10 Great Western Movies & Shows From The Last 10 Years That Weren’t Made By Taylor Sheridan

Best known for his part in creating the wildly successful television show Yellowstone and its prequels, 1883 and 1923, Taylor Sheridan’s work has dominated the Western genre’s landscape for the last decade. However, while Sheridan’s television shows form the vast majority of his work, the American has also written a number of prominent Western films in recent years. As such, Sheridan boasts writing credits on the acclaimed likes of Sicario, Hell or High Water, and Wind River to name but a few.

However, while Sheridan’s projects have arguably defined the Western genre throughout the past decade, he has decidedly not been the only talented filmmaker plying his trade with this particular brand of film. The last ten years have seen the debuts of several first-rate Western movies and television shows devoid of Sheridan’s involvement, staking their claim as the genre’s new standouts without the guiding influence of the man that many consider to be the best Western director currently plying his trade in popular culture today.

10

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Directed By S. Craig Zahler

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Bone Tomahawk

Not Rated
WesternAdventureDocumentaryHorrorThriller

Release Date

October 23, 2015

Runtime

132 minutes

Director

S. Craig Zahler

Writers

S. Craig Zahler

Cast

  • Headshot Of Patrick Wilson

    Patrick Wilson

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    Kurt Russell

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    Sean Young

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Bone Tomahawk is a Western film that follows Sheriff Franklin Hunt, who gathers together a group of fighters to save three kidnapped victims from a clan of cannibals. After the town’s doctor is kidnapped along with two others, forcing the sheriff to partner with the town’s Native American professor and find the tribe before it’s too late.

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Featuring Tombstone star Kurt Russell in the leading role, Bone Tomahawk serves as an inspired cocktail of the Western and horror genres. Depicting an Old West town where the inhabitants are terrorized by a gang of sadistic cannibals, the 2015 movie’s cast features the likes of Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins, and David Arquette to complement Russell’s gravitas and assured screen presence.

Kurt Russell standing in front of another man in Bone Tomahawk

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Earning a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Bone Tomahawk was well-received by fans and critics alike. Utilizing a slow-burn approach to cultivate an immense aura of tension, Steven Craig Zahler’s feature film directorial debut is also renowned for featuring some of the most gruesome death scenes of all time, highlighting the terrifying nature of the movie’s cannibals in sharp relief. Throw in some superb performances from the remainder of the movie’s cast, and Bone Tomahawk stands as a notable hidden gem for the genre.

9

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

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Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon

HistoryDramaCrime

Runtime

200minutes

Director

Martin Scorsese

Writers

Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese

Cast

  • Headshot Of Leonardo DiCaprio In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Leonardo DiCaprio

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    Louis Cancelmi

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    Jillian Dion

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Killers of the Flower Moon is the next film from director Martin Scorsese, based on the non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, initially captured by David Grann. When members of the Osage tribe are murdered in the 1920s via mysterious circumstances shortly after the discovery of oil on Native-American soil, the FBI is established to uncover the true reason behind them.

Studio(s)

Paramount Pictures

Distributor(s)

Apple, Paramount Pictures

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Following his work on 2019’s gangster epic The Irishman, Martin Scorsese’s next project proved to be one of the acclaimed director’s best movies in a long and storied career. This movie took the form of 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon, a revisionist Western boasting an ensemble cast. The film is based on a remarkable true story, concerning a series of murders perpetrated against Osage Nation members after oil is discovered on their tribal land.

Killers of the Flower Moon was released to highly positive reviews, with many critics labeling Scorsese’s latest work as one of his finest. Receiving ten Oscar nominations across various categories at the 96th Academy Awards, the Leonardo DiCaprio-led enterprise holds a stellar 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Clocking in at 206 minutes, Scorsese’s film is decidedly not light viewing, but it’s an absolutely masterful piece of cinema for anybody patient enough to wait and find out.

8

Westworld (2016-2022)

Created By Jonathan Nolan & Lisa Joy

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Westworld

TV-MA
Sci-FiThrillerWestern

Release Date

2016 – 2021

Network

HBO Max

Showrunner

Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy

Writers

Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy

Cast

  • Headshot Of Anthony Hopkins In The 94th Academy Awards (Oscars)

    Anthony Hopkins

  • Headshot Of Evan Rachel Wood

    Evan Rachel Wood

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    Shannon Woodward

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HBO’s Westworld is a dystopian science fiction western that is based on the Michael Crichton-directed film, Westworld. The series centers on high-paying guests who visit a western theme park full of human-like androids to live out wild fantasies. Westworld would later introduce a futuristic mid-21st century where the world is run by an artificial intelligence called Rehoboam. The series was incredibly popular during its four-season run but was canceled by HBO in November 2022.

