Netflix has been on an absolute tear this year, and one of its biggest weapons has been War Machine, the adrenaline-fueled sci-fi thriller starring Alan Ritchson (Reacher). The film has officially blasted its way into the streamer's all-time top 10, landing at #9 with a staggering 139.9 million views—making it the most-watched sci-fi thriller in Netflix history.
Released in March, War Machine follows Ritchson as a special forces soldier who must survive a deadly gauntlet of high-tech enemies in a dystopian future. The movie quickly became a cultural phenomenon, racking up over 125 million views in its first month alone. Now, with continued streaming momentum, it has surpassed The Gray Man (139.3 million views), the Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans action thriller that previously held the #9 spot.
Netflix has already greenlit a sequel, signaling that the streamer sees War Machine as a franchise cornerstone. The film's success is part of a larger winning streak for Netflix, which kicked off 2025 with the final season of Stranger Things and has since delivered hits like the limited series His & Hers starring Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson, the Miami crime thriller The Rip with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and the survival thriller Apex led by Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton.
How 'War Machine' Stacks Up Against Netflix's All-Time Biggest Movies
The #1 most-watched Netflix movie of all time remains KPop Demon Hunters, which premiered last year and has amassed over 325 million views—that's roughly 4% of the world's population. In second place is Red Notice (230.9 million views), the Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds action comedy. War Machine now sits at #9, just ahead of The Gray Man and behind Leave The World Behind (143.3 million views).
For fans of psychological thrillers, Netflix also has plenty to offer. Check out our ranking of the most gut-wrenching psychological thrillers ever made for more edge-of-your-seat viewing.
What's Next for Netflix's Sci-Fi Slate?
With War Machine proving that original sci-fi can dominate the streaming charts, Netflix is doubling down on the genre. The streamer has also found success with Anya Taylor-Joy's The Gorge, another sci-fi thriller that's generating buzz ahead of Dune 3. Meanwhile, the platform continues to expand its library with everything from live-action anime adaptations to BookTok-inspired series.
War Machine is now streaming on Netflix, and with a sequel in the works, fans won't have to wait long to re-enter this high-octane universe.
