Alan Ritchson is currently trending high on Netflix with two releases that mark the start of a new streaming era for the popular actor. Over the years, Ritchson has been a part of hit projects like DC's Superman prequel series Smallville, where he gave life to a major hero, Aquaman. However, it was not until 2022 that the actor took the next step.
That was the year that saw Ritchson's name become known worldwide, as the actor debuted as Jack Reacher, taking over the role that had been played by Tom Cruise in two movies, for Prime Video's Reacher series. For fans of Lee Child's hit series of novels, it meant going back to the roots of the character, as Ritchson looks the spitting image of Jack Reacher.
With his towering physique and innate charisma, Ritchson helped make Reacher one of Prime Video's biggest TV shows, with Reacher season 4 set to debut on August 12 and filming having already started on season 5. While Ritchson's future very much includes Prime Video, it now also does include Netflix, and these two movies are helping usher in that new era.
Ritchson is the star of the Netflix Original movie War Machine and the emotional drama Ordinary Angels, which has proven itself a worldwide hit upon making Netflix its streaming home. Those two very different movies stand as the first two-punch entrance for the action hero ahead of his Netflix future, which looks bright.
Alan Ritchson Cements Himself As A Major Netflix Draw
At the time of writing, Ritchson's two movies are still pulling in big numbers for Netflix. Based on official Netflix data, Ordinary Angels was the streaming service's 10th most-watched movie worldwide for the week of July 27 to August 2. In that same timeframe, War Machine landed higher, with Ritchson's sci-fi thriller at 8th on Netflix's charts. This is not the first week for either of those films on Netflix's global Top 10 Movies list.
While Ordinary Angels has gone on to chart for its first two weeks on the streaming service after dropping on Netflix on July 25, War Machine has been sitting with Netflix's most popular films for 10 weeks and counting. Both of Ritchson's movies brought in 2.9 million views individually for that week. Now, while Ordinary Angels is only in the United States' top 10 this week, War Machine is trending in 10 countries.
That makes sense, given that Ritchson's sci-fi thriller has become one of Netflix's most-watched movies of all time. Currently, it stands at 10th on Netflix's all-time movie chart, racking up 139.9 million views. With two hits on Netflix in 2026, including an original movie that is among the streamer's biggest releases of all time, Ritchson starts a new era.
Alan Ritchson's Time At Netflix Is Only Just Starting
Primarily known for his work on Prime Video as Reacher, Ritchson is ready to branch out at Netflix. After its record-breaking run, Netflix was quick to put a War Machine sequel in development, with Ritchson set to return. That said, the upcoming sci-fi thriller is far from the only project the action star will be working on the streaming service. According to Deadline, Ritchson has inked a first-look movie deal with Netflix.
As such, the actor will be starring and producing many movies for Netflix in the coming years. The first film in that partnership will reportedly be a heist thriller connected to the world of MotoGP, so likely another fast-paced, action-focused release with the actor for Netflix. With Alan Ritchson's movie future now tied to Netflix, War Machine's continued success and Ordinary Angels' strong streaming debut help mark the perfect start of a new streaming era for the actor, while Reacher rages on at Prime Video.
Alan Ritchson Effectively Seals Reacher’s Long-Term Fate On Prime Video
A surprise move from Alan Ritchson effectively seals the long-term fate of Reacher on Prime Video. Following its successful debut in 2022, the action-adventure series immediately became a hit for the streamer. This is despite being burdened by the previous big-screen adaptation of Lee Child's novels. Tom Cruise's movie take on Jack Reacher had its fans, and it remain enjoyable upon rewatch now. That said, it's safe to say that Ritchson's portrayal as the former military-turned-wanderer is widely regarded as its definitive version, especially after three seasons of Reacher.
While its sophomore year wasn't able to be as universally beloved as its freshman year, it never really impacted the public's interest in the Prime Video series. Reacher season 3 posted the highest viewership for the show in its history and considering the hype surrounding what's next for the character, the wait for season 4 has been frustrating for some. Based on "Gone Tomorrow," the next installment of the Prime Video project has long finished production, with a release date supposedly sometime this year. Beyond that, however, Ritchson has effectively confirmed Reacher's long-term fate thanks to a new update.
Alan Ritchson's First-Look Deal With Prime Video Solidifies Reacher's Future
Proof of Prime Video's confidence in the series is the fact that it has already renewed for Reacher season 5 before it could even come back with new episodes this year. Admittedly, that's unsurprising, considering the show's popularity. Looking after that, however, the fate of the project is still uncertain. That said, Ritchson's new three-year first-look television deal with the studio via his production company, Dancing Skeleton (via Deadline), effectively solidifies Reacher's return throughout the terms of that new agreement.
This means that if the show maintains its yearly release, it can run for two to three more seasons after Reacher season 5. Obviously, that doesn't factor in the possibility that Prime Video and Ritchson will extend their current deal, or that the streamer will renew the show even after the first-look agreement is done. However, considering that there are about 30 books in Child's novels, Reacher can definitely stay on the air for more years to come.
Why Reacher Has Resonated With The Public
Reacher is arguably the biggest breakout hit of the last few years. Granted that it had built-in fans, thanks to Child's novels and Cruise's films, it would be hard-pressed to find anyone who could have predicted just how big it was going to be. Streaming and traditional broadcasters have their respective action-adventure book adaptation shows, but very few come close to the success of the Prime Video series. The project has been so popular, the streamer has started to expand the franchise via its very first offshoot, Neagley.
What sets Reacher apart from its peers is how it has been able to perfectly balance being faithful to its source material while also offering viewers something new. This way, fans of the books can still enjoy them without being able to predict every single twist that's coming their way. Beyond that, the fact that Reacher has also made sure to have a yearly release despite being on streaming somehow helps in keeping it relevant amid an influx of other shows in the genre.
Be the first to comment on this article!