Top 10 Westerns to Watch on Netflix in May 2024

Ah, the Wild, Wild West. Nothing smells of freedom and gunpowder like the American frontier. The vast prairies, devoted camaraderies and treacherous betrayals, honest cowboys, greedy gold prospectors, filthy outlaws, and rugged bounty hunters — this is the Western, a genre we all honor and love. So put on your hats and spurs, stock up on powder, and get ready for some epic showdowns, partners, because today we present ten great Western movies and shows that are available on Netflix this May.

10. News of the World (2020, IMDb rating: 6.8/10)

9. The Harder They Fall (2021, IMDb rating: 6.6/10)

8. The Power of the Dog (2021, IMDb rating: 6.8/10)

7. The Hateful Eight (2015, IMDb rating: 7.8/10)

6. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018, IMDb rating: 7.2/10)

5. 3:10 to Yuma (2007, IMDb rating: 7.6/10)

4. High Plains Drifter (1973, IMDb rating: 7.4/10)

3. Unforgiven (1992, IMDb rating: 8.2/10)

2. Old Henry (2021, IMDb rating: 7.2/10)

1. Godless (2017, IMDb rating: 8.2/10)

Netflix is a veritable treasure trove of great movies and shows. So it comes as no surprise that the streaming service is no less committed to the Western genre, regularly filling its library with projects old and new.

However, as you can see from the list above, and as you probably already know, Western is more of an umbrella term for the approximate era and tropes, and therefore can vary in terms of extra genre elements.

If you're interested in classic western stories in the vein of Sergio Leone, John Ford, and John Sturges, then we'd definitely recommend checking out one of Clint Eastwood's most revered films, Unforgiven, James Mangold's 3:10 to Yuma (which is a remake of Delmer Daves' 1957 film), as well as Old Henry, starring Tim Blake Nelson in the role of one of the era's most famous gunslingers, Billy the Kid.

For those who prefer unconventional approaches to the genre, we recommend High Plains Drifter by Eastwood, The Hateful Eight by Quentin Tarantino, and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by the Coen Brothers. The first, way back in '73, offered an unorthodox revisionist approach to genre tropes as the plot took a dark, almost horror-like spin, while the latter two satirized the genre while offering clever homages to iconic 20th century movies.

A special highlight is The Power of the Dog, which has no action, but is about the decline of the Old West. Also worth noting is Godless, the only show on the list that, unlike most male-dominated Western stories, focuses on women protecting their own turf.

Which one of the movies listed above is your favorite?