It’s safe to say that one of the most timeless genres of film is the Western. From the Golden Age of Hollywood to our current resurgence in the Taylor Sheridan era, audiences simply cannot get enough of the Wild Wild West. It’s a chance to escape to a world we used to play in as kids, but beyond that, the stories are rich and deeply thematic. It’s partially why it’s such a crowd-pleasing genre.

Since the dawn of the Western, there have been countless titles that have been considered masterpieces, but what about those films that are simply meant to entertain? We’re here to discuss the 10 most crowd-pleasing Westerns ever. From those that epitomize the old west to comedies that poke fun at the genre, these movies are simply a good ol’ time that everyone can have.

1

‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ (1969)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Perhaps the pinnacle of buddy cop Westerns comes in 1969’s exceptional Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman, the film is loosely based on the Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker, known as Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman), and his partner Harry Longabaugh, the “Sundance Kid” (Robert Redford). A story of fast draws and wild rides, with posses, robberies, and a torrid love affair, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid follows two outlaws on the run for their lives to Bolivia while shining a light on a remarkable friendship. A lighthearted and likable Western, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is pure joy. Beyond the comedy, the film explores the end of the Old West and the encroachment of modern civilization. It’s a bittersweet story.

Blending Western grit with lighthearted charm, this film has become so beloved because of its stars. Both Redford and Newman had storied careers before and after the film, yet their dynamic as a duo remains one of their best work. They had a natural, charismatic rapport that carried the film all the way through. Like a great Western should, the vibrancy in cinematography contributed to the film’s splendor. Earning four Academy Awards, including Best Song for Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” the film’s legacy is everlasting. A film that epitomized the swinging ’60s, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of those films that can never be replicated.

2

‘Stagecoach’ (1939)

Image via United Artists

If there’s any landmark film that perfected the Western genre, it’s John Ford’s Stagecoach. The Western classic tells the tale of nine disparate passengers as they travel through dangerous Apache territory from Tonto, Arizona, to Lordsburg, New Mexico. The journey showcases their evolving relationships, personal dramas, and eager redemption, ultimately resulting in a climactic final showdown. Featuring one of John Wayne’s most iconic performances as the Ringo Kid that launched him into stardom, Stagecoach is a simple story that highlights profound character-driven moments.

The film’s characters are vibrant and unique, lifting the material to great heights. The motley crew comprises a disgraced prostitute, Dallas (Claire Trevor), driven out of town by the Law and Order League; a drunken doctor named Josiah Boone (Thomas Mitchell); a snobbish pregnant officer’s wife, Lucy Mallory (Louise Platt); a diminutive whiskey salesman, Samuel Peacock (Donald Meek); a gambler by the name of Hatfield (John Carradine); an arrogant corrupt banker, Ellsworth H. Gatewood (Berton Churchill); Marshal Curley Wilcox (George Bancroft); and an outlaw, The Ringo Kid (Wayne). This recipe for an unlikely group of travelers has inspired countless Westerns, from the classics to today’s Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight. Through pioneering stunt work to breathtaking cinematography in Monument Valley, you can’t help but point to this film as one that epitomizes classic Westerns. Though a 1966 remake and a 1986 television film were made, nothing beats the original.

3

‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ (1966)

Image via Produzioni Europee Associati

Whether you’re a die-hard Western lover or a casual fan, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of the Spaghetti Western subgenre. If you’re looking for a film that perfectly depicts the style, look no further than Sergio Leone’s monumental The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The film follows three amoral, gunslinging bounty hunters who shift alliances and betrayals as they search for buried Confederate gold amid the chaos of conflict. Now to the famous title. The good is represented by Blondie (Clint Eastwood), the bad through Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef), and the ugly as Tuco (Eli Wallach). The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly helped redefine Westerns by blurring the lines between hero and villain through the 1960s’ disillusioned lens.

From a cynical vantage point on the American Civil War, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is a gritty, stylized, slow-burning thriller. Leone is a pioneer of Spaghetti Westerns, with this classic possibly being his most beloved. His expert use of long shots, close-ups, and minimal dialogue builds the intense atmosphere with ease. Renowned for the legendary Mexican standoff and Ennio Morricone‘s soaring score, the film highlights the beauty of its backdrop, but the reality that justice is rare and survival is the true mission. Referenced, parodied, and celebrated, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the cornerstone of Western pop culture.

4

‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1960)

Image via United Artists

One of the true classics of the genre is The Magnificent Seven. Directed by John Sturges, the film tells the story of seven diverse, skilled gunslingers hired to protect a defenseless village terrorized by a ruthless band of marauders led by Calvert (Eli Wallach). The group consists of varied individuals — Cajun gunslinger Chris Adams (Yul Brynner); drifter Vin Tanner (Steve McQueen); young, hot-blooded shootist Chico (Horst Buchholz); the professional Bernardo O’Reily (Charles Bronson); the traumatized veteran Lee (Robert Vaughn), fortune seeker Harry Luck (Brad Dexter); and knife expert Britt (James Coburn) — all looking for money, excitement, or redemption. A skillful adaptation of Seven Samurai, the Western iteration balances the themes of camaraderie, sacrifice, and heroism with sensational action.

