that stance will definitely have more fun here than anyone hoping for more than genre expectations.

If You're Looking For A "Reacher Vs. Giant Robot" Movie: 4 Stars

Alan Ritchson's character — nearly everyone is referred to by assigned numbers rather than names, so he's Staff Sergeant 81 here — joins the Army Rangers in tribute to his brother (Jai Courtney), who's killed by insurgents as the siblings are stationed in Afghanistan. Some time later, 81 is plagued by both grief and guilt over not being able to carry his bro to safety, and that lack of self-worth does go a long way in making a character willing to face off against seemingly indestructible technology.

Despite not bonding with other new recruits (and sporting a general lack of personality), 81 is assigned group leader for what should be a routine training mission to locate and destroy a fallen aircraft. The clever move here is that the soldiers have no guns, so when what they believe to be their target becomes an heavily armed extraterrestrial nightmare worthy of Transformers comparisons, a high body count is inevitable, and all without bullet hell tropes.

To be expected, 81 is the most skilled at just about everything attempted (except for maybe keeping his squad alive), and a lot of the movie does indeed pay off on the "Reacher vs. Robot" promise. The size difference make it so that we don't see Ritchson actually punching the thing in its face (a feature it doesn't even seem to have), but the "man vs. machine" theming gets paid off in full.

If You Want An Action Movie That Prioritizes Real Stunts And Locations Over CGI: 4 Stars

So many action and sci-fi movies tend to share similar aesthetics these days, thanks to The Volume-esque productions that trade out real-world backgrounds and locations for digital add-ins. In a similar vein, many modern productions opt for digital explosions and destruction instead of anything tangible. Thankfully, Patrick Hughes' proven talents with practical stunts and effects were utilized throughout War Machine, and it's felt. We're talking multiple helicopter shots, people.

When 81's unit is either approaching the mysterious attacker-bot or retreating from it, they are very clearly running through a real location with trees and rocky formations as far as the eye can see. As well, scenes incorporate the surroundings in exciting ways, with several harrowing sequences involving a rushing river that seems impossible to cross safely.

As well, when the soldiers are brutally taken down by the giant tech's scary weaponry, there's real viscera and body parts flying around, with more than enough wide shots for audiences to appreciate all the gooey work on display. It's everything one loves about the action movies glut of the '80s and early '90s, just with mostly superior directing and editing techniques.

If You Need Hard Sci-Fi With Deep Themes And Highly Memorable Characters: 1 Star

For all the awesome action sequences and stuntwork on display, War Machine's story and characters are entirely lacking, and the dearth of repeatable one-liners is downright tragic. The entire movie hinges on a mid-feature "twist" (that was more or less spoiled by marketing and early reviews) that doesn't get a worthwhile enough explanation to properly make the final moments as shocking as they should be.

Perhaps that would have risked the mechanical antagonist being more dimensional than Ritchson's forever-brooding 81, who has no character traits beyond his backstory-gleaned gloom. With all due respect to the talented cast, none of their characters' origins would fill the back of a trading card. I'm glad the movie isn't full of rote military banter, but this movie desperately needs some kind of personality-based humor. Stephan James' Staff Sergeant 7 is arguably the most rounded of anyone, and his arc hits a point of ridiculousness that I wouldn't have appreciated with any of the others. So that's something.

If Hughes ever recuts War Machine to replace 5-10 minutes of moody conversations with jovial cameraderie, organic jokes, and a smattering of over-the-top and stress-induced reactions to the titular machine, it'd get at least another star. Until then...

Spoiler Warning: The following article contain major spoilers for War Machine. If you’ve yet to watch the new Netflix movie, proceed with caution.

Like a lot of people with a Netflix subscription, I started my weekend watching War Machine, the new Alan Ritchson sci-fi action flick critics are calling “absurd on almost every level.” While I did thoroughly enjoy watching Ritchson’s “Staff Sergeant 81” pull off all kinds of heroic feats in his attempt to save his fellow Army Ranger candidates (and the world) from an impressive piece of alien tech, there’s one thing about the 2026 movie I’m not clear on.

