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Streaming services haven't only facilitated the release of movies and TV shows at the same time across the world but also gave viewers a chance to rewatch or discover old titles, as well. Now, one of the longest-running TV series of all time is getting its chance.

Gunsmoke, which was the second Western television series for adults, is now finding success online. The series debuted in 1955, just four days after the first Western TV series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. Per Matthew Belloni, Gunsmoke just entered the Nielsen charts for acquired shows on a list filled with current shows, 50 years after its series finale.

Gunsmoke just entered the Nielsen Top 10 for acquired shows on streaming. Congrats to the cast and creators, who are all dead. pic.twitter.com/KCVuKDZoBG— Matthew Belloni (@MattBelloni) April 3, 2025

The Western show was in the charts for the week between Mar. 3 and 9, per the Nielsen charts.

A new show is burning up the Nielsen streaming charts — and it aired its last episode almost fifty years ago. Gunsmoke, the longest-running Western TV show in history, has just ridden on to the Acquired streaming charts, landing at #8. The series, which starred James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon, is currently streaming on Paramount+ and Peacock.

It's no surprise to see a Western on the streaming charts: shows like Yellowstoneand 1923 have been solid successes for Paramount+. However, even on Nielsen's list of Acquired streaming shows, which includes shows that premiered on linear TV before making their way to streaming, Gunsmoke stands out. It's up there with shows like NCIS, The Big Bang Theory, and Bob's Burgers — venerable series all, but they all made their debuts this century. Not so for Gunsmoke, which aired its first episode on CBS in 1955. According to Nielsen, this has been a long time coming,...

Following the Duttons' latest adventure in the 'Yellowstone' universe, Ok! looks back at the characters who have died so far.Yellowstone/YouTubeColby MayfieldDenim Richards played Colby Mayfield's role on 'Yellowstone.'Yellowstone/YouTube

Denim Richards' Colby Mayfield died in a December episode of Yellowstone after being trampled by a horse while trying to help Finn Little's Carter.

"The thing that I think is such a gut-punch about Colby's death is that in a season where there are all these twists and turns and dark forces and giant narrative swings, Colby's death is so powerful because it's so simple," episode director Christina Voros told The Hollywood Reporter. "It's a dangerous job, and this kind of thing happens and it happens in a split-second. This death comes as a shock because it's so simple, and it's so grounded in the world in which all these characters work that it's profoundly tragic.

The Western is undoubtedly one of the great foundational genres in the history of cinema. As such, its influence goes beyond Western movies proper — be they classic Western movies from the 1950s and 1960s or modern neo-Westerns — and spreads to all other genres, shaping the way certain scenes are shot or how particular Western genre tropes are used in developing plots.

Some Western-adjacent movies are easier to spot than others, neo-Westerns especially because while they rework some of the genre's most frequent tropes, they're usually still set in the American West and generally feel very Western. Other movies, however, simply pick and choose some Western elements to weave into their stories that might be surprising to audiences when pointed out. However, all have the potential to delight and move audiences with how they twist and remake the recurring themes of the Western genre, to say something more about the modern day.

Over the past decade, director, writer, and producer Taylor Sheridan has emerged as one of the entertainment industry's greatest talents, proving himself to be a master storyteller with the many critically-acclaimed TV shows and films he has helped craft. The Yellowstone creator is one of the small screen's most recognizable and gifted visionaries, introducing audiences all around the world to sensational hits like Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and the aforementioned Kevin Costner-led knockout.

While fans may be aware of his dazzling contributions to television, they may be surprised to learn that Sheridan also has directed and penned multiple universally-lauded pictures like Sicario, Without Remorse, and the Academy Award-nominated Western crime drama Hell or High Water, arguably the most well-received and impressive films in his ever-growing resume. Let's check out why the 2016 triumph proves that Sheridan should make a return to movies.

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Emmett Walsh isn't the most important Yellowstone character, but his death was still one of the most tragic. Taylor Sheridan's Western show delves deep into the complex dynamics of the Dutton family, who own the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Yellowstone masterfully intertwines themes of power, love, and loyalty against the rugged backdrop of Montana's landscapes. Its narrative is rich with the tension between preserving traditions and embracing the inevitable changes brought by modernity. The Duttons navigate threats from land developers, conflicts at the bordering national park, and internal family strife.

Within this sprawling saga, Emmett Walsh emerges as a standout in the Yellowstone cast whose journey, though sparingly showcased, encapsulates the soul of the cowboy ethos. Portrayed by the venerable Buck Taylor, Walsh is introduced in the very first episode as the chairman of the Stock Growers Association and makes a poignant exit in season 5, episode 6, "Cigarettes,...

