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Image via Nancy Rivera/INSTARimagesAlthough Mark Wahlberg is well known and loved for his humorous roles in action flicks, fans apparently can't get enough of his acclaimed, relentless war drama from 13 years ago. Written and directed by Peter Berg, Lone Survivor is back in the limelight after being a critical and commercial hit upon its release in 2013. The war drama had a limited release in the US on December 25, 2013, before opening across North America on January 10, 2014. It then debuted on Netflix less than two weeks ago, where it has instantly become a streaming sensation.
As the new week began, Lone Survivor surged on the Netflix charts, becoming the tenth-most popular movie on the streamer after being added on January 1, 2026. Besides Wahlberg, who portrayed Hospital Corpsman First Class Marcus Luttrell, the action movie starred Taylor Kitsch as Lieutenant Michael P. "Murph" Murphy; Emile Hirsch as Gunner's mate Second Class Danny Dietz; Ben Foster as Sonar Technician Second Class Matthew "Axe" Axelson; and Eric Bana as Lieutenant Commander Erik S. Kristensen.
Lone Survivor is based on Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson's 2007 nonfiction book, and in re-enacting events, Berg drew much of his screenplay from Luttrell's eyewitness accounts in the book, as well as autopsy and incident reports related to the mission. The movie is set in 2005 Afghanistan, where Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell, Michael Murphy, Danny Dietz, and Matthew "Axe" Axelson deploy on a mission of surveillance and to take out Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. Though spotted by goatherders, Luttrell and his team decide not to kill them. But one of the Afghans alerts a group of Taliban fighters to the invaders, and a terrible battle ensues, in which the SEALs find themselves hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned.
How Well Do You Know Mark Wahlberg?
Wahlberg made his acting debut in 1993 in the television film The Substitute, written by David S. Goyer (under the pseudonym Cynthia Verlaine). He later made his big screen debut in Renaissance Man (1994) and had his first starring role in Fear (1996) before venturing into big-budget action movies in the early 2000s. Throughout his career, the award-winning actor has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and nine Primetime Emmy Awards.
Lone Survivor streams on Netflix. Stick with Collider for the latest streaming news.
Release Date December 24, 2013
Runtime 121 minutes
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Petty Officer First Class Marcus Luttrell
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Lieutenant Michael "Mike" Murphy
English (US) ·