It’s not about 81 pretty much single-handedly taking down a piece of mech that looks like something out of the Metal Gear Solid games. Nor is it about why the staff sergeant was able to get into the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP), though both are valid. However, it instead has to deal with the titular war machine and the mysterious alien race that sent it…

Are The Machines The Aliens, Or Mech Sent Before Their Arrival?

One thing that works really well in War Machine is that the audience is primarily left in the dark and spends much of the movie knowing nothing about the titular alien robots until Alan Ritchson’s character figures things out. Though it is later revealed that the machines are, in fact, part of some global invasion (with tens of thousands more on the way), the movie stops short of revealing one thing: Are the machines the aliens or just instruments of death and destruction sent ahead of their arrival?

We’ve seen it both ways over the years. On one hand, you have great sci-fi movies like Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, having big reveals that the tripods were piloted by aliens hellbent on destroying humanity and taking over the planet. Other times, like in the Transformers movies, the machines are the aliens and are doing their own bidding.

In War Machine, we’re never given the opportunity to figure out if this is some advanced race of bio-mechanical aliens with some level of sentience or if they’re simply following orders by an organic alien race preparing to wipe humanity out and take over the planet. However, there is a scene that could offer a hint.

One Scene Offers Hints, But Is Short On Answers

There is a scene near the end of War Machine where Alan Ritchson’s character watches the alien robot send some kind of communication beam into the sky. Taking place a few minutes before the big reveal, where we learn that this war machine wasn’t alone, the sequence gives us a hint that something larger is at play. However, even after finishing the movie, it’s hard to say if the robots are aliens or sent by some advanced race.

While this sequence does offer some hints about how the machines work and communicate with each other (both on and off the planet), it doesn’t answer the big question that I keep asking. I’ve watched enough alien invasion movies to know that it could go either way.

Not knowing the origin of the machines is a tad bit frustrating, but this big unanswered question does open the door for all kinds of possibilities for a sequel down the road. Now we just need Netflix to make it happen!

Amazon Prime Video has quietly racked up an impressive lineup of originals over the past several years, but tops among those has to be Reacher, the Alan Ritchson vehicle that has attracted notice for its hulking action scenes, its memorable one-liners and its over-the-top storylines. It’s a fun show, and I love it, but I have to say sorry to the Reacher family because I think another new-to-Amazon series has topped it.

New Series Young Sherlock Hit Amazon Video This Month

Those with an Amazon Prime subscription have likely seen some sort of promotion for Young Sherlock, the cheeky new action-adventure series from Guy Ritchie and Peter Harness. If you haven’t seen any promotional footage, it’s a British TV series and a brand new take on Sherlock Holmes, set during his younger years. This version, played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, has a mother, played by The Truman Show’s Natascha McElhone.

Most intriguingly, and the reason I am so obsessed with Young Sherlock both in concept and execution, is his relationship with a young James Moriarty, played by Irish actor Dónal Finn. Finn previously appeared in Amazon’s other adaption Wheel of Time, but I didn’t know him before throwing on this latest series, and I’m so happy this is the role I got to see him in.

The two young men are fabulous, constantly verbally sparring and spurring one another on. Deduction after deduction plays out between the two men, and watching them unravel knots and put puzzle pieces together is decidedly fun. More fun than Reacher? Your bandwidth may vary depending on your personal taste, but I’m a sucker for Sherlock Holmes adaptations, and I’ve never seen a version of Sherlock where he and Moriarty could begin as friends and land at foe hopefully at a later-to-be-determined date. (Though the finale is already leading to some hints about what the future will hold.)

Reacher and Young Sherlock may not seem to have too much in common at first glance. One has a younger protagonist, the other has a grizzled and hulking forty-something at the head. One show is American, the other is British. One show is set in the past and one show is set in the present. The differences are many.