The ending of Yellowstone may have left a bad taste in some people's mouths, but there are undoubtedly still a legion of Taylor Sheridan fans out there who still love his work. The filmmaker is arguably at his best when writing film scripts, as evidenced by Sicario, Wind River, and Hell or High Water. That latter film is arguably his most acclaimed script, garnering a massive 97% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 88% audience rating. The film earned Sheridan an Oscar nomination for his script, and was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor, with that nod going to star Jeff Bridges. Now Hell or High Water is a big streaming hit eight years after its release.

The Western heist film stars Bridges alongside Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Gil Birmingham, Dale Dickey, and Sheridan himself, and was directed by David Mackenzie. Its plot synopsis reads as...

Warning: This article contains spoilers from Yellowstone season 5 and mention of suicide.

Yellowstone had its fair share of deaths over the course of its five seasons, with six characters losing their lives, all in different ways, in season 5. The Paramount Network neo-Western drama followed the Dutton family, the (previous) owners of the largest ranch in Montana — the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch. They often encountered danger, both from within their inner circle and from external sources. Consequently, many Yellowstone characters have died since the series first premiered in 2018. As a matter of fact, the show's first major death happened when Robert Long shot and killed Lee Dutton in the Yellowstone pilot.

As of the writing of this article, the future of Yellowstone is up in the air. Paramount previously announced that season 5 would be the show's last after Kevin Costner exited. However, the Paramount network promoted Yellowstone season 5's last episode as...

Television and film sensation Taylor Sheridan is steadily establishing himself as one of Hollywood's most exciting and buzzed-about talents, with the esteemed writer, director, and producer the mastermind behind a slew of fan-favorite small screen hits like Yellowstone, Tulsa King, and Lioness. Before he crafted his dominating TV empire, Sheridan had appeared in popular shows like Sons of Anarchy and had penned the screenplay for the acclaimed action thriller Sicario, before moving on to his next writing endeavor: Hell or High Water.

The gripping 2015 neo-Western thriller became a major stepping stone in Sheridan's entertainment industry takeover and was both a critical and commercial hit, garnering four Academy Award nominations, including Best Original Screenplay for Sheridan and paving the way for his future dazzling projects. Let's take a closer look at Hell or High Water and the impressive impact it had on Taylor Sheridan's career.

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This article contains spoilers for "Yellowstone" season 5, episode 12.

There's a scene in the "Yellowstone" season 5 episode "Cigarettes, Whiskey, a Meadow, and You" where Emmett Walsh (Buck Taylor), an elderly rancher, dies peacefully after helping John Dutton (Kevin Costner) during a soul-enriching trek into the hills and prairies. John refuses to mourn him, though, as Emmett dies the way a cowboy should. It's also one of the rare deaths on "Yellowstone" that comes across as realistic. Colby Mayfield's (Denim Richards) demise in season 5, episode 12, "Counting Coup," has a similar effect, but his is more tragic than old Emmett's.

Colby dies after being trampled by a horse while saving Carter (Finn Little) from the aggressive steed. While the rancher's final moments are heroic, some viewers might deem his death unnecessary, especially since he's a background character whose most meaningful storyline -- a romance with Teeter (Jennifer Landon) -- just started finding its groove.

Quick Links The Oddity That Was 'Cowboys & Aliens' What Audiences and Critics Thought of 'Cowboys & Aliens' Is 'Cowboys & Aliens' Worth Another Shot?

The mash-up of science fiction and Western has proven to be a complicated formula to nail down; comparing Westworld to Wild Wild West shows the highs and lows the genre is capable of. Yet, even a film like Wild Wild West can find appreciation with time and a dedicated cult following. While not as panned as the Will Smith sci-fi/Western, Jon Favreau's 2011 film Cowboys & Aliens also bombed at the box office and was met with mostly negative reviews from critics and fans.

13 years removed from the release of Cowboys & Aliens can give audiences time to reflect and find a new appreciation for a film that bombed previously. At the same time, some films are meant to live on as a disappointment. Where does the Daniel Craig sci-fi Western land?...

Theres something to be said about the enduring legacy of Gunsmoke, the Western that became an institution on both radio and television, and a big part of that includes the late actor, Burt Reynolds. Created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston, the radio series ran from 1952 to 1961 and the Gunsmoke show ran for 20 years on CBS, from 1955 to 1975. It was a feat unheard of for live-action prime-time television until the record was finally broken by NBCs Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which premiered in 1999 and is still active 25 years later.