Seasons

4

Story By

Michael Crichton

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Loosely based on the 1973 film of the same name, Westworld depicts a dystopian reality where high-paying guests visit huge period-themed “parks”. Indulging in their wildest and most depraved fantasies, this takes place at the expense of the hosts, androids who are indistinguishable from human beings on the outside. The show’s most iconic park is undoubtedly its Western themed offering, serving as the backdrop for the first and much of the second season.

While Westworld fell off in jarring fashion the instant that the action left the parks, the quality of the show’s first two seasons is stellar. An array of nuanced performances and intricate story lines set to an exemplary score render Westworld a must-see for any fans of the genre. One of the best Western shows from the last decade, Westworld’s brand of television couldn’t be any more different to Sheridan’s creative style, but still lands for a visually arresting and awe-inspiring viewing experience.

7

The English (2022)

Directed By Hugo Black

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The English

The English

Release Date

2022 – 2021

Directors

Hugo Blick

Cast

  • Headshot Of Chaske Spencer

    Chaske Spencer

  • Headshot Of Emily Blunt

    Emily Blunt

  • Headshot Of Tom Hughes

    Tom Hughes

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A woman seeks revenge against the man she believes is responsible for the death of her son.

Number of Episodes

6

Seasons

1

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An epic tale of revenge set against the backdrop of the Old West, limited series The English stars Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer. Hugo Blick’s 2022 offering sees Blunt’s character travel to America in search of retribution against the man she believed to have killed her son, calling on the help of Chaske’s Eli Whipp, a former cavalry scout and member of the Pawnee nation, who is looking to claim the land that he is owed.

…The English isn’t flawless, but the leading duo’s performances make it easier to gloss over some of the series’ more prevalent shortcomings.

The English is just as captivating as the series’ array of glowing reviews would indicate. Painting a beautifully ruthless picture of life at the time, Blunt and Spencer shine in their roles, producing two award-worthy performances to carry this polished miniseries across six electrifying episodes. A devastating story complemented by some notably impressive cinematography, The English isn’t flawless, but the leading duo’s performances make it easier to gloss over some of the series’ more prevalent shortcomings.

6

Godless (2017)

Created By Scott Frank

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Godless

TV-MA
WesternDrama

Release Date

2017 – 2016

Network

Netflix

Directors

Scott Frank

Cast

  • Headshot of Sam Waterston

    Sam Waterston

    Marshall John Cook

  • Headshot Of Jack O'Connell

    Jack O’Connell

    Roy Goode

  • Headshot Of Michelle Dockery

    Michelle Dockery

    Alice Fletcher

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Godless, released in 2017, is a western drama series that follows a notorious outlaw seeking revenge on a former gang member. The series is set in a unique town inhabited solely by women, where the past catches up with the peaceful community amidst the harsh backdrop of the American West.

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Scott Frank

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Blessed with a cast befitting of a blockbuster, 2017’s Godless stars the big name likes of Jack O’Connell, Jeff Daniels, and Michelle Dockery. The 2017 miniseries sees O’Connell’s character find himself in an Old West town populated almost entirely by women following a mining accident, attempting to flee from the sadistic proclivities of his former boss, Daniels’ Frank Griffin.

Featuring on several prominent critics’ top 10 lists for the year, Godless landed excellent reviews.

Featuring on several prominent critics’ top ten lists for the year, Godless landed to excellent reviews; Scott Frank’s miniseries holds a rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. Featuring all the traditional bells and whistles required for a quality Western offering, the series’ unique female-driven premise helps elevate Godless above the rest of its contemporaries without sacrificing any of the stylized violence and ice-cool dialogue that have traditionally attracted many Western fans.

