There are several other movies and shows similar to Netflix’s epic period Western seriesAmerican Primeval.American Primevalwas written by Mark L. Smith, who co-wrote the screenplay forThe Revenantwith Alejandro G. Iñárritu.Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights,Lone Survivor) directs all six episodes ofAmerican Primeval.Taylor Kitsch leads an ensemble castas Isaac Reed, which featuresBetty Gilpin,Dane DeHaan,Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Shea Whigham, Lucas Neff, andKim Coates as Brigham Young. In addition to Young,American Primevalalters several real-life historical detailsand figures.
American Primevaluniquely blends brutal and violent elements of the horror genre with the classic Western. Despite its59% Rotten Tomatoes score, it earned an 86% audience score and has been in Netflix’s Top 10 TV Showsin the United States since it was released on July 08, 2025. Kitsch previously starred in the Peter Berg filmLone Survivoralongside Mark Wahlberg and Berg’s classic television seriesFriday Night Lights. Kitsch has recently starred in Netflix’sPainkiller, Prime’sThe Terminal List, and Showtime’sWaco.
At the heart ofAmerican Primevalis the lawless nature of the Old West in the mid-1800s. Blending fact and fiction,American Primeval’shorror elements are the result of the brutality of human violence rather than the supernatural or serialized killings. There is arguably no clear antagonist inAmerican Primevalsince several groups and people all fight for a common goal: survival. The Western genre often employs violence as a mode of justice or revenge. While both of these themes are at play inAmerican Primeval, there is something more primitive in the Netflix series' core, as the title suggests.
Wind River (2017)
Cast
Set on a remote Native American reservation, Wind River follows Cory Lambert, a wildlife tracker, as he teams up with FBI agent Jane Banner to solve the murder of a young woman. With the community’s cooperation elusive, they confront the harsh environment and buried secrets.
Fans ofAmerican Primevalwould likely enjoy Taylor Sheridan’sWind River. Starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen,Wind Riverhas been heralded as one of the most gripping neo-Western films in recent years, yet somehow, the film also feels underappreciated.Wind Riveris considered “contemporary” mainly because of the way it seamlessly combines genres, with Western, crime, and mystery elements, creating a refreshing and fascinating tale.
Sheridan wrote and directedWind River, adding to his impressive empire of film and television series that also include screenplays forSicarioandHell or High Water. The film centers on an FBI investigation of a murdered young woman on an Indigenous reservation in Wyoming, offering a modern look at the landscape ofAmerican Primeval.
Bone Tomahawk
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.
Few movies blend horror and Western genres likeBone Tomahawk. Featuring a strong ensemble of Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, and David Arquette,Bone Tomahawkleans heavily into the horror genre while taking place in the American Old West. Russell plays Hunt, a sheriff who leads a posse against cave-dwelling cannibals in the peaceful western town of Bright Hope during the late 1800s.
LikeAmerican Primeval,Bone Tomahawkis unafraid to get gory, setting up some thrilling combat action sequences. Even though the film was released in 2015,Bone Tomahawkis original enough to feel fresh and original. Prepare for some borderline disturbing displays of violence in a variety of ways, which if you enjoyedAmerican Primeval, shouldn’t be much of an issue.Bone Tomahawkis available to stream now on Netflix.
1883 - Season 1
Speaking of Taylor Sheridan, his popularYellowstoneprequel spinoff1883is another great series to sink your teeth into after watchingAmerican Primeval. While fans ofYellowstonewill benefit from watching Sheridan’s groundbreaking modern Western series before1883, it’s still possible to understand the origin story of the Dutton family without doing so. The series takes place in its titular year and follows an early American family traveling from Texas to Oregon before settling in Montana.
1883is not as brutally violent asAmerican Primevalbut still offers a great deal of exciting gunfights and tense scenes. With an outstanding cast led by Tim McGraw, Sam Elliot, Faith Hill, and Isabel May,1883is nearly required viewing for fans of the Western genre, especially stories of the Old West.
Deadwood
Deadwood is a western drama series created for HBO by David Milch. The series takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota, where corruption runs rampant in the gold-mining era as the settlement existed outside the U.S. territory expansion following the Civil War. As the town was the site of a major gold find, it continues to attract people from all walks of life - especially opportunistic criminals.
As far as classic Western series go,Deadwoodremains right at the top even though it was released in 2004. Set in the late 1800s,Deadwoodtakes place in a fictional town in South Dakota that is plagued by deep corruption and crime. Timothy Olyphant, who also stars in the outstanding Western seriesJustified, stars alongside Ian McShane and Molly Parker.Deadwoodis exemplary in just about every category, from its strong performances, compelling story, and immersive epic Western feel. Viewers who feltAmerican Primevalwas light on plot will have more than enough story to get into with Deadwood. All 36 episodes across three seasons, as well as the 2019 movie, are available to stream on HBO and MAX.