The wildly successful Gunsmoke follows U.S. Marshall Matt Dillon as he fights for justice in 1870s Dodge City, Kansas. Dillon was played by actor James Arness, who was joined by an ensemble of previously established stars rounding out the Gunsmoke cast, including Milburn Stone, Amanda Blake, Dennis Weaver, Glenn Strange, Buck Taylor, and Ted Jordan. When...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe amassed an impressive ensemble of actors with 34 films and 13 shows so far released. Fans have since scoured these actors' careers to see if they've crossed paths with their MCU co-stars in previous films.

Prime Video adds Cowboys & Aliens to its streaming library this November. The 2011 sci-fi Western was critically panned upon release, but Marvel fans have a good reason to revisit the film for its MCU links. Directed by Jon Favreau, Cowboys & Aliens' stacked ensemble includes four actors who were also cast as MCU villains: Sam Rockwell's Justin Hammer (Iron Man 2), Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch (Ant-Man and the Wasp), Wyatt Russell's John Walker / U.S. Agent, and Harrison Ford's Thaddeus Ross / Red Hulk (Captain America: Brave New World). Marvel fans can rewatch Cowboys & Aliens as these actors' crossover appearances outside their MCU films.

Related 10 Best Sci-Fi Westerns, Ranked

Gunslinging scoundrels, android black-hats,...

Hollywood legend Sam Elliott once trashed the Yellowstone franchise, saying, "It's just too much like f***ing 'Dallas' or something, for me. [...] Too much of that for me." While Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western is a fairly unvarnished look at the trials faced by the Dutton family in their attempts to preserve their land, there is an undeniably soapy aspect to the series. This has meant that, throughout its five season run, "Yellowstone" has shocked viewers with unlikely and grandiose plot developments, especially when it comes to killing off beloved characters.

"Yellowstone" began with a surprising death, when family Patriarch John Dutton's son, Lee Dutton (Dave Annable), met his fate at the end of the pilot episode. We also saw the great Emmett Walsh (Buck Taylor) meet a tragic end, and series mainstay Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, has feared for her character's life throughout the series' run. This all happens,...

Though Audie Murphy is known to be the leading man in several B-Western films, there are still plenty of entries in his filmography that are enjoyed by fans of the genre. Murphy initially gained fame in America following his service in World War II. Following his rise to fame, Murphy was invited to begin his acting career by acclaimed actor James Cagney. While Murphy did act in a few different genres, he is best remembered for his work in Western films in the 50s and 60s.

Without a doubt, Murphy's best performance is in No Name on the Bullet. The film effectively shows a different side to the charismatic leading man audiences had known Murphy to be at that point in his career. Even though most of Murphy's other Westerns didn't receive as much love from critics, audiences, especially earnest fans of the genre, are still able to appreciate the traditional Western stories told.

Gunsmoke, a legendary Western TV show, featured a talented cast, including stars like Burt Reynolds, Bette Davis, and John Wayne. Notable actors from Gunsmoke, like Roger Ewing and Buck Taylor, went on to have successful careers in the industry. The series also showcased many iconic guest stars, such as Harrison Ford, Jodie Foster, and Kurt Russell, who have continued to work in Hollywood.

As a series that ran from 1955-1975, there are sadly only a few of the Gunsmoke cast still alive, but these actors have continued with long and notable careers, or have gracefully exited the acting world to pursue personal interests. Gunsmoke was originally a radio series of the same name that broadcast from 1952 to 1961 and in 1955, Gunsmoke became a television show that lasted for 20 years. The series is centered on Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870s as the settlement of the American West is getting underway.

Often...

Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" has always had a terrific cast, but a particular masterstroke of casting came in the show's second season finale, during a flashback in which John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) takes his dying father, John Dutton, Jr., up to the mountains for one last ride. The patriarch is played by the great Dabney Coleman, an actor partially known for playing hard-ass characters in things like "WarGames" and "Cloak and Dagger." We don't see him for long in "Yellowstone," but in his short amount of screen time, he leaves a tremendous impact -- not only in the emotional conversation he has with his son, but his edict to never give up an inch of the Dutton Ranch fuels Costner's character throughout the whole series. 

Coleman's history of playing tenacious characters on screen is an excellent example of what can happen when actors carry the right kind of...

Stephen King adaptations have always been hit and miss. Before Mike Flanagan came along, there was one filmmaker who could always be trusted with King’s material: Frank Darabont, whose first foray into filmmaking was a short adaptation of “The Woman in the Room.” After making a name for himself as a screenwriter with the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and The Blob, Darabont made his feature directorial debut with 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption and followed it up with The Green Mile in 1999.

His thus-far final King adaptation came in 2007 with The Mist, which finds a group of locals trapped in a grocery store while an ominous fog shrouding mysterious secrets envelopes their quaint Maine town. A microcosm of any community, the supermarket is a canny setting for a contained thriller. The divisive mob mentality and pigheaded self-righteousness that manifests under pressure is even more poignant in a post-Trump world.