A film best remembered for its outstanding ensemble, The Magnificent Seven thrives over time. The all-star cast had grown into legends in their own right thanks to this project. Like many iconic Westerns of the time, the movie’s ability to build the world through set pieces and orchestration remains one of its highlights. Through its epic, adventurous American spirit, The Magnificent Seven is a rip-roaring classic. Like its predecessor, The Magnificent Seven continued through remakes and sequels. In fact, we ended 2025 with the major announcement that a new television adaptation had been greenlit. Suffice it to say, the impact of The Magnificent Seven lingers on.

5

‘True Grit’ (2010)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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In almost every other situation, we’ll take the original over the remake. But in the case of True Grit, the Joel and Ethan Coen remake not only built upon its source material, but it also made it even better. A more faithful adaptation, True Grit follows 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) as she hires grizzled, trigger-happy lawman Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to go after outlaw Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), who murdered her father. Accompanied by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who has his own vendetta against Chaney, the trio embarks on a perilous journey into Indian Territory for revenge and punishment. Showcasing the splendor and grandeur of the West through a 21st-century lens, True Grit became a Western modern marvel, especially with that 95% Rotten Tomatoes score.

This True Grit serves as the superior adaptation of the novel through its grim and grizzly yet enthralling direction. The Coens intelligently guided the film to be narrative-driven, avoiding a reliance on bloodshed as the primary focus. Paired with sensational performances from a standout ensemble, this version of the story focuses on Mattie’s perspective, and with an extraordinary debut in a theatrical performance, Steinfeld earned an Academy Award nomination for the film. It’s safe to say that the modern resurgence of Westerns was partially thanks to the appetite from True Grit.

6

‘Tombstone’ (1993)

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

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When it comes to Westerns in the ’90s, George P. Cosmatos‘ Tombstone defined the genre. Inspired by real events in the 1880s in Southeast Arizona, Tombstone tells the story of retired lawman Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) as he moves to Arizona for a quiet life. Instead, he’s forced back into action as a ruthless gang known as the Cowboys, led by Curly Bill Brocius (Powers Boothe) and Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn), terrorize the town. Focusing on the feud leading to the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the subsequent vendetta ride to restore order, Tombstone is a timeless classic that explores justice, loyalty, and vengeance.

The joy of Tombstone is just how iconic a film it is. From iconic quotes to intense action sequences to a legendary performance by Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday, Tombstone maintains its status as a staple of the genre. Beyond Kilmer, the entire ensemble, including Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Dana Delaney, and Charlton Heston, dazzles. Tombstone is truly a celebration of a band of brothers. It’s a stylish take on the Old West we all imagined. Even if you don’t like Westerns, Tombstone is a satisfying film, holding steady at 93% on the Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes.

7

‘Django Unchained’ (2012)

Image via The Weinstein Company

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If there’s one thing that Quentin Tarantino can do, it’s go from genre to genre with the greatest of ease. In 2012, he tackled the Western through a revisionist tribute to Spaghetti Westerns called Django Unchained. Set in the Antebellum South and the Old West pre-Civil War, Django (Jamie Foxx) finds himself accompanying an unorthodox German bounty hunter by the name of Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) on a mission to capture the vicious Brittle brothers (M.C. Gainey, Cooper Huckabee, and Doc Duhame). Django, on a mission to reunite with his long-lost wife (Kerry Washington), finds himself on a hunt with Schultz to hunt the South’s most-wanted criminals. An unrelenting revenge-driven story, Django Unchained captured the dark side of the West through Tarantino’s stylized vision.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of vengeance was the perfect tagline for the film. Marrying his signature dark humor with a sharp perspective on historical injustice, Django Unchained goes beyond a simple, entertaining film. That said, if strong language and extreme violence are not your thing, steer clear of this film. The film did stir up controversy for both, but at the end of the day, it didn’t deter it from remaining a modern classic. Though Foxx and Waltz do most of the heavy lifting, with Waltz earning an Oscar, Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin J. Candie is sublime. Ending 2012 on many critics’ top 10 lists, Django Unchained was a Western like no one had seen before.

8

‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974)

Image via Warner Bros.

It wouldn’t be right to not include the greatest send-up of the genre ever, Blazing Saddles. From the genius that is Mel Brooks, the iconic comedy is about robber baron Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman), who is determined to take over Rock Ridge by driving out the denizens. His plan? There’s a new sheriff — crafty railroad worker Bart (Cleavon Little) — who becomes the frontier town’s first Black sheriff. Instead, Bart and his sidekick, Jim the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder), end up being the villain’s most formidable opponent. A far-too-crude yet constantly hilarious comedy, Blazing Saddles pushed the boundaries beyond the edge and straight off the cliff.

Perhaps a tad too politically incorrect for today, Blazing Saddles was a product of its time. Satirizing racism and stereotypes in Westerns by utilizing anachronisms and humor to expose the prejudices of the all-white townspeople and the land-grabbing villain, the film employs every gag in the book. It’s brash and crass in all the right ways. With a cast of eccentric characters, Blazing Saddles is the complete Brooks experience. The cast is top-notch, especially the brilliant Madeline Kahn as Lili Von Schtupp. Her rendition of “I’m Tired” as if she’s Marlene Dietrich is pure camp. Though other Brooks films may hold up better today, Blazing Saddles blazed an important comedic trail while poking fun at a beloved genre.

9

‘3:10 to Yuma’ (2007)

Image via Lionsgate

Another example of an upgraded remake, 3:10 to Yuma, blends classic Western elements through a modern lens for an utterly entertaining viewing. The film tells the story of Dan Evans (Christian Bale), a struggling, crippled rancher who volunteers to escort notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to face justice via a train to Yuma prison, where a $200 reward awaits him. On a mission to save his ranch, Evans embarks on a treacherous journey against Wade’s ruthless gang, led by Charlie Prince (Ben Foster), while navigating a tense psychological battle with a cunning outlaw. A story of honor, redemption, and the battle between good and evil, 3:10 to Yuma is an intense Western thriller that transcends clichés.

Though the 1957 version is admired, the update is even more action-packed. Hinging on the dynamics between two strong-willed individuals, the complex relationship between Evans and Wade is amplified by the sensational performances of Bale and Crowe. Director James Mangold builds tension through its moral depth. It’s a fiery interpretation of the original that established itself as a satisfying entry in the modern rise of Westerns.

10

‘The Searchers’ (1956)

Image via Warner Bros.

To close out, we have another classic Wayne-Ford collaboration that may be best known for subverting the traditional hero tropes, The Searchers. The film follows Ethan Edwards (Wayne), a hateful Civil War veteran searching for his kidnapped niece, Debbie (Natalie Wood). His mission isn’t to save her, but to kill her due to his perception that she has become tainted by living with the Comanche. A brutal look at the frontier through themes of racism and obsession, The Searchers is an example of how redemption can be earned in the end.

A critical masterpiece in the Western world, The Searchers is a complex film that tackles the psychological toll the West can have on an individual. Wayne, usually a perfect hero, swaps that morality for a story of vengeance. He’s an unlikely protagonist as he plays a deeply disturbed anti-hero. Ford uses this piece to confront the difficult and often uncomfortable aspects of American history and identity. Beautifully filmed, The Searchers is a transcendent masterpiece.

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The Searchers

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Release Date

May 26, 1956

Runtime

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119 minutes

Director

John Ford

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Writers

Frank S. Nugent

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• 
• 

  Jeffrey Hunter

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  Martin Pawley

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Oscar-nominated actor Ryan Gosling delivers a knockout, career-best performance in the modern sci-fi masterpiece, Project Hail Mary. What’s equally exciting about Project Hail Mary is that the movie serves as the perfect precursor and appetizer for Gosling’s next performance, as he stars in a new live-action theatrical Star Wars movie. Based on Gosling’s work in an imaginative, yet very scientifically grounded sci-fi feature, we can’t wait to see what he does in next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter, as Gosling’s performance as Ryland Grace proves that he’s more than up to the task of playing a compelling interstellar adventurer!

A Key Relationship in ‘Project Hail Mary’ Looks Directly Inspired by ‘Star Wars’

A sizable chunk of Project Hail Mary focuses on the relationship between Ryland Grace (Gosling) and his fellow scientist and explorer, an Eridian alien whom Grace nicknames Rocky (James Ortiz). Despite their differing backgrounds, Grace and Rocky form a tear-jerking, heartfelt, and emotional relationship, where they literally risk life and limb for one another. It’s the true heart and emotional core of the movie, and it’s directly inspired by relationships typically found in beloved Star Wars media. A movie like Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back captured moviegoers’ collective imaginations through its depiction of the relationship between Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and the elderly Jedi master, Yoda (Frank Oz). It’s irrelevant that Yoda is a puppet. Oz brings that character to life onscreen, and Hamill sells the relationship between Luke and Yoda, making the characters and their relationship into something tangible and “real” for the audience.

Gosling and Ortiz do the same thing with Grace and Rocky. They bring those characters and their relationship to vivid life onscreen, and the audience believes it. Their chemistry enthralls viewers’ collective imaginations just like Luke and Yoda. Project Hail Mary, through the dynamic bond that Grace and Rocky form over the course of the story, restores a childlike innocence and imagination to cinema that Star Wars similarly inspired in moviegoers for decades.

Grace’s Hero’s Journey Is Taken Right Out of the ‘Star Wars’ Playbook

Although Grace starts the movie as a molecular biologist-turned-science-teacher, he’s forced to become a reluctant astronaut with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. That unique take on the hero’s journey comes right out of the Star Wars playbook. A mild-mannered and unassuming individual must reluctantly follow the path of heroism and save a literal planet. Technically, it’s not just Earth’s civilization at stake in Project Hail Mary, but Rocky’s home planet, Erid, as well. Through Gosling’s Grace, taking on the role of a reluctant would-be hero, viewers can find parallels to a character like the scoundrel pilot Han Solo in Star Wars, whose swagger hides a genuine heart of gold. Although Grace doesn’t have the persona of a dashing rogue, he finds himself in a position where he must become an unwitting hero, much like Solo.

Project Hail Mary once again proves Gosling’s versatility as an actor. He consistently delivers amazing work in more intimate, lower-budget thriller dramas like Drive, or he can portray a more comedic performance like Ken in the Barbie movie. However, based on Gosling’s performance as Grace, a character who finds himself isolated and alone on a high-risk mission in outer space, he must become the mission’s unwitting engineer and pilot to save planet Earth. Grace taking the pilot’s chair in Project Hail Mary provides some amazing moments, so we can’t wait to see what Gosling does as his pilot character in Starfighter.

‘Project Hail Mary’ Features Moments Reminiscent of ‘Star Wars’

Image via Lucasfilm

Project Hail Mary also features some nail-biting and riveting action-packed moments set in space that certainly whet the appetite for Star Wars: Starfighter. There’s an incredibly suspenseful sequence where Grace must go on a daring space walk that puts us on the very edge of our seats. It felt reminiscent of some of the best and most suspenseful moments in movies like Star Wars, such as when characters have to race out of an exploding space station in Return of the Jedi or The Phantom Menace. Gosling always makes sure to bring an emotional connection to all of these scenes, so the audience is always dialed in to the fate and peril the characters experience.

That’s something that good scenes should always bring to the table, and the action in Project Hail Mary came off like a throwback to the Lucasfilm and Amblin Entertainment movies of yore. Gosling consistently imbues the action beats with his movie star presence, charm, and charisma, but he never loses sight of the plot’s stakes or his character’s emotional arc. Based on how well he performs in the big action and space moments in Project Hail Mary, he will undoubtedly portray a cool, compelling, and believable pilot character in Star Wars: Starfighter.

Gosling is currently one of the best actors working today. He’s been the hunky male romantic lead who makes women swoon in The Notebook and Crazy, Stupid, Love. He’s done the high-octane action hero thing with The Fall Guy, and he led an epic sci-fi drama in Project Hail Mary. Now, he will embark on an epic space fantasy with Star Wars: Starfighter. Once audiences glimpse Gosling’s work in Project Hail Mary, their excitement level for Starfighter will go up exponentially, just as it did for us. We can’t wait to see what he delivers when Starfighter zooms into theaters at lightspeed on May 28, 2027.

Project Hail Mary is now playing in theaters.

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Release Date

March 20, 2026

Runtime

156 Minutes

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Director

Christopher Miller, Phil Lord

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Writers

Drew Goddard, Andy Weir

Producers

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Ryan Gosling, Amy Pascal, Andy Weir, Aditya Sood, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Rachel O’Connor

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Perez Hilton has shared dramatic photos from a recent hospital stay in Las Vegas for a mysterious medical emergency.

“March madness indeed! Have I got a story to tell,” Hilton, 47, hinted via Instagram on Saturday, March 21.

The former Celebrity Big Brother star included numerous alarming photos taken from his room at Clark County, Nevada’s Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center.

The photos include a shot of multiple scars on his stomach — seemingly from stitches — and tubes in his nose and across his throat. Another shot shows Hilton staring directly into the camera while wearing an oxygen mask.

Hilton received an outpouring of support from his famous followers, including singer Bebe Rexha, The Real Housewives of Miami star Marysol Patton and RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Coco Montrese.

“Hope you’re okay honey,” Meghan McCain encouraged him.

“Wishing you a speedy recovery,” Francia Raisa wrote to Hilton, with America’s Next Top Model alum Kelly Cutrone adding, “Blessings Abound.”

In a second post, Hilton confirmed he was back at his Las Vegas home and promised to open up about his mysterious ailment soon.

“Before I tell you this I went through — soon, in full detail — I wanted to share something very important,” he narrated over clips of himself in his hospital bed. “When I moved to Las Vegas three years ago, I heard horror stories about the healthcare here. But I need to let everybody know that