Hollywood is always on the lookout for the next big genre to exploit for lining up easy box office home runs. As Hollywood continues to navigate shifting box-office trends and evolving viewer preferences, blockbuster fixture Chris Pratt believes viewers are ready for a major return to form. The actor suggests that contemporary audiences are actively craving old-school cinematic thrills, pointing to a growing appetite for straightforward, high-stakes narratives that embrace classical values without hesitation. 

According to Chris Pratt, the audience is ready for out-and-out patriotic ventures that are not afraid to really lean into the genre, embracing all of its traditional tropes with modern sensibilities.

During a recent stop on The Tonight Show, Chris Pratt sat down with Jimmy Fallon to unpack the massive breakout success of his hit series The Terminal List, pointing directly to a specific segment of moviegoers that Hollywood frequently overlooks. The star noted that the creative team simply set out to deliver a high-octane, flag-waving action thriller that held nothing back, and viewers responded by tuning in in droves.

"We just wanted to make an unapologetic, patriotic, kick-a** action show and the audience really turned up," Pratt said.

According to the leading man, a core element of the series' resonance stems from its strict adherence to tactical realism, heavily driven by the presence of former Navy SEALs and military veterans on set. Pratt highlighted that the firsthand operational background of these consultants ensures that every combat sequence, behavioral nuance, tactical movement, and piece of military jargon hits with absolute precision. 

He noted on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that feedback from real-world service members who have completed multiple overseas deployments serves as the ultimate stamp of approval, with veterans frequently praising the production's true-to-life decorum - an uncompromising commitment to accuracy that he believes forms the bedrock of the show's massive appeal.

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Looking ahead to the highly anticipated sophomore outing of his hit series, the star outlined how the narrative landscape is set to undergo a dramatic evolution.

Recapping where things left off on The Tonight Show, he reminded viewers that the first season of The Terminal List was a dark, brooding revenge ride about a Navy SEAL hunting down the masterminds behind a conspiracy that wiped out his squad, took his family, and left him facing a brain tumor. Now that the dust has settled on that initial vendetta - with our hero casually sailing off into the sunset after crossing off every name on his hit list - season 2 is ready to switch gears. 

Based on the next books in the series, the show is trading in local vengeance for a much bigger sandbox, transforming into a fast-moving, globe-trotting espionage thriller that takes the action all over the map. Season 2 of the show, the trailer for which was dropped back in August,  premiered on Prime Video on October 21, 2026.

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Do you agree with Chris Pratt’s assessment of the current mood of the audience? Do let us know.