It's easy to forget that a lot of people have died during the five-and-a-half seasons of "Yellowstone." Most character deaths are reserved for the villains who dare to go toe-to-toe with the Dutton family. Dan Jenkins (Danny Huston) made the mistake of trying to build a casino near the ranch only to get dispatched by the Beck brothers, and Roarke Morris (Josh Holloway) dies horribly after Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) hurls a rattlesnake in his face. That's not exactly the ideal cowboy death that Emmet Walsh (Buck Taylor) receives leading up to the mid-series finale of season five. 

It's no wonder, then, that the performers playing the lead characters were wondering how long they would last on Paramount Network's smash hit series. Granted, the actors on "Yellowstone" had a little more job security than every single cast member of "The Walking Dead," but not much. 

Arguably, the ungovernable Beth...

There's a reason why "Yellowstone" feels as authentic as it does. For all the backstabbing, fistfights, and unchecked greed on display that make the show seem so outlandish at times, the countless scenes showing everyday life on a fully functioning Montana cattle ranch are meticulously researched and crafted. There is some true cowboying on display and all of the actors have had to endure an outdoor boot camp before the start of each season. There are even a few real-life cowboys featured throughout the series, including actor and "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan who plays the recurring role of rodeo rider and horse trader Travis Wheatley. Actor Forrie J. Smith, who plays the handlebar mustache-sporting old-timer Lloyd Pierce, also grew up competing in rodeos before trying his hand at stunt work and horse wrangling for the movies. 

There are also actors like Buck Taylor who effortlessly make the cowboy way of...

The sands and grassy plains of the frontier will soon be covered with sprinkles of snow and endless strings of colorful lights. The holiday season is nearly upon us, marking the time we band together to watch family-friendly classics in front of a crackling fire. Tubi certainly won't disappoint in this department, as it's bringing over one of its biggest batches of varied content yet to ring in the month of December. Surprisingly, alongside festive films and cherished specials, you'll even be able to find a new influx of Western titles in the mix as well.

That's right: despite the change in season, Tubi is delivering quality Western titles throughout the entirety of December. We've opted to highlight a select few titles that especially deserve your attention. Each film presented here will be available to watch from as early as December 1 unless stated otherwise.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011) Streaming Dec. 1

Cowboys & Aliens...

Judy Nugent, who portrayed one of the twins on the early TV sitcom The Ruggles and a girl who flies around the world in the arms of the Man of Steel on a heartwarming Adventures of Superman episode, has died. She was 83.

Nugent died on Oct. 26 “surrounded by family at her Montana ranch after a short battle with cancer,” according to a family statement shared by her daughter-in-law and Battlestar Galactica and Chicago Fire actress Anne Lockhart (the older daughter of Lassie and Lost in Space star June Lockhart).

The younger daughter of a prop man at MGM, Nugent also appeared in two films directed by Douglas Sirk: as a wise-cracking tomboy who tries to get a blinded widow (Jane Wyman) to snap out of it in Magnificent Obsession (1954), and as one of the daughters of Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett’s characters in There’s Always Tomorrow (1956).

Nugent also...

"Gunsmoke" ran for a very, very long time. Beginning as a half-hour adaptation of a similarly long-running radio show in 1955, it transitioned to an hour-long show in its 7th season, which gave its stock Western storylines a greater sense of place, and more opportunities for great, up-and-coming actors to star in them. Over the course of 20 seasons, the show told every story under the sun (often multiple times over) about the frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas.

The show's protagonist was ostensibly Marshal Matt Dillon (James Arness), whose casting has been attributed to no less a Western star than John Wayne. But the world of "Gunsmoke" went far beyond him, especially as the show went on. While Arness appeared in every one of the show's 635 episodes, he often looked more like a guest star the further along it went, showing up for scenes here and there while the supporting cast...

In a thrilling announcement for horror fans, one of author Stephen King's iconic yet lesser-known tales, The Mist, is making a comeback this Halloween season with a 4K makeover.

The 2007 sci-fi horror film The Mist, based on King's 1980 novella of the same name, is set to resurface in a whole new dimension. Scheduled for release on October 3, the new edition is set to arrive in time for Halloween festivities. Images have been unveiled of the new release, which comes with the black-and-white version of the film.

Related: 10 Most Terrifying Stephen King Villains, Ranked

Released by Lionsgate, the meticulously crafted 4K HD, Blu-ray, and digital steelbook versions aim to take viewers into a world of unparalleled terror. Notably, the Best Buy exclusive edition boasts an array of special features that goes deep into the film's production. A standout offering is the inclusion of both color and alternate black-and-white versions of the film,...