Godless
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.
Whenever strong contemporary Western series are mentioned, it’s impossible not to include Netflix’s 2017 miniseriesGodless. Set in the 1880s American West, Godless was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards and won three, two of which were Supporting Actor (Jeff Daniels) and Supporting Actress (Merritt Wever). LikeAmerican Primeval, Godless features severe violence and gore which can be categorized as disturbing yet realistic. The graphic violence can make it difficult to watch in moments, but the same can be said for some of the most ruthless scenes inAmerican Primeval. Scott Frank, the Oscar-nominated writer who wrote the screenplays forLoganandMinority Report, developed the celebrated series.
Billy the Kid
Based on the life of a legendary gunslinger, Billy the Kid is a Western television series created initially for Epix and later for MGM+. The series follows the exploits of the Western icon as he navigates the Old West, from his humble origins as an Irish Immigrant to the various small-town wars in the American Frontier.
Tom Blyth (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes)stars in the MGM+ Western seriesBilly the Kid. Blyth offers one of the best renditions of the Old West outlaw, who became one of the most infamous gunslingers in American history. The series chronicles the rise of Billy the Kid, also known by the name William H. Bonney, as he struggles to live life on a straight and narrow path after becoming an orphan as a young teenager.
Billy the Kidalso chronicles the events leading up to the Lincoln County War and the involvement of Billy’s gang, known as The Regulators. The series isn’t nearly as violent or gruesome asAmerican Primevalbut does highlight another key historical battle that shaped the modern landscape of the American West. All 24 episodes across two seasons ofBilly the Kidcan be streamed on MGM+.
Ravenous
Ravenous is a 1999 horror film directed by Antonia Bird. Set during the Mexican-American War, it follows Captain John Boyd, played by Guy Pearce, as he is transferred to a remote military outpost where he encounters a man with a disturbing tale of cannibalism. The film blends dark humor with gruesome suspense, featuring performances by Robert Carlyle and David Arquette.
Another classic Western horror is the 1999 filmRavenousstarring Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, David Arquette, and Jeremy Davies. Also partly a dark comedy,Ravenoustakes place in a remote military outpost in the 19th century where Captain John Boyd (Pearce) and his regiment are ambushed by a sinister cannibal. The screenplay was written by Ted Griffin of Ocean’s Eleven acclaim. While the film divided critics,Ravenousearned a 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, splitting critics and viewer consensus similarly toAmerican Primeval. Viewers who don’t expect too much realism fromRavenouswill likely enjoy it for its unique, genre-blending fun.
Under the Banner of Heaven
Under the Banner of Heaven is a true crime series based on Jon Krakauer’s book and stars Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre. Jeb, a religious man, works alongside another detective, Bill Taba. The two attempt to discover the truth behind a murder traced to Mormonism, igniting contentious religious discourse during the case.
Under the Banner of Heavenis an overlooked Western crime series starring Andrew Garfield, based on the John Krakauer novel of the same name. Released in 2022, the story follows Garfield’s Detective Jeb Pyre, whose faith is tested when he investigates a brutal murder connected to a well-known Utah family who is deeply associated with the Church of the Latter-day Saints. American Primeval fans who were intrigued by Brigham Young and his role in the LDS church would likely take an interest in these similar themes in a more modern setting. Created by Dustin Lance Black (Milk,J. Edgar),Under the Banner of Heavenalso stars Sam Worthington, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Wyatt Russell.
Killers of the Flower Moon
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.
WhileKillers of the Flower Moontakes place in the 1920s, the Martin Scorsese Oscar contender still thematically belongs in the same category asAmerican Primeval.In fact,Killers of the Flower Moonis an interesting look at the evolution of violence in the “Wild West” as more primitive conflicts and displays of violence began to be replaced by systemic forms of oppression, particularly against Indigenous Peoples.
At the core of both stories is a tale of greed for resources and power, touching on basic instincts of survival and self-preservation. In contrast to American Primeval,Killers of the Flower Moondemonstrates the enhanced reach of the United States government and federal agencies such as the FBI, which effectively ended the greater sense of lawlessness that birthed outlaws and lawmen alike. It’s also fascinating to compare the cultural differences and effects of the Osage and Shoshone tribes.Killers of the Flower Moonis available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.
The Revenant
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.
It’s no surprise thatAmerican Primevalfeels like the 3-time Oscar winnerThe Revenantbecause they share the same screenwriter. At times, Dane DeHaan’s character nearly looks like a younger version of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Hugh Glass, made even more apparent by the wide-angled jolty camerawork and the frozen wooded setting filled with threats of violence.The Revenanttakes place several decades beforeAmerican Primevalbut both the film and the series feel cut from the same cloth.
More than any of the aforementioned films or TV series,The RevenantandAmerican Primevalshare the common theme of the brutality of the frontier landscape and the incredible human drive for survival.The Revenantis available to stream on HBO and MAX.
