Aahana Swrup
Directed by Patrick Hughes, ‘War Machine’ presents an action-packed science-fiction movie that finds the protagonist facing an impossible enemy. Soldier number 81 only has one objective in life: to pass the highly coveted selection program to become a RASP Ranger. However, everything changes once he is put in the final simulation test with his fellow soldiers. As it turns out, an alien killing machine has crash-landed in the same forest where 81 and his squad are stranded without any outside communications or self-defensive weapons.
Consequently, once the robot comes to life, 81’s goal shifts to survival. However, as the narrative concludes, 81 finds out that the fight doesn’t end with the defeat of the singular robot, as numerous others like it have been deployed all over Earth in an overarching alien invasion scheme. Naturally, this open-ended climax is bound to create intrigue about a possible expansion of the story into a sequel. Even though no such expansion has yet been greenlit, if the film gets picked up for another part soon enough, fans might get a “War Machine 2” as early as 2028.
War Machine’s Ending Sets the Story up For a Potential Sequel
Initially, ‘War Machine’ seems to be a self-contained story with a Man vs Machine premise where survival is the main goal. However, as the narrative begins to come to a close, the bigger picture is revealed. Apparently, the robot 81 and his squad encountered isn’t the only one of its kind. Instead, a whole armada of technologically advanced killing machines seems to have invaded Earth through an interstellar object previously assumed to be an asteroid. As a result, in a span of 36 hours, various regions of Earth have faced violent attacks in species-wise annihilation attempts by yet unidentified enemies. Worse yet, these enemies seem to be on Earth’s doorstep with even more resources, as various spacecraft have been observed to be making their way toward the Blue Planet.
Thus, it seems like the events of ‘War Machine’ are just a prelude to a bigger story waiting to be told. While the first movie deals with the conflict between these robots and humans on a smaller, one-on-one scale, a potential sequel can be used to elevate things into a full-fledged war between humanity and an invasive alien species. The themes of the narrative, revolving around military honor, motivation, and strength, can still remain at the helm of the story. Additionally, the narrative can delve into the yet-unexplored lore about the alien invaders, their strategy, and the motivations behind the hostile takeover of the planet. Ultimately, if the film gets greenlit for another installment, the story definitely leaves plenty of stones unturned for a potential sequel to engage with.
The Potential Cast of War Machine 2 Will Have to Introduce Many New Faces
As an action-thriller story, ‘War Machine’ consists of a high death toll as numerous central characters lose their lives in the confrontation against the killing machine. Almost all of the RASP trainees, including 15 (Blake Richardson), 60 (Keiynan Lonsdale), 44 (Alex King), 57 (Daniel Webber), and more, are picked off one by one over the course of the first and second acts. By the end, only the protagonist, 81, and his friend, 7, make it to the other side alive.
Therefore, in the event of a sequel, Alan Ritchson and Stephan James are the only Ranger trainees who can be expected to return. On the other hand, some of the higher officers, including First Sergeant Sheridan (Dennis Quaid) and his second-in-command, Sergeant Torres (Esai Morales), have the potential to reprise their roles. This means that the possible franchise would have to introduce many new names to the cast roster in a future movie. While these are bound to include new actors to step into the characters of 81’s fellow soldiers, there’s also a strong possibility that some new faces might join a potential sequel as members of the elusive alien species.
War Machine 2 Can Explore 81’s Future as a Ranger in the Military
The central emotional storyline in ‘War Machine’ revolves around the personal journey of 81. After losing his younger brother in a brutal attack in Afghanistan, the soldier becomes obsessed with honoring his memory by fulfilling their childhood dream of becoming a Ranger. As a result, throughout the narrative, crossing the finish line of the Death March becomes a crucial objective in the protagonist’s storyline. At the end of the film, 81 finally achieves what he set out to do as his bravery and resilience earn him the post of a RASP Ranger.
A potential sequel for the film can continue exploring this aspect of the character’s story. A continuation of the narrative will naturally find 81 as a Ranger fighting the alien invaders on the front lines. As the pioneer of the leading technique that humanity has against defeating the killing machines, he would likely serve a high position in the American military defense battalions. Therefore, a second movie can follow the emotional and psychological impact of being a soldier in such an environment. Furthermore, there’s also space for the storyline to dive deeper into 81’s past and flesh out his character, perhaps even eventually revealing the soldier’s real name.
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