"We'll help ya - for half the bounty." "Just my luck..." Lionsgate has just debuted an official trailer for Two Sinners and a Mule, an action western they're dropping on VOD and in theaters later in April. I doubt anyone is going to go see this. Two ladies of pleasure, kicked out of town, run across a Bounty Hunter shot to hell. After he is nursed back to health, the ladies decide he needs their help to track down Gila Grimes - a ruthless, murdering bandit, for half of the bounty. It's made by a stunt coordinator making his first feature, which should tell you why this doesn't look that good at all. Two Sinners and a Mule stars Cam Gigandet, Chantelle Albers, Hannah James, and Buck Taylor. How do these movies keep getting made, I don't know. This looks so awful, and I can imagine the performances are even...

The Old West was just as populated by strong females as men as seen in the Two Sinners and a Mule trailer. The film stars Chantelle Albers and Hannah James as courtesans Alice and Nora who find themselves driven out of their town by the religious locals and stumble across wounded bounty hunter Elden Gallup, who they nurse back to health in exchange for splitting the bounty on a murderous bandit. Alongside Albers and James, the cast for Two Sinners and a Mule includes Cam Gigadent, Buck Taylor, Cord Newman, David Midthunder, and Luce Rains.

With just over two weeks remaining until it arrives, Screen Rant is proud to exclusively present the Two Sinners and a Mule trailer. The trailer offers the first look at the upcoming Western thriller, which presents a feminine twist on the genre as it focuses on two ladies of pleasure who team up with a...

Spoiler Alert: This post contains spoilers from Season 5, Episode 6, of “Yellowstone,” “Cigarettes, Whiskey, a Meadow and Fog,” which premiered Sunday, Dec. 11 on Paramount Network.

Last week’s “Yellowstone” was memorable for Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Summer (Piper Perabo) getting into a brutal brawl. At the episode’s end, many of the Duttons saddled up and headed to The Gather in order to brand some cattle. This week’s show is a relatively quiet, meditative take on the cowboy lifestyle. On with the recap:

I can’t tell if Beth’s “I don’t like to share the things I find beautiful” monologue is romantic and profound, or the ramblings of someone who just took a big bong rip. Who are these psychotic Secret Service police officers shooting dogs on the Reservation? The president must be protected, sure, but isn’t this a nightmare if the press finds out? How is the U.

"You get involved with the likes of him and I guarantee you'll get hurt. Championship means more than your father!"

It seems like John Travolta has hit a point in his career where he just doesn’t care about the kinds of films he makes anymore. It’s been a long time since he’s made a decent movie, but today we have the first trailer for his next film project called Trading Paint. Travolta actually seems like he’s enjoying his role in this and it looks like it might be fun.

The film is a race car thriller in which Travolta plays a veteran race car driver who has a rivalry with his own son, who breaks free from his dad to embark on a journey of his own to win races and become a champion.

Veteran race car driver Sam (John Travolta) and his son Cam (Toby Sebastian...

"You get involved with the likes of him and I guarantee you'll get hurt. Championship means more than your father!" Saban Films has released the first official trailer for an indie race car thriller titled Trading Paint, from director Karzan Kader. The film is about a small town rivalry between a veteran race car driver and his son, as the son decides to go out on his own in hopes of winning more races. John Travolta stars, with his son played by Toby Sebastian, along with Michael Madsen, Kevin Dunn, Shania Twain, Buck Taylor, and Luis Da Silva. This is a rather intense trailer for a movie about race car drivers, but it is an intense sport so I guess it makes sense. Travolta seems to be enjoying this role. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Karzan Kader's Trading Paint, direct from YouTube: Veteran race car driver Sam...

Who doesn't love Tombstone? It's one of the most beloved Westerns of the modern era. And if you're a fan, you can undoubtedly quote most, if not all, of the lines delivered with scene-stealing flair by Val Kilmer in what's become the definitive portrayal of gambling gunslinger Doc Holliday. You may know every scene in this movie like the back of your hand, but today we've collected 10 Things You Never Knew About Tombstone. And you may walk away pleasantly surprised and shocked.

Tombstone boasts one of the most formidable macho ensembles imaginable: Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, as well as smaller roles for Michael Rooker, Thomas Haden Church, Stephen Lang, Billy Zane, Jason Priestly, Billy Bob Thornton, and Terry O'Quinn. So let's get into it, shall we?

Tombstone is missing a few Earps.

The heroic ensemble at the center of Tombstone includes Wyatt Earp, played by Kurt Russell,...