Yet, the reason I keep comparing the two shows is that they make me feel the same way. I love watching Reacher for its quippy, deadpanned one-liners. I love watching Young Sherlock for the way Sherlock and James take the piss out of each other. I love watching Reacher for its innovative action scenes; in fact, though, Guy Ritchie and co. have a tendency to put together some unusual and memorable action sequences as well. The shows are unalike and yet they put the same pep in my step.

I’m hopeful we’ll have both on the schedule in the future. I wouldn’t mind having Reacher one season and a new season of Young Sherlock the next. And don’t forget, we’ve been waiting for the Neagley spinoff for a while, as well. There’s good stuff to come on the Amazon Prime Video front, and I’m hoping Young Sherlock will ultimately land a renewal alongside Reacher Season 4. It's just too fun to go away this soon.

Alan Ritchson has developed quite a following through three seasons of Reacher, and while Season 4 is on the way — “the best season we’ve ever made by a long shot,” the actor says — we don’t have to wait for its release to see Ritchson return to action. War Machine hit the 2026 movie calendar on March 6, streaming with a Netflix subscription, and critics are sharing their thoughts on the sci-fi action flick.

War Machine sees Alan Ritchson playing Staff Sergeant 81, who sets out for a field exercise with his fellow Army Ranger recruits, only to happen upon a large robot hell-bent on destruction. James Dyer of Empire says the movie is “big dumb fun,” rating it 3 out of 5 stars. It’s a “brainless, bombastic, bomb-tastic action romp, this is absurd on almost every level, and far more fun than it has any right to be.” The critic continues:

William Bibbiani of The Wrap calls War Machine both shameless pro-military propaganda and “straightforward, b-movie fun.” It’s basically a bad knockoff of Predator, but the critic says nothing matters other than this:

Caroline Siede of AV Club grades it a B-, saying the new action movie finds its groove in the second act, offering “squelching impalements and shocking dismemberments” with an admirable amount of the action filmed without use of CGI backdrops. Unfortunately, War Machine doesn’t end on as strong a note, as Siede writes:

Monica Castillo of RogerEbert rates the movie 2 out of 4 stars, saying it’s not meant to withstand big questions. Rather, this high-octane action thriller is way more fun when it goes off the rails, Castillo says, writing:

Matt Fowler of IGN gives the 2026 Netflix movie an “Okay” 6 out of 10, saying there’s just enough juice here — mostly thanks to its star — to keep it from being a snoozefest and is possibly one of the better disposable streaming action movies available. The critic concludes:

Critics’ reactions to Alan Ritchson’s latest project are fairly middling, most careful to categorize it as “fun” more than “good,” but the response seems to be leaning positive, with 21 critics averaging a score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing.

There’s certainly something to be said for a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously or force you to think too hard, and if that sounds appealing to you, go ahead and hit Play on War Machine, which is streaming now on Netflix.

How is it March already? Somehow, the first two months of the year are already gone, though they’ve given us some great new streaming movies and TV to enjoy along the way. March is certainly following suit, as, if you’re looking for something new to watch, there’s plenty to enjoy this week, from the long-awaited second season of a hit comedy to the newest look at one of the great classic characters of fiction.

Young Sherlock - March 4 (Prime Video)

Sherlock Holmes has been adapted for the screen as much as any character in fiction. Rarely, however, has it turned back the clock so far as to see Holmes before he became the world’s first consulting detective. Young Sherlock is produced by Guy Ritchie, who previously brought us two solid Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr.. Hero Fiennes Tiffin stars as Holmes, who is a student at Oxford when he makes friends with James Moriarty.

The Hunt - March 4 (Apple TV)

The Hunt is interesting because its road to streaming was an odd one. It was originally set to debut back in December for those with an Apple TV subscription, before the show was pulled following accusations of plagiarism. The series, which follows a battle of wills between two groups of men who come across each other while hunting in the woods, appears to have remained intact... though the credits have now been altered as they state the series is based on a book by Douglas Fairbairn.

