Alan Ritchson Takes Lead in Gritty Vietnam War Epic

Alan Ritchson, who’s become something of a household name thanks to his turn in the Prime Video series Reacher, is about to tackle a rather different sort of role. He’s been cast as the central figure in a Vietnam War action film, still without an official title, with none other than Sylvester Stallone attached as producer. The cameras are set to roll in Queensland, Australia, under the banner of Amazon MGM Studios, and anticipation is already building among fans of the genre.

Ritchson will be portraying Mike Thornton, a Navy SEAL whose real-life exploits during the Vietnam conflict earned him the Medal of Honour. Thornton’s story is the stuff of legend: he risked his own life to pull a wounded comrade to safety while under heavy fire, a feat that has since become a touchstone of military heroism. The film’s director, Patrick Hughes—best known for Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard—brings his own brand of high-octane storytelling to the project, promising a tense and visceral experience.

Behind Enemy Lines: A True Story

Joining Ritchson on screen are Joe Cole, familiar from Subversion and A Prayer Before Dawn, and Hoa Xuande, who’s recently appeared in The Sympathizer and Avatar: The Last Airbender. The film’s newly released logline hints at the scale of the ordeal:

the incredible real-life struggle for survival in the hostile waters of the South China Sea that earned Mike Thornton a Congressional Medal of Honor.

It’s a premise that leans into the classic elements of the war film—soldiers stranded, the odds stacked against them, and a desperate fight to make it out alive.

For Ritchson, this marks another step up in a career that’s been gathering pace. His performance as Jack Reacher has already won him a legion of admirers, and this latest role looks set to cement his reputation as a leading man in action cinema. The project also signals a return to the sort of muscular, character-driven storytelling that Stallone himself has long championed, albeit from the producer’s chair this time round.

Expanding Horizons: Ritchson’s Upcoming Projects

It’s not the only major project on Ritchson’s slate. He’s also set to reunite with director Patrick Hughes for the science fiction actioner War Machine, which is due to land on Netflix in March 2026. That film boasts a cast including Dennis Quaid and Jai Courtney, and promises a rather different flavour of action, with a futuristic twist.

Meanwhile, fans of Reacher have more to look forward to, with a fourth series in the works and a spin-off centred on Frances Neagley expected to arrive in 2026. Ritchson’s schedule is looking rather packed, as he’s also lined up to star in Motor City, a thriller set in the 1970s. Directed by Potsy Ponciroli, it follows a silent ex-con out for revenge after being stitched up for a crime he didn’t commit.

On Set in Queensland: A New Chapter

With production about to get underway in Queensland, the as-yet-untitled Vietnam War film is shaping up to be a proper showcase for Ritchson’s physicality and screen presence. The combination of a true story, a seasoned director, and a cast with proven chemistry suggests this could be one of the more compelling entries in the war film canon of recent years.

Stallone’s involvement as producer adds a certain weight, and with Amazon MGM Studios backing the project, expectations are running high. For audiences, it’s a chance to see a remarkable real-life tale brought to the screen with all the grit and intensity it deserves.