Stars: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham, Dale Dickey, William Sterchi, Buck Taylor, Kristin Berg, Jackamoe Buzzell, Katy Mixon, Keith Meriweather, Amber Midthunder, Joe Berryman | Written by Taylor Sheridan | Directed by David Mackenzie

Two Texan brothers, Toby Howard (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) reunite and start robbing branches of a particular bank with a plan in mind. This soon puts them on collision course with Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) an old Texas Ranger ready for retirement, who along with his partner Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham) take on the job of tracking the bank robbers.

What makes Hell or High Water so good is that it takes the old style Western and brings it to the modern era without having to sacrifice the style. Set in Texas this is the story of two bandits robbing banks, but also having a reason to do it. The bad guy here is the bank,...

Casting directors have a strange distinction in the awards world: Their guild has an Academy branch, but it’s the only one without its own Oscar category. Imagine for a moment that they did. What are the best-cast films of 2016?

IndieWire asked 13 of the top casting directors to nominate films worthy of casting recognition this year. There were a few restrictions worth noting. Although casting directors often get early sneak peeks at films, many noted there are some films they still hadn’t seen. In particular, many are anxious to find out what legendary casting director Ellen Lewis has cooked up for Martin Scorsese’s “Silence.” The other restriction, which was imposed as responses came in: They couldn’t all write about “Moonlight.” (We’ll dig further into the casting of that film in another article.)

Read More: Casting Directors and the Academy: Why Lynn Stalmaster’s Honorary Oscar Matters...

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the new crime drama “Hell or High Water” starring Jeff Bridges and Ben Foster!

“Hell or High Water,” which opens on Aug. 12, 2016 and is rated “R,” also stars Chris Pine, Dale Dickey, William Sterchi, Buck Taylor, Kristin Berg and Gil Birmingham from director David Mackenzie and writer Taylor Sheridan. Note: You must be 17+ to win and attend this “R”-rated screening.

To win your free passes to “Hell or High Water” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning; this doesn’t intensify your competition!

Texas Frightmare Weekend, which ran May 4-6, 2012, now bills itself as the premier con in the Southwest, and as our event report will attest, that's definitely accurate. This year the guest list was massive, around 20 films were screened, and a Carrie-themed prom was held. The film list alone was bigger than many film festivals.

Folks, we can just drop the pretenses and say what everyone should know by now: Texas is The mecca for horror in the United States.

More goes on in the horror world right here in the Lone Star State every day than anywhere else. We've got countless filmmakers, crew, writers, musicians, models, photographers, and yes, even journalists working in the horror genre than anywhere else. Period.

We also now have a massive convention every year. Texas Frightmare Weekend was always a great con, but with its new digs at the Hyatt Regency Dfw, it's expanded to extreme size.

Few genres have been as seminal a part of American and world cinema as the Western. Before the talkies, good guys in white punched and shot bad guys in black. While the genre has faded in recent years, several Western gems have stepped to the forefront. In 1993, Tombstone was such a gem.

Texas Frightmare Weekend held a reunion for the movie with Austin actress Dana Wheeler-Nicholson as well as Michael Biehn, Joanna Pacula, Michael Rooker and Buck Taylor. The men in the cast chatted about working with gunfight experts and living with their weapons for weeks to get the feel for it. The women were proud of their authentic costumes, with this drive for authenticity made more important to them when they learned of the competing film Wyatt Earp being shot at the same time. Tombstone was the underdog going up against the Kevin Costner Western.

It didn't take long...

Actor Peter Breck (right, in Shock Corridor), best known for his role as the short-tempered Nick Barkley in the 1960s television series The Big Valley, died Monday, Feb. 6, in Vancouver. Breck, who had been suffering from dementia, was 82. Though mostly a TV actor (Black Saddle, Maverick, The Fall Guy), Breck also appeared in about 20 movies. The most notable among those was probably Samuel Fuller's thriller Shock Corridor (1963), in which he plays a journalist who commits himself to a mental institution in order to solve a murder. Additionally, Breck was featured in Joe Camp's blockbuster Benji (1974), about a stray dog who rescues two kidnapped children. Breck's other features were minor fare. Those included Herbert L. Strock's The Crawling Hand (1963), about the hand of a dead astronaut that spends its time strangling the living, plus Highway 61 (1991), Decoy (1995), Lulu (1996), and Jiminy Glick in Lalawood (2004). Breck is the third The Big Valley...

