Tombstone is a 1993 Western film directed by George P. Cosmatos and written by Kevin Jarre. Kurt Russell stars as Wyatt Earp and Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
The supporting cast includes Michael Biehn, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, and Powers Boothe. Robert Mitchum provides narration. The film briefly references real events from 1880s Arizona, including the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the Earp Vendetta Ride.
Wyatt Earp hopes to settle down peacefully in the lawless town of Tombstone with his brothers and close friend Doc Holliday. But as tensions rise and clashes with the outlaw gang known as the Cowboys escalate, Earp is drawn back into action.
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The film explores themes of loyalty and retribution in its portrayal of how Old West legends were born.
If viewers enjoyed Tombstone, here are seven other Westerns that tell equally compelling stories of the Old West.
Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
3:10 to Yuma and 6 other Western movies to watch if you liked Tombstone
1) 3:10 to Yuma
Russell Crowe and Christian Bale are featured in James Mangold's 2007 action movie 3:10 to Yuma, with Peter Fonda and Ben Foster playing supporting roles.
In order to feed his family, Dan Evans (Bale), a rancher trying to save his property, agrees to pay to escort notorious criminal Ben Wade (Crowe) to a train headed to prison.
Evans and Wade encounter constant risks while traversing a treacherous terrain in Arizona in 1884 as Wade's gang follows them. Loyalty and morality are put to the test when a heated struggle of wills breaks out between the bandit and the rancher.
Similar to Tombstone, 3:10 to Yuma examines morality and justice as a resolute man faces an infamous outlaw, facing both internal and external threats in a harsh Western environment.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+
2) Unforgiven
Clint Eastwood directs, produces, and stars as William Munny, an aging outlaw drawn back into violence for one final job, in the 1992 revisionist Western Unforgiven. Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris play supporting parts.
After a brutal assault goes unpunished in 1880s Wyoming, a group of s*x workers posts a bounty. A young hunter seeks help from Will Munny, a retired gunslinger struggling to support his kids. Joined by an old friend, Munny rides west, confronting danger and his past as justice blurs in a town ruled by a ruthless sheriff.
Unforgiven shares Tombstone's focus on revisiting the past as an aging gunslinger is pulled back into violent conflict.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Netflix, HBO Max
3) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Ron Hansen's book inspired Andrew Dominik's 2007 film, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The film focuses on the complex relationship between Casey Affleck's character, Robert Ford, and Brad Pitt's character, Jesse James.
Robert Ford, a young teenager from Missouri in 1881, aspires to join the gang of infamous bandit Jesse James because he looks up to him. As tensions rise and allegiances shift, Bob finds himself caught between admiration and growing anger.
The Assassination of Jesse James parallels Tombstone in its portrayal of Western icons, delving into themes of betrayal and the complicated relationships between outlaws and those drawn to their world.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+
4) True Grit (2010 remake)
Charles Portis's 1968 book served as the inspiration for Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit. Hailee Steinfeld makes her film debut as 14-year-old Mattie Ross, a girl who seeks retribution for her father's death, while Jeff Bridges portrays the drunken police officer Rooster Cogburn.
Mattie hires fierce U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn because she is determined to get revenge on her father and wants to accompany him in his search for bandit Tom Chaney. Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who has his own motivations for pursuing Chaney, joins them along the road.
Tensions increase, and allegiances are put to the test as they venture into hazardous areas.
In True Grit, like Tombstone, a determined individual teams up with seasoned allies to bring a notorious criminal to justice in the harsh Old West.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+, Hulu
5) Open Range
Kevin Costner's 2003 movie Open Range stars Robert Duvall and Costner, with Annette Bening and Michael Gambon playing supporting parts.
The movie follows seasoned cattlemen Boss Spearman (Duvall) and Charley Waite (Costner) as they drive their herd through Montana. However, when their supply run to a town run by cattle baron Denton Baxter (Gambon) turns violent, they become embroiled in a conflict.
The cowboys have to face their pasts and resist corruption as tensions rise. As the group encounters more and more threats from Baxter's men, Charley builds a relationship with a woman who may give him a chance at a new life.
Like Tombstone, Open Range depicts the struggle between lawmen and corrupt land barons, as well as the tensions that escalate into a climactic showdown.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+
6) Bone Tomahawk
In his directorial debut, S. Craig Zahler wrote and directed the Western horror movie Bone Tomahawk (2015), which stars Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, and others.
The plot centers on a small-town sheriff who organizes a posse to travel into a remote area and free three individuals who have been abducted by a cannibalistic Native American tribe.
In 1890s Bright Hope, Sheriff Franklin Hunt leads a small rescue team into hostile territory after a mysterious disappearance. While facing a brutal, isolated tribe, their courage and loyalty are pushed to the limit in a fight to bring their people home.
Bone Tomahawk shares Tombstone's spirit of a small group of individuals confronting deadly, relentless forces in a lawless frontier.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+
7) The Proposition
The 2005 Australian Western The Proposition stars Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, John Hurt, Danny Huston, and David Wenham. It is a collaboration between musician Nick Cave and filmmaker John Hillcoat.
Charlie Burns, an outlaw in Australia in the 1880s, is faced with the decision of either killing his older brother or losing his younger one. In this grim tale of loyalty and redemption, he encounters the harsh justice of the frontier and the brutal past of his family as he makes his way across the merciless desert.
The Proposition and Tombstone follow people who must make difficult decisions in a violent environment as they investigate justice, loyalty, and moral battles on the frontier.
Where to watch: Peacock, Prime Video
Interested viewers can stream Tombstone on major platforms, including Hulu, Prime Video, and Apple TV+.
