Netflix Premieres “MARINES” Docuseries on the 250th Birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps
Netflix recently announced MARINES, a new four-part documentary series offering an unprecedented inside look at the United States Marine Corps. Produced by Lucky 8 TV and Amblin Entertainment and distributed by Netflix, the series will premiere Nov. 10, 2025—coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps’ founding on Nov. 10, 1775.
Inside the Series
Directed by Chelsea Yarnell, known for her work producing Cheer and America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, MARINES follows several members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit during a deployment across the Indo-Pacific. The series immerses viewers in the intensity, camaraderie, and personal sacrifice of Marines as they undergo training and live aboard the USS America (LHA 6) and USS Green Bay (LPD 20), all while navigating the high-stakes region where the United States faces strategic challenges.
Described by Netflix as a “coming-of-age” military documentary, MARINES embeds viewers with a variety of ranks and personalities. From infantry machine gunners to fighter pilots to leaders of the unit, the documentary provides an unfiltered look at the faces that make up the nation’s “911 force.”
“This series offers a raw, authentic, and unvarnished look at the 31st MEU,” said Lt. Col. Matt Hilton, the director of the Marine Corps Entertainment & Media Liaison Office (EMLO). “We partnered with world-class producers because they were committed to accuracy and integrity. Our goal is to help the public better understand the mission of our Marines and Sailors.”
Filmed primarily over the course of three months in 2024, the Marine Corps granted producers rare and unfettered access to Marines at every rank as they confronted the challenges of modern military life and the complexities of serving at the leading edge of America’s defense in the Indo-Pacific region.
The series plunges viewers into the heart of operations rarely seen by the public. Audiences will experience the tension of high-stakes maritime interdiction missions, known as Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS), and soar alongside fifth-generation F-35B Lightning II fighters as they perform delicate mid-air refueling maneuvers essential for projecting power across the vast Indo-Pacific.
“This was a tremendous and rare opportunity to embed with the U.S. Marine Corps,” said Kim Woodard and Greg Henry, co-presidents of Lucky 8. “We were granted full and unfettered access to document the intensity of deployment and training.”
EMLO facilitated production to ensure compliance with security, accuracy, policy, and propriety (SAPP) standards. While the Corps facilitated access and reviewed material for factual accuracy, it had no editorial control over the final cut. What audiences will see in the show is exactly how creators intended the show to be seen.
Supported by General Eric M. Smith, the 39th Commandant of the Marine Corps, the project aligns with the Corps’ strategic communication priorities. General Smith directed Marine leaders to provide “complete, unfettered, unvarnished access,” allowing filmmakers to tell the story “through the eyes of our lance corporals.”
Additionally, MARINES highlights the Corps' pivotal role within the National Defense Strategy, spotlighting its “Stand-In Force” concept, which focuses on rapid crisis response, continuous forward-deployed readiness, and strategic deterrence across the Indo-Pacific. The series also delves into the Marine Corps' ambitious Force Design initiative, a modernization program launched in 2020 that has reshaped parts of the Corps by reorganizing units, streamlining personnel requirements, and rapidly procuring, fielding,, and integrating advanced technologies at every echelon for the service to create a truly modernized warfighting force.
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