Jessica Lange, SAG Awards 2012 Jessica Lange, the Best Actress SAG Award winner for the drama series for American Horror Story, speaks onstage during the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. "To be an actor means everything to me," Lange told the crowd at the Shrine Auditorium on January 29, 2012, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage.) Lange's SAG Award competitors were Kathy Bates for Harry's Law, Julianna Margulies for The Good Wife, Kyra Sedgwick for The Closer, and Glenn Close for Damages. Lange had previously been nominated for two SAG Awards: for Tony Richardson's feature drama Blue Sky (1994), opposite Tommy Lee Jones, and for Michael Sucsy's television drama Grey Gardens (2009), opposite eventual SAG Award winner Drew Barrymore. Additionally, Jessica Lange has six Oscar nominations to her credit. She won twice, as Best Supporting Actress for Sydney Pollack's Tootsie (1982), opposite Dustin Hoffman, and for Blue Sky. (Nell's...

This is the Pure Movies review of Cowboys & Aliens, directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man) and starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Buck Taylor, Abigail Spencer and Clancy Brown. Written by Mark Leach for Pure Movies, Cowboys & Aliens follows a tradition of B-movies with a title that shows knowing complicity in the fun that will ensue. It is a trend, recently revived by the cult hit Snakes on a Plane, that shows sometimes people like silly films that do what they say on the tin. Indeed, Snakes on a Plane was a triumph of silliness – a self-conscious but brilliantly fun pastiche of humour and action. Cowboys & Alien’s pedigree is strong – Jon Favreau at the helm, a veritable who’s who exec producing, big budget and a glittering A-list cast – this was surely a recipe for success. And it might well be. The box office takings are likely to be healthy.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release Cowboys & Aliens on Blu-ray and DVD December 6. We certainly have to celebrate this sci-fi Western and we have a contest lined up where we're giving away copies of the Blu-ray along with magnets and mini-posters. These prizes will surely go fast, so enter this contest today.

Winners Receive:

Cowboys & Aliens Blu-ray

Cowboys & Aliens magnets

Cowboys & Aliens mini-posters

Here's How To Win!

Just "Like" (fan) the MovieWeb Facebook page (below) and then leave a comment below telling us why these prizes must be yours!

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It's 1873 when gunslinger Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) awakens in the Arizona desert with no memory of his past and a mysterious metal shackle encircling his wrist. Stumbling into the nearby town of Absolution, Lonergan discovers a tightly closed community that takes its...

Chicago – In our latest action/sci-fi edition of the HollywoodChicago.com Hookup, we have 5 Blu-ray and DVD combo packs up for grabs to the highly anticipated home release of “Cowboys & Aliens” from the director of “Iron Man” starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford!

“Cowboys & Aliens” will be released on Dec. 6, 2011 on Blu-ray and DVD from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “Cowboys & Aliens” also stars Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Abigail Spencer, Paul Dano, Buck Taylor, Matthew Taylor, Cooper Taylor, Clancy Brown, Chris Browning, Adam Beach, Ana de la Reguera, Noah Ringer and Brian Duffy from director Jon Favreau and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

To win your free “Cowboys & Aliens” Blu-ray and DVD combo pack courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just answer our question in this Web-based submission form. That’s it! Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and win can be found below.

“Cowboys & Aliens” with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford...

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has announced Cowboys & Aliens will be released on Blu-ray and DVD December 6. The studio has released a Blu-ray trailer showcasing the innovative new feature Second Screen, which allows fans to integrate content with their mobile devices, tablets, or laptops while watching the Blu-ray. Click on the video player below to watch the trailer, and you can read the official press release with full Blu-ray and DVD.

Click to watch Cowboys & Aliens Blu-ray Trailer!

This summer's movie event becomes the holiday season's must-own Blu-ray as a lone gunslinger leads an uprising against an alien threat in the explosive, stunningly-imagined film, Cowboys & Aliens. A blazingly original, cross-genre adventure from acclaimed director Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Iron Man 2) and top moviemakers Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, Cowboys & Aliens features heart-pumping action, spectacular visuals and a first-rate cast. Arriving in stores December...

Cowboys & Aliens is this year’s Independence Day or Iron Man; it’s a slam-bang ride that puts summer movies back on the map. Well, at least for this year. Jon Favreau (who directed Iron Man, aptly enough) knows how to craft an adrenaline rush without making it overkill. There’s just enough information about characters to make them more than redshirts waiting to die, or meaningless background noise. Viewers will care about the good guys, boo the bad guys…because Cowboys & Aliens pulls at the same strings the old-fashioned Westerns used to do. This is a well crafted popcorn fest of the highest order, with everyone from cinematographer to special effects tech to Extra Number Three giving it their all.

As to the story, it’s simple enough. Aliens have landed on planet Earth, and taken up residence in a remote part of Arizona in 1873. Meanwhile, back in town,...

