The 2026 Netflix action film War Machine was primarily shot in Victoria, Australia, and Queenstown, New Zealand. The movie features dramatic alpine landscapes that enhance its survival thriller plot. Filming locations include accessible towns popular with travelers.
War Machine, a sci-fi action thriller that premiered on Netflix on March 6, 2026, follows Army Ranger candidate 81, played by Alan Ritchson, during a training exercise that turns deadly after encountering a giant alien machine in the wilderness. The cast also includes Dennis Quaid, Stephan James, Jai Courtney, Esai Morales, Keiynan Lonsdale, and Daniel Webber. The film had a limited theatrical release in Australia on February 12, 2026, and runs for 1 hour and 46 minutes.
Production took place mainly in Victoria, Australia, with wilderness scenes filmed around the alpine towns of Bright and Myrtleford in the Ovens Valley, about three hours northeast of Melbourne. These areas, at the foothills of the Victorian Alps, provided forests and mountain terrain for the film's intense survival sequences. Interior and studio work occurred at Docklands Studios Melbourne, while military training scenes were shot at RAAF Base Williams in Laverton, an active Royal Australian Air Force base not open to the public.
The final stages of filming shifted to New Zealand's South Island, focusing on Queenstown, a resort town on Lake Wakatipu surrounded by alpine mountains. Key outdoor sequences used the Kawarau River gorge near Queenstown for its steep canyon walls and rushing river. Additional scenes were captured in Wanaka, an hour north of Queenstown, known for its lakefront setting, and in Alexandra, which offered inland alpine and rural scenery.
These locations are visitor-friendly: Bright and Myrtleford are reachable by car from Melbourne and popular for hiking, cycling, and autumn foliage in April and May. Queenstown has an international airport with connections from Auckland, Sydney, and Melbourne, making it a hub for adventure activities. Wanaka provides a quieter alternative to Queenstown. The film shares no connection with the 2017 Brad Pitt satire of the same name.
