10 Best Modern Westerns Like ‘Tombstone’

Westerns can be an acquired taste for moviegoers. Some people love them, others aren’t big fans. But certain westerns appeal to the masses. Some of the most beloved westerns, such as Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy, John Wayne vehicles like The Searchers and other classics like True Grit, Unforgiven, and Dances with Wolves, have been huge hits with critics and fans.

Western films were incredibly popular in the earlier parts of the 20th century. They seemed to fall out of favor through the ’70s and ’80s. But they started to make a resurgence in the 1990s. One of the most beloved of the time period, Tombstone, has seen a resurgence in recent weeks after the death of star Val Kilmer. There are many films that take elements from westerns in recent memory, as modern westerns aren’t always set in the Wild West. But if you’re looking for a movie that will remind you of Tombstone, there are plenty to choose from that came out in the past 10 years.

10

‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ (2018)

A great way to start is by looking at six different stories set in the Wild West. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was released in 2018 and is directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The titular Buster Scruggs is played by Coen Brothers’ favorite Tim Blake Nelson clad in a white cowboy outfit. As each story is told, it tells of different aspects of the Old West, all in the Coen Brothers’ unique style.

There are segments that star James Franco, Tom Waits, Zoe Kazan, Tyne Daly, and Brendan Gleeson, and a haunting one starring Liam Neeson. The music really shines in this one, as there are songs in every segment. It is the first Coen Brothers film that was shot digitally, but it still feels like a movie shot in older times.

9

‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)

If a movie is written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, chances are it is going to be a masterclass in storytelling and it’s going to be incredibly violent. The Hateful Eight checks both of those boxes, as it has a tremendous cast, an incredible setting, and a wild plot that sucks in any viewer. The cast is packed with Kurt Russell, who has made his name in westerns including Tombstone, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Demian Bichir, and Michael Madsen. A crazy snowstorm keeps eight people in a cabin, many of whom have secrets and none of whom are afraid to kill to hide them.

The quick-draw nature of the characters and the gratuitous violence make this a western that isn’t for everyone. But it is a fascinating character study with skilled actors who chew up the dialogue. There’s also a whodunit aspect to the plot, making it a dangerous ride from the start. Jennifer Jason Leigh was nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role.

8

‘Hostiles’ (2017)

Hostiles

Release Date

January 19, 2018

Writers

pregnancy

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An underseen offering from Scott Cooper, Hostiles features his frequent collaborator, Christian Bale, as a U.S. Army officer escorting a Cheyenne war chief back home in the late 1800s. It’s beautifully shot with scenic landscapes and features excellent performances by Rosamund Pike, who plays a widow who joins the escort after her family is murdered, and Bale, who was the face of the film. It made for an exciting film that unfortunately bombed at the box office.

Wes Studi starred as Chief Yellow Hawk, being led by Bale’s Capt. Blocker, back to Montana. The film is unique because it features a lot of actors who went on to have big roles in other westerns as well. Jesse Plemons, Jonathan Majors, and Ben Foster all co-star in this and were all in other films that appear later on this list.

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7

‘Dead for a Dollar’ (2022)

Featuring a terrific cast and coming from a famous director, it’s surprising that Dead for a Dollar did not make a bigger splash when it was released in 2022. The film was written and directed by Walter Hill, who previously made 48 Hours and The Warriors, and starred Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe, and Rachel Brosnahan. Waltz is a bounty hunter who is searching for Brosnahan, a missing wife. Dafoe is a criminal who is getting released from prison and has a vendetta against Waltz’s Max Borlund.

Brosnahan steals the show from her two co-stars, as it is amusing seeing Mrs. Maisel firing guns. The movie is a fun and easy-to-follow film made perfect for streaming. It may not be the best Western in recent memory, but it is one that produces some memorable scenes and is worth looking up.

6

‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ (2024)

Nobody has been more synonymous with westerns in the past 40 years than Kevin Costner. From Dances with Wolves to Open Range to Yellowstone, Costner just seems at home on a ranch and near a horse. Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is the first entry of his planned four-part series. Costner reportedly has sank nearly $40M of his own money into the making of the movies. The first one was quite divisive, but it’s hard to argue that it’s great to look at.