Ted, Season 2 - March 5 (Peacock)

Seth MacFarlane’s Ted was something of a surprise hit when the first film debuted back in 2012. It did so well that a sequel film was quickly put in development. Those movies then spawned a series you can watch with a Peacock subscription. The first season came out over two years ago, so fans have been waiting a while for the continuation of this prequel story. But one has to imagine the laughs will continue.

Vladimir - March 5 (Netflix)

Vladimir is a new Netflix series based on the book of the same name and stars the once and future Mummy star Rachel Weisz as a woman who becomes obsessed with a co-worker. Do I know this show will be great? No, but I have to admit I’m more than a little curious after the show released one of the most suggestive poster images in recent memory. I’ll be using my Netflix subscription to see just what this one has to offer.

The Dinosaurs - March 6 (Netflix)

Steven Spielberg and dinosaurs? Yes please. Every generation needs a top tier documentary about the history of dinosaurs, and the newest comes in the part of a four part Netflix series that’s produced by Spielberg, and is narrated by Morgan Freeman. One can expect cutting edge animation and the most accurate scientific information we have about these magnificent creatures.

War Machine - March 6 (Netflix)

My Prime Video subscription has been waiting for the newest season of Reacher, as I’ve had a distinct lack of Alan Ritchson beating the crap out of people on my TV. The good news, however, is that over on Netflix this week, we get War Machine, a movie that dares to ask the question, what if Jack Reacher fought an alien mech? I can’t wait to find out the answer.

There’s plenty more where this came from with the rest of March getting ready to bring us Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again and One Piece as well as the follow-up to Jury Duty and more.

In the era of streaming TV dominance, schedules are a thing of the past. Some series take multiple years between seasons. It’s just one of the reasons that Reacher, the action series based on Lee Child’s novels, has been a breath of fresh air. We’ve seen new seasons every year like clockwork. Unfortunately, the 2026 TV season currently has no Reacher series on it.

It would be right around this time of year that we should expect a new season of Reacher, based on when previous seasons have been released to those with a Prime Video subscription. But we know that before we get a new season of Reacher, the first season of the spinoff series Neagley, starring Maria Sten, will arrive. Sten took to Instagram recently to assure fans that, despite the lack of a release date, the new season is coming. She also promises it will be good. Her post reads in part…

It’s likely not a coincidence that Maria Sten’s promise arrived right now. Reacher fans like myself are certainly jonesing for something right about now. Season 3 of Reacher debuted at the end of February in 2025, about 13 months after the second season. By that metric, the next season feels like it should be dropping anytime now.

We do expect Neagley to arrive this year, but at this point, we have no idea when. When a release date is announced its likely to be at least a couple of months in the future, so even if the announcement came soon, the actual release date is probably still a few months out. But based on the video that Maria Sten included with her promise, which includes some stunt work and makeup of Neagley getting a little beat up, she’s not wrong that it looks like the show is trying to be perfect.

Neagley will be an entirely original show in the Reacher universe. While the main series has had each season based on a Lee Child novel, the spinoff has no such source material. It potentially gave the creators a lot more freedom, and it will be interesting to see what comes of it.

The good news is that once Neagley does come out, we will get more Jack Reacher, filming indicated at least a cameo appearance by Alan Ritchson in the series. We also probably won’t have to wait too much longer for Season 4 of Reacher after we’re done with Neagley. The series went into production almost immediately after principal photography wrapped on the spin-off, so the next season may drop a year from now, which will still only be a few months after Neagley arrives. Whenever that is.

When it comes to book-to-screen adaptations, they can be very hit or miss. Sometimes, the authors of the source material make their grievances known, too. However, Prime Video's Reacher has not had that problem. That was recently proven too, because as we wait for Reacher Season 4, the author of the Jack Reacher series, Lee Child, explained why he loves the Alan Ritchson-led adaptation of his work.

