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10 Movies & Shows To Watch If You Like American Primeval

Adnan MaharBy No Comments15 Mins Read4 Views


There are several other movies and shows similar to Netflix’s epic period Western series American Primeval. American Primeval was written by Mark L. Smith, who co-wrote the screenplay for The Revenant with Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor) directs all six episodes of American Primeval. Taylor Kitsch leads an ensemble cast as Isaac Reed, which features Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Shea Whigham, Lucas Neff, and Kim Coates as Brigham Young. In addition to Young, American Primeval alters several real-life historical details and figures.

American Primeval uniquely blends brutal and violent elements of the horror genre with the classic Western. Despite its 59% Rotten Tomatoes score, it earned an 86% audience score and has been in Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the United States since it was released on January 9, 2025. Kitsch previously starred in the Peter Berg film Lone Survivor alongside Mark Wahlberg and Berg’s classic television series Friday Night Lights. Kitsch has recently starred in Netflix’s Painkiller, Prime’s The Terminal List, and Showtime’s Waco.

At the heart of American Primeval is the lawless nature of the Old West in the mid-1800s. Blending fact and fiction, American Primeval’s horror elements are the result of the brutality of human violence rather than the supernatural or serialized killings. There is arguably no clear antagonist in American Primeval since 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 in American Primeval, there is something more primitive in the Netflix series’ core, as the title suggests.

10

Wind River

2017

Fans of American Primeval would likely enjoy Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River​​​​​. Starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen, Wind River has been heralded as one of the most gripping neo-Western films in recent years, yet somehow, the film also feels underappreciated. Wind River is 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 directed Wind River, adding to his impressive empire of film and television series that also include screenplays for Sicario and Hell 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 of American Primeval.

9

Bone Tomahawk

2015

Few movies blend horror and Western genres like Bone Tomahawk. Featuring a strong ensemble of Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, and David Arquette, Bone Tomahawk leans 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.

Like American Primeval, Bone Tomahawk is unafraid to get gory, setting up some thrilling combat action sequences. Even though the film was released in 2015, Bone Tomahawk is original enough to feel fresh and original. Prepare for some borderline disturbing displays of violence in a variety of ways, which if you enjoyed American Primeval, shouldn’t be much of an issue. Bone Tomahawk is available to stream now on Netflix.

8

1883

2021

Speaking of Taylor Sheridan, his popular Yellowstone prequel spinoff 1883 is another great series to sink your teeth into after watching American Primeval. While fans of Yellowstone will benefit from watching Sheridan’s groundbreaking modern Western series before 1883, 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.

1883 is not as brutally violent as American Primeval but 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, 1883 is nearly required viewing for fans of the Western genre, especially stories of the Old West.

7

Deadwood

2004

As far as classic Western series go, Deadwood remains right at the top even though it was released in 2004. Set in the late 1800s, Deadwood takes 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 series Justified, stars alongside Ian McShane and Molly Parker. Deadwood is exemplary in just about every category, from its strong performances, compelling story, and immersive epic Western feel. Viewers who felt American Primeval was 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.

6

Godless

2017

Whenever strong contemporary Western series are mentioned, it’s impossible not to include Netflix’s 2017 miniseries Godless. 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). Like American 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 in American Primeval. Scott Frank, the Oscar-nominated writer who wrote the screenplays for Logan and Minority Report, developed the celebrated series.

5

Billy the Kid

2022

Tom Blyth (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) stars in the MGM+ Western series Billy 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 Kid also 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 as American Primeval but does highlight another key historical battle that shaped the modern landscape of the American West. All 24 episodes across two seasons of Billy the Kid can be streamed on MGM+.

4

Ravenous

1999

Another classic Western horror is the 1999 film Ravenous starring Guy Pearce, Robert Carlyle, David Arquette, and Jeremy Davies. Also partly a dark comedy, Ravenous takes 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, Ravenous earned a 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, splitting critics and viewer consensus similarly to American Primeval. Viewers who don’t expect too much realism from Ravenous will likely enjoy it for its unique, genre-blending fun.

3

Under the Banner of Heaven

2022

Under the Banner of Heaven is 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 Heaven also stars Sam Worthington, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Wyatt Russell.

2

Killers of the Flower Moon

2023

While Killers of the Flower Moon takes place in the 1920s, the Martin Scorsese Oscar contender still thematically belongs in the same category as American Primeval. In fact, Killers of the Flower Moon is 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 Moon demonstrates 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 Moon is available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+.

1

The Revenant

2015

It’s no surprise that American Primeval feels like the 3-time Oscar winner The Revenant because 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 Revenant takes place several decades before American Primeval but both the film and the series feel cut from the same cloth.

More than any of the aforementioned films or TV series, The Revenant and American Primeval share the common theme of the brutality of the frontier landscape and the incredible human drive for survival. The Revenant is available to stream on HBO and MAX.



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Adnan is a passionate doctor from Pakistan with a keen interest in exploring the world of politics, sports, and international affairs. As an avid reader and lifelong learner, he is deeply committed to sharing insights, perspectives, and thought-provoking ideas. His journey combines a love for knowledge with an analytical approach to current events, aiming to inspire meaningful conversations and broaden understanding across a wide range of topics.

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