If you watched Ganglands on Netflix and immediately wanted more of that tense, gritty French action energy, the same creative team has something new ready for you.
Elite Force, an eight-episode action-thriller series created by Julien Leclercq and Sylvain Caron, premieres globally on Netflix on July 22, 2026.
This time, instead of the criminal underworld, the focus shifts to the other side — France’s most feared and respected tactical police unit.
What Is Elite Force About?
The series centres on the GIGN — Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale — which is France’s elite special operations unit. These are the people called in when situations have gone well beyond what regular police can handle.
Hostage rescues, counterterrorism operations, crisis response — the GIGN operates at the sharpest end of law enforcement, and Elite Force puts you right inside that world.
The central story follows a veteran commander who is on the verge of retirement. He’s earned his rest, he’s done his time, and he’s ready to step back from a career that has demanded everything from him. Then a devastating attack hits his unit.
Suddenly, stepping back is no longer an option. The commander is pulled back into active service to lead one final mission — the most dangerous and personal of his career.
What follows across the eight episodes is a tense, high-octane series built around both the physical demands of elite tactical operations and the emotional weight of a man who has given his life to this job being asked to give it one more time.
Elite Force Cast
Tomer Sisley leads the series, bringing the kind of quiet intensity that the role clearly demands. Sisley is a familiar face to French cinema and television audiences, known for his ability to carry physically demanding roles with real emotional grounding.
Guillaume Gouix and Tristan Zanchi round out the principal cast, with the ensemble supporting the core story of the veteran commander and his unit.
The Creators Behind Elite Force
The fact that this series comes from Julien Leclercq and Sylvain Caron — the team behind Ganglands — tells you a lot about what to expect in terms of tone, pacing, and execution.
Ganglands became one of Netflix’s more talked-about French originals by delivering genuine tension, well-crafted action, and characters with enough depth to make the stakes feel real. It wasn’t just stylish — it was gripping. The partnership between Leclercq, who has a strong background in action filmmaking, and Caron, who brings sharp storytelling instincts, produced something that connected with audiences well beyond France.
Elite Force appears to be applying that same formula to a completely different but equally compelling subject. Where Ganglands explored the criminal world from the inside, Elite Force explores the counter-force — the people trained to operate in the most extreme situations imaginable.
Eight Episodes, One Complete Story
The series runs to eight episodes, which is a format that suits this kind of storytelling well. Long enough to develop the characters properly and build genuine tension across multiple operations, tight enough to stay focused and not overstay its welcome.
For viewers who prefer to binge, the full season arriving at once on July 22 means you can watch at whatever pace you choose. For those who like to savour it episode by episode, there’s enough within each episode to make each sitting feel complete.
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Is It Worth Watching?
If the pedigree of the creators and the premise haven’t already sold you, consider this — French action television on Netflix has had a strong record in recent years, and a series focused on the real-world operations of an elite tactical unit, led by a veteran commander in one last high-stakes mission, has all the ingredients to be genuinely compelling.
Elite Force premieres on Netflix on July 22, 2026. All eight episodes drop simultaneously for global audiences.