Lee Child serves as an executive producer on Reacher, which premiered in 2022 and can be streamed with an Amazon Prime subscription. Every season is based on a different book in his series, and while TV adaptations may not always please novelists, Child has a different take on it all. While looking back on his book series and the world that it’s created, which includes not only a TV show but a movie adaptation, the writer told People why he's given the Prime Video series his stamp of approval:

It can be hard to adapt books for the screen because what works on the page might not necessarily work on camera and vice versa. The fact that Child understands that and knows that the interpretation will be different, but is still happy with the results, shows just how much care everyone on the series has for the source material and the series.

Of course, it helps that Child is involved in the process, so he probably has a say in a lot of things. However, as he said, just because he wrote the books doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s an expert on all things Jack Reacher, since the book and show are different. Overall, he loves the opportunity to expand and talk about this character that has meant a lot to him for almost 30 years, as pointed out that Ritchson, showrunner Nick Santos, and producer Don Granger have read the books numerous times:

Since a lot of books have been adapted over the years, it’s always hard to predict how the film or TV version will turn out. Sometimes they turn out great, sometimes they get criticized for adding too much or not adding enough, and sometimes it’s a lost cause. That isn't the case for Reacher. Child saying that he’s satisfied with how the series has turned out might be the highest compliment it could have gotten.

Meanwhile, in terms of what we'll see on screen next from Reacher, Ritchson was nervous that Season 4 couldn’t top Season 3, but that has changed, and he now thinks it's their best work yet. The actor has posted more than a few photos looking beat up, meaning the titular character will be going through the wringer with the best fight ever, and I'm certain you won't want to miss out on the action.

Hopefully, Reacher Season 4 will premiere on the 2026 TV schedule. With Alan Ritchson hyping it up and Lee Child making his approval of the show very well known, there's a lot to get excited about when it comes to what's coming next for this beloved book-to-screen adaptation.

Spoilers for Playdate are ahead! If you’d like to stream this wild action movie, you can do so with an Amazon Prime subscription.

There’s a new action flick that premiered on the 2025 movie schedule called Playdate, and it has maybe the most WTF ending I’ve seen all year. Now, when I heard about Playdate, I thought this action comedy led by Kevin James and Alan Ritchson had the potential to show off the Reacher star’s comedic skills and tell a fun story. However, only one of those things happened...

While Ritchson genuinely was funny, this story was wild (and not in a good way). And that's in great part because the end of this wild day that Kevin James' character and his step-son spent with Alan Ritchson's character and his presumed son took such an absolutely ridiculous turn that left me utterly baffled.

Clones? Why’d It Have To Be Clones?

OK, here we go, let me try to explain this…at the end of Playdate, which was panned by critics, it’s revealed that Jeff, Alan Ritchson’s character, was Colonel Kurtz’s (Hiro Kanagawa) “perfect soldier.” However, Jeff had too much empathy, and so they used technology to “create the perfect genetic soldier,” which, according to these villains, means someone who feels no emotion and can be a killing machine.

So, that brings us to the conclusion that they used Jeff’s DNA to make CJ (the child Jeff was looking after) and a bunch of other clones. Talk about a plot twist...

When Kurtz orders CJ to kill Jeff (yes, that happened; this child was asked to kill his father figure), Ritchson’s character was able to talk some sense into his clone. CJ then shot Alan Tudyk’s evil genius Maddox in the butt with a crossbow, and they fought their way out of the warehouse with the help of Kevin James’ Brian and his stepson, Lucas (Benjamin Pajak).

Now, at no point during this movie did I think the answer to the question about why CJ and Jeff were together was cloning. In fact, not in a million years did I think that’d be the case.

Child soldiers, super soldiers and clones were a bananas turn for this movie to take, so yeah, I was saying WTF over it.