It stars Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone, Michael Angarano, and more. It is a long film, lasting over three hours, making it a commitment for anyone who decides to dive in. But it does set up the soon-to-come other entries, making it worth seeing if you’re interested. There is a lot to unpack in this backstory of an epic saga. As with most Costner films, it’s worth paying attention to.

5

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)

Another lengthy film, Killers of the Flower Moon is yet another entry in the collaborative history of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. It’s also another entry for Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio in their history together as well. Set in the late 1910s and continuing from there, DiCaprio’s Ernest falls in love with Lily Gladstone’s Mollie, an Osage woman. His uncle, William King Hale, played by De Niro, orchestrated the killings of multiple Osage members to try and scoop up headrights from the Osage.

The film goes back and forth between Ernest trying to do things for Mollie and him trying to do things for his uncle. There’s a lot of crime, and the cast is filled out with Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and Tantoo Cardinal. It earned 10 Academy Award nominations and walked away with zero wins. But Gladstone became the first Native American woman to be nominated for Best Actress.

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4

‘Bone Tomahawk’ (2015)

Another western and another performance by Kurt Russell, Bone Tomahawk is different from pretty much every other western, maybe ever, made. The film is a horror western that features a sheriff trying to save people from Native American cannibals. The cast includes Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, David Arquette, and more. Written and directed by S. Craig Zahler, it has been lauded as one of the best of its genre ever.

There are some sadistic shots in this film and it can be hard to stomach for some. But if an audience can buy in, it is up for constant thrills. There are some aspects of scenes in this that audiences have never seen before and likely will never see again. It’s hard to describe some of them without giving away too much. Just trust this writer and give it a shot.

3

‘The Harder They Fall’ (2021)

What makes The Harder They Fall unique is that nearly all of its cast members are Black, which is rare for Western films. This turns the genre a bit on its head and is Jeymes Samuel’s directorial debut. Starring Idris Elba as the ruthless Rufus Buck and Jonathan Majors as Nat Love, a leader of a gang who wants revenge against Buck. The cast is filled out by Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, R.J. Cuyler, LaKeith Stanfield, Regina King, Danielle Deadwyler, and Edi Gathegi.

The cast was lauded for its performances, and the style of the film is gorgeous to watch. It’s incredibly fun and uses real-life people as characters, building on the stories of Buck, Bass Reeves, and Stagecoach Mary. Samuel even scored the film himself, making this a tour-de-force vehicle of him and his cast’s talents.

2

‘Hell or High Water’ (2016)

Hell or High Water

Release Date

August 12, 2016

Runtime

97minutes

Director

David Mackenzie

A true modern western, Hell or High Water has a screenplay written by the man behind many of the western series fans love today: Taylor Sheridan. Sheridan, the creator of shows like Yellowstone, 1883, and 1923, wrote the screenplay that was directed by David Mackenzie. The film features Chris Pine and Ben Foster as brothers who are bank robbers, and Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham as the Texas Rangers chasing after them. It’s a slick thriller that almost makes the audience feel the taste of dust on their tongues as the brothers go from town to town robbing banks and trying to elude the law.

Sheridan earned an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay, and Bridges one for his performance. The final act of the film features thrilling chase scenes that are gripping and make the audience think hard about whom to root for. Fans will leave the film feeling satisfied but also probably wanting to watch it and experience it again.

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1

‘The Power of the Dog’ (2021)

The third Jesse Plemons film to make an appearance on the list, The Power of the Dog is arguably the best western film to come out in the past 10 years. It stars Plemons as George Burbank, who owns a cattle ranch with his brother Phil, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The brothers meet Kirsten Dunst’s Rose and her son Peter, played by Kodi Smit-Mcphee. Rose marries George and comes to live with the brothers. Phil is mean to Rose and rude to Peter, but grows to appreciate him and aims to teach him how to ride a horse.

The film shows the harshness of growing up in the early 1900s and how society doesn’t always accept people for who they are. It was nominated for 11 Oscars. All four principal actors received Oscar nominations, and director Jane Campion won the Best Director Academy Award. The story is one of jealousy, grief, shame, strength, and sexuality, making it more of a character study than many other westerns of its time. It’s a gorgeous film with a sensitive side, rarely found in the genre.