TORONTO -- In looking at the path of his fellow "That '70s Show" alumni, it seemed a natural fit for Topher Grace to wind up on Netflix.

Grace stars opposite Brad Pitt in the streaming service's new original military satire "War Machine," which debuts on Friday. Netflix paid a reported US$60 million to acquire the rights to the film, making it one of its most ambitious projects yet.

He follows in the footsteps of several "That '70s Show" castmates who've also starred in Netflix original projects -- from Laura Prepon on "Orange Is the New Black," to Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson and Wilmer Valderrama on "The Ranch."

Asked if he'd be into a "That '70s Show" reboot or reunion, Grace said: "I would do anything to be able to hang out with those guys again."

"I love those guys and I'd also love to work with them again," the New York native added during a recent promotional stop in Toronto.

"That was a really magical time for all of us. It's kind of like if you think back to being in high school, how great it was being in high school with your high-school friends, then imagine that everyone in the country liked hanging out, too."

In "War Machine," Pitt stars as a bold, overconfident general who goes into Afghanistan to lead U.S. and coalition forces through a war that seemingly can't be won.

Australian filmmaker David Michod ("Animal Kingdom") wrote and directed the darkly absurdist comedy, which is inspired by the book "The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan" by the late journalist Michael Hastings. The book details the short-lived leadership of Gen. Stanley McChrystal in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.

Grace plays a cocky civilian public relations consultant trying to put a positive spin on the war.

"He's a civilian and that's what's made it so easy as an actor. There's a lot you don't know when you're an actor and you're playing someone in the military ... but that kind of worked for me," he said.

"I popped my collar one day and the military adviser on the film said, 'No no, you would never do that,' and the director said, 'No no, let him do it, because he's an idiot.' I assume he was talking about my character."

Grace, whose other major roles have included Eddie Brock/Venom in "Spider-Man 3," said "War Machine" represents his "favourite type of movie, which is kind of an equal dose of both (drama and satire)."

"They're hard films to make and they're always really interesting characters to play when you're not just one colour," he said.

"I remember when I read the script I thought, 'Oh man, this is why I liked "Dr. Strangelove" so much, this is why I liked "Catch-22" so much.' It sugarcoats the pill. It talks about something very serious but in a way that makes it more accessible."

The satirical tone also helped Michod do a "deeper dive than a biopic," added Grace.

"I was just with him the other day and he was talking in an interview about how a lot of films about war wind up kind of being propaganda for war, and he really wanted to do a film that was about war. It was more about the military industrial complex, and I think this film shows both sides and he did an amazing job."