Chris Pratt Trains His Bullied Nephew in the First ‘Way of the Warrior Kid’ Trailer

Chris Pratt is no stranger to playing a Navy SEAL. The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ star previously led the action thriller ‘The Terminal List’, and now he’s returning to that world in a very different kind of story, one aimed squarely at families.

His latest project is ‘Way of the Warrior Kid’, an Apple Original Film produced by Skydance and adapted from the bestselling 2017 novel ‘Way of the Warrior Kid: From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way’ by former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink. The project generated major buzz before cameras rolled, landing a reported $85 million global deal ahead of the Cannes market in 2024.

Now audiences are getting their first real look at the film. As several outlets shared, Apple has released the first trailer for ‘Way of the Warrior Kid’, starring Pratt and Jude Hill as a decorated Navy SEAL and the nephew he trains to stand up to his bullies.

The key art captures the film’s warm, playful tone. It shows Hill hanging from a pull-up bar in a cozy home gym while perched on Pratt’s shoulders, surrounded by weights and a punching bag.

Hill plays Marc, a good but self-doubting 11-year-old for whom middle school has been a nightmare. He’s bullied by his classmates and feels behind in everything, from academics to gym class to simply making friends.

Everything changes when his Uncle Jake, played by Pratt, comes to spend the summer recuperating with Marc and his mother, Sarah, played by Linda Cardellini. Jake, a decorated Navy SEAL injured on a mission, devises an ambitious training program called Operation Warrior Kid based on his own SEAL experience.

First trailer for ‘WAY OF THE WARRIOR KID’, starring Chris Pratt and Jude Hill. The film follows a decorated Navy SEAL who trains his nephew to stand up to his bullies. Releasing November 20 on Apple TV. https://t.co/lLFItkh5eu

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 27, 2026

Rather than teaching his nephew how to fight, Jake sets out to show Marc what real courage looks like. Along the way, the injured SEAL must also face down his own demons. The film is directed by McG, known for ‘Charlie’s Angels’ and ‘Terminator Salvation’, from a screenplay by Will Staples, whose credits include ‘Without Remorse’. Willink also appears in the film alongside Pratt, Hill and Cardellini.

The supporting cast includes Ava Torres, Levi McConaughey, Darien Sills-Evans, Carl McDowell and Parker Young. Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger produce alongside McG, Mary Viola, Pratt, Ben Everard, Bruce Wayne Gillies and Willink.

Pratt has spoken enthusiastically about the project. He has said he has known Willink for a couple of years and was eager to read the script based on the author’s series of children’s books.

The actor has also compared the material to the kind of generation-defining stories found in classics like ‘The Karate Kid’ and ‘Rocky’. He has expressed hope that the film will inspire young viewers with lessons about discipline, self-reliance, strength, and compassion.

First poster for ‘WAY OF THE WARRIOR KID’, starring Chris Pratt and Jude Hill. The film follows a decorated Navy SEAL who trains his nephew to stand up to his bullies. Releasing November 20 on Apple TV. https://t.co/sIy9br9cb1

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 26, 2026

Apple’s official announcement confirms that ‘Way of the Warrior Kid’ will debut globally on Apple TV on Wednesday, November 25, just ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Some earlier reports listed November 20, but Apple’s latest press release sets the premiere for November 25.

With its blend of action, heart, and practical life lessons drawn from special operations training, the film is positioning itself as an inspirational coming-of-age story for the whole family.

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