Netflix has released a new trailer for its upcoming sci-fi warfare action movie Outside the Wire, and it looks like it could be another winner for fans of the genre. The film stars Anthony Mackie and Damson Idris and is directed by Swedish filmmaker Mikael Håfström. Outside the Wire is set to premiere exclusively on Netflix on January 15.

As the content wars between different streaming services have heated up over the past year, Netflix has found some definite success in the realm of original action movies. Recent entries in the genre like Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction and Charlize Theron’s The Old Guard (both 2020) released to favorable receptions from critics and viewers alike. It seems that Netflix is hoping to carry that recent pedigree into Outside the Wire as well, which sets its action in a near-future battle between robotically-enhanced American military forces and warlords bent on nuclear destruction.

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The new trailer from Netflix introduces Harp (Idris), a US drone operator sent to a border regiment to punish him for insubordination. He meets commanding officer Leo (Mackie), a human/robot/AI hybrid with super-soldier abilities. The two embark on a dangerous mission into the demilitarized zone to prevent a notorious warlord from sparking Armageddon via dormant nuclear weapons. The trailer is pretty standard fare for the genre, and that’s not a bad thing. There are plenty of quips, explosions, cyber weapons, robotic limbs, and bombed-out battlefields to get sci-fi fans excited for the movie’s release.

As Disney+ and HBO Max continue gaining ground on Netflix in the streaming market, original content like Outside the Wire is becoming increasingly important. The veteran platform has announced plans to build out more franchise-driven content to compete with the MCU, Star Wars, and DC Comics. Original action films like Outside the Wire and The Old Guard aren’t entirely on the level of those top-rated transmedia series, but they help Netflix corner the market a bit on a genre with major mass appeal.

Any film or show with a bit of a unique world behind it also holds spinoff potential. Outside the Wire doesn’t look like it was made with franchise aspirations in mind, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t spawn additional installments if it picks up enough traction on release. At the very least, fans of classic sci-fi action should have plenty to enjoy when Outside the Wire release on Netflix on Friday, January 15.

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Source: Netflix