5

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Directed By Jane Campion

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The Power of the Dog

R
WesternDrama

Release Date

November 17, 2021

Runtime

126 minutes

Director

Jane Campion

Writers

Jane Campion

Cast

  • Headshot Of Frances Conroy

    Frances Conroy

  • Headshot Of Jesse Plemons In The  Los Angeles Special Screening Of A24's Civil War

    Jesse Plemons

  • Headshot Of Kirsten Dunst

    Kirsten Dunst

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The Power of the Dog is a Western drama film adapted from the novel by Thomas Savage. When a widow and her son move into a ranch, she captures the attention of a kindly gentleman named George, much to the chagrin of his brother, Phil. After they marry, Phil’s temper begins to flare, and he begins to torment the two – but his behavior may spell disaster when his new nephew’s darker side comes to light.

Studio(s)

Netflix

Distributor(s)

Netflix

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Loosely based on a true story, it is widely acknowledged that 2021’s The Power of the Dog was unjustly overlooked at the 94th Academy Awards. Despite receiving a whopping twelve nominations, the movie only won a solitary Oscar, with Jane Campion taking home the statuette for Best Director. This feels like a notable travesty as of 2024, particularly when one considers that The Power of the Dog is regarded by many critics as one of the finest films of 2021 and appeared on multiple top ten lists.

Every single member of the movie’s four core cast members received Oscar nominations for their performances in The Power of the Dog.

The movie leverages Benedict Cumberbatch’s considerable gifts to full effect, with the Sherlock alum delivering a knockout performance in the leading role. Featuring a devastating movie twist ending, Campion’s picture is a superbly produced commentary on weighty topics in the vein of masculinity, isolation, and sexual repression, a standout for the Western genre that is rarely given the full appreciation that it deserves.

4

The Revenant (2015)

Directed By Alejandro González Iñárritu

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8.7/10

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The Revenant

R
AdventureDrama

Release Date

December 25, 2015

Runtime

156 minutes

Director

Alejandro González Iñárritu

Writers

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mark L. Smith

Cast

  • Headshot OF Will Poulter

    Will Poulter

  • Headshot Of Leonardo DiCaprio In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

    Leonardo DiCaprio

  • Headshot of Paul Anderson

    Paul Anderson

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Inspired by the true events in the life of Hugh Glass, The Revenant is an action-drama movie that sees Leonardo DiCaprio in the starring role. Betrayed and left for dead by one of the members of his hunting group, Glass finds himself contending with some of the harshest elements imaginable while tending to his deadly wounds, as his will to carry on and need for revenge push him to carry on in this gripping tale of survival.

Studio(s)

20th Century

Distributor(s)

20th Century

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The movie that finally earned Leonardo DiCaprio his long-awaited Academy Award, 2015’s The Revenant is a visceral cinematic experience for the ages. Based on a true story, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s movie sees DiCaprio take on the role of Hugh Glass; a trapper who returns from the dead after being mauled by a grizzly bear to carry out his vengeance against the man who abandoned him to die and murdered his son.

DiCaprio utterly loses himself in his portrayal as Glass, turning in a mesmerizing bow that more than warrants his Academy Award for Best Actor.

Playing host to one of the Western genre’s best villains in Tom Hardy’s John Fitzgerald, The Revenant is a gloriously shot and magnificently acted tale of revenge, bravery, and the indomitability of the human spirit. DiCaprio utterly loses himself in his portrayal of Glass, turning in a mesmerizing bow that more than warrants his Academy Award for Best Actor. The movie also took home Best Director and Best Cinematography out of its twelve Oscar nominations, underlining its status as one of the genre’s best offerings from the last decade.

3

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Directed By Quentin Tarantino

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The Hateful Eight

R
MysteryThrillerDrama

Release Date

December 25, 2015

Runtime

188 Minutes

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Writers

Quentin Tarantino

Cast

  • Headshot Of Zoe Bell

    Zoe Bell

  • Headshot Of Jennifer Jason Leigh

    Jennifer Jason Leigh

  • Headshot Of Michael Madsen

    Michael Madsen

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Quentin Tarantino’s 2015 Western incorporates elements of the mystery and thriller genres. Set in 1877, The Hateful Eight follows eight strangers who seek refuge from a blizzard in an isolated stagecoach stopover. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Channing Tatum, The Hateful Eight was inspired by the Western TV shows of 1960s.