Why Are We Saving One Of The Clones But Letting The Rest Of Them Explode?

Now, I get that the rest of the clones in this new streaming movie were, as Kevin James’ character put it, “psycho killing machines.” So, after they fought their way out of this evil situation, they killed them all by blowing up the building.

However, I’d like to posit the question: If CJ can be saved, why can’t the other kids...I mean clones?

The whole idea I think this movie is trying to get across is that while CJ was made to be evil, he was nurtured to be good, and he was worth saving. So, when you think about all of this from that angle, couldn’t all those other cloned child soldiers have been saved, too?

All around, there was a lot of weird violence that involved kids in this movie, and I know they’re not normal kids; they’re evil clones, but still…In the end, I think this move kind of contradicts the whole point of saving the kid who had been with Jeff for a long time. So, it’s an odd note to end on.

Why On Earth Did They Set Up A Sequel?

But guess what, the movie doesn’t end there. No, no, there’s a mid-credits scene that sets up another story.

Yeah, after some delightful bloopers and a dance number that featured the four lead actors in red track suits, Brian’s wife Emily (Sarah Chalke) shows up with a big bag of Tostitos chips and salsa and asks about the playdate. However, before Kevin James’ character can tell the story, CJ and Jeff knock on his door with sleeping bags in hand.

Then, after making Brian guess why they were there, Jeff says a bunch of new bad guys burned down his house…thereby setting up another adventure.

I don’t need that to happen, though. I’m fine, at best, with what we got here; it was enough WTF energy for me, and I’d just like all these characters to go back to their normal everyday lives while I go back to mine.

Alan Ritchson has been keeping fans hyped and ready for the fourth season of Reacher by doing things like giving a tour of his trailer and sharing fun behind-the-scenes moments. He’s also been showing off the many bruises he’s gotten and gushing about sequences, like the one he called “the best fight ever.” Now, as the show wraps, his titular character is getting into a bloodbath, and Ritchson is celebrating.

Reacher is known for putting Ritchson through the wringer. He was even knocked unconscious while filming Season 3 at one point because it was so intense. However, it looked amazing on screen. So, the bar for this new season and its action is high.

The actor was nervous that Season 4 wouldn't be able to top Season 3, but from the photos he’s posted, it looks like the fourth season will be even more intense. Now, Agnez Mo, who is new to the show and will be playing Lila Hoth, has shared a carousel of images taken from the set of Reacher to celebrate wrapping Season 4. This included a black and white photo -- it's the second image in the carousel -- of the cast, and Ritchson is looking pretty bloody in it. Take a look:

We know Season 4 will be based on Lee Child's novel Gone Tomorrow; however, specifics about the season have not been revealed. Regardless of what happens, Jack Reacher will not be given any breaks, it seems, and he is going to be as bloodied and bruised as ever. It should be entertaining to find out what exactly makes Ritchson so bloody in the finale, but hopefully, this fight didn’t involve him getting a concussion.

Along with getting bloodied and bruised, Ritchson has also received his fair share of black eyes, as he showed off over the summer. That being said, he’s admitted that Season 4 is so high octane that they should check people’s heart health before watching. And if the photos only show off part of what will be coming, I'm sure what we see on screen will be incredibly intense.

Surprisingly, Reacher is not the only project that Alan Ritchson has done as of late that involves getting bloody. In May, he wrapped his new movie Runner and was battered and bloody, but all smiles in a photo. This was just before Season 4 of Reacher went into production, meaning that it didn’t take long for him to get bloody again. He doesn’t seem to mind, but Ritchson has opened up about how dangerous it can be to always say yes, especially since he’s basically been working non-stop for over two years.

As of now, it’s unknown when Reacher Season 4 will be streaming with a Prime Video subscription, but now that filming has wrapped, I'm hopeful that it will be part of the 2026 TV schedule. The wait will be worth it, and fans can always get their action fix by rewatching the first three seasons.