Our roving reporter Sasha Perl-Raver recently braved the wilds of Montana to catch up with director Jon Favreau for a chat about his action-packed sci-fi Western genre mash-up Cowboys & Aliens, which lands in theaters nationwide this Friday, July 29th. While roping cattle and enjoying some good old fashioned horseback riding, Sasha also managed to sneak a peek at the film alongside stars Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, and everyone's favorite genre hero Harrison Ford. Click on our exclusive interview featurette below to find out more about this summer's biggest thrill ride.

Click to watch Exclusive: Cast and Crew Interview Featurette!

Cowboys & Aliens was released July 29th, 2011 and stars Daniel Craig, Abigail Spencer, Buck Taylor, Matthew Taylor, Cooper Taylor, Clancy Brown, Paul Dano, Chris Browning. The film is directed by Jon Favreau.

Brendan Wayne discusses Cowboys and Aliens, following in the Western footsteps of his grandfather John Wayne, and more

Brendan Wayne, grandson of legendary Western actor John Wayne, is taking on the genre that made his family name famous with director Jon Favreau's Cowboys & Aliens, in theaters this Friday.

After appearing in such fare as Hotel for Dogs, Fast & Furious, and Couples Retreat, this modest member of Hollywood royalty has decided to jump on a horse and show what he is truly made of. In Cowboys & Aliens, Brendan Wayne plays Charlie Lyle, deputy to the town's sheriff John Taggart (Keith Carradine). We recently caught up with Brendan to find out what it was like for him to truly become part of the Wayne legacy.

Here is our conversation.

What can you tell us about Charlie Lyle and his place within Cowboys & Aliens? I understand that your character is pretty integral to the storyline.

Cowboys & Aliens is getting ready to invade theaters on July 29 and we certainly have to celebrate this genre Western starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig. We are celebrating this new release with a contest where we're giving away a branded leather satchel bag, dice game, t-shirt, metal replica wrist blaster, and screenplay book. These prizes will ceertainly go fast, so enter this contest today.

Winners Receive:

Cowboys & Aliens Branded Leather Satchel Bag

-Cowboys & Aliens Dice GameOfficial Cowboys & Aliens T-ShirtCowboys & Aliens Metal Replica Wrist Blaster (replica of same worn in the film!)Cowboys & Aliens Screenplay Book

Here's How To Win!

Just "Like" (fan) the MovieWeb Facebook page (below) and then leave a comment below telling us why these prizes must be yours!

If you already "Like" MovieWeb, just leave a comment below telling us why these prizes must be yours!

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past...

Universal Pictures is set to debut their highly-anticipated summer adventure Cowboys & Aliens, which debuts in theaters nationwide on July 29. Two new profile videos have been released from the upcoming movie, which features Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig discussing their characters and what drew them into this genre tale.

Click to watch Harrison Ford Featurette!

Click to watch Daniel Craig Featurette!

Cowboys & Aliens comes to theaters July 29th, 2011 and stars Daniel Craig, Abigail Spencer, Buck Taylor, Matthew Taylor, Cooper Taylor, Clancy Brown, Paul Dano, Chris Browning. The film is directed by Jon Favreau.

Anne Lockhart is best known for her character on the original Battlestar Galactica series playing the spunky and very hot Sheba. She’s been involved in so many other projects on film and TV but the one thing that has followed her around is BSG. She has also had a very impressive career doing voice over and Adr work from shows like Law and Order: Svu to movies like Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem, even the Hannah Montana movie and even Buried. She’ll be attending Comicpalooza on Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29 in Houston, Texas so be sure and go say hi to her. Check out this fanboy’s latest Versus with the iconic and very cool actress Anne Lockhart.

Brian S- How cool is it being a part of such a cool show like Battlestar Galactica that changed so many things for sci-fi and even paved the way for many franchises that followed?...

CBS Films is currently casting for the part of 'Marshal Matt Dillon', in the upcoming big screen adaptation of "Gunsmoke", based on the 20-season run of the classic "Gunsmoke" TV series.

Screenplay for "Gunsmoke" is by Gregory Poirier, writer of "National Treasure: Book of Secrets".

The original television series starring actor James "The Thing From Another World" Arness, ran from September 10, 1955 to March 31, 1975 on CBS with 635 total episodes. John Wayne was first offered the lead part, but turned it down, not wanting to work in TV.

Wayne introduced the show before its first episode, following-up on his recommendation of Arness for the part.

Other main characters on the series included Dennis Weaver as 'Chester Goode', Milburn Stone as 'Dr. Galen "Doc" Adams' and Amanda Blake as 'Miss Kitty Russell', owner of the 'Long Branch Saloon'.

Initially on the fringes of Dodge society, 'Festus' was slowly phased in as...