Studio(s)

The Weinstein Company, Shiny Penny, Film Colony, Double Feature Films, Visiona Romantica

Distributor(s)

The Weinstein Company

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A wickedly intricate tale of murder and deceit set against the backdrop of a blizzard in the Old West, 2015’s The Hateful Eight is Quentin Tarantino at his inimitable best. Returning to the genre where he had found abundant success with 2012’s Django Unchained, the director’s second Western offering in a row boasts an ensemble cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh among other prominent A-Listers.

Jennifer Jason Leigh received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her bow as Daisy Domergue.

Despite a warranted degree of controversy concerning the movie’s depiction of race relations and the violence perpetrated against Leigh’s character, The Hateful Eight still raked in largely positive reviews. The quintessential movie where every character is horrible, Tarantino’s latest twist-filled work holds a 75% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting that the director was capable of producing his old magic. Adding to the film’s accolades, the legendary late composer, Ennio Morricone, even finally won an Oscar for his work after being nominated for the fifth time.

2

Wynonna Earp (2016-2021)

Created By Emily Andras

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Wynonna Earp

FantasyDramaAction

Release Date

2016 – 2020

Network

SyFy

Showrunner

emily andras

Directors

emily andras

Writers

emily andras

Cast

  • Headshot Of Melanie Scrofano

    Melanie Scrofano

  • headshot Of Tim Rozon

    Tim Rozon

  • Headshot Of Shamier Anderson

    Shamier Anderson

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Based on a comic book series by Beau Smith, Wynonna Earp tells the story of the titular heroine who is the great-great-granddaughter of Wyatt Earp. The series follows Wynonna’s return to her hometown, where she must do battle with the reanimated criminals previously killed by Earp. Aided by her sister, her great-great-grandfather’s immortal partner Doc Holiday, and a member of the US Marshals, Wynonna works to keep Purgatory safe from the revenants. 

Seasons

4

Story By

emily andras

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Based on the comic book series of the same name by Beau Smith, Syfy’s Wynonna Earp debuted in 2016 and ran for four seasons before concluding in 2021. The Western supernatural series follows Melanie Scrofano’s titular character, a descendant of legendary Western gunman Wyatt Earp who finds herself forced to do battle with the reincarnated ghosts of outlaws that Wyatt dispatched in his lifetime.

Earning widespread praise for its LBGTQ+ and feminist representation, Wynonna Earp received consistently positive reviews throughout its run. Supported by an array of knock-out supporting performances, Scrofano does sterling work in the lead role, producing an instantly quotable, female badass unlike anyone that many fans of the genre had seen before. Fan outcry was so fierce when the show ended that it duly ended up returning for a one-off 2024 special entitled Wynonna Earp: Vengeance.

1

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Directed By Joel & Ethan Coen

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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

R
Western

Release Date

November 9, 2018

Runtime

133 Minutes

Director

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Writers

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Jack London

Cast

  • Headhsot of Tim Blake Nelson

    Tim Blake Nelson

    Buster Scruggs

  • Headshot Of Willie Watson

    Willie Watson

    The Kid

  • Headshot Of Clancy Brown In The Los Angeles premiere of 'Scrambled' at AMC Westfield Century City

    Clancy Brown

    Curly Joe

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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a Western anthology film by the Coen Brothers that comprises six distinct stories. Each vignette explores themes of the American frontier, blending humor and tragedy. With a richly detailed setting, the film delves into various aspects of frontier life, showcasing a range of characters from singing cowboys to intrepid prospectors. The distinctive narrative style and evocative cinematography create a compelling portrait of the Old West.

Main Genre

Western

Studio(s)

Netflix

Distributor(s)

Netflix

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The latest joint movie offering from legendary filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs serves as a Western anthology offering consisting of various short stories. Featuring an impressive cast line-up boasting the likes of Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, and Liam Neeson, the 2018 film isn’t the Coen Brothers’ best movie, but still lands as a thoroughly enjoyable Western viewing experience nonetheless.

Custom image of Tim Blake Nelson, Zoe Kazan and Tom Waits in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

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Receiving positive reviews from critics, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs clocks in with a more than respectable Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 89%. The movie’s blend of whimsical humor and dark drama is complemented by the traditional Coen Brothers’ cinematic touches and flairs to produce a first-rate Western. While The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is often overlooked in favor of the duo’s more renowned bodies of work, it’s easily one of the finest productions to come out of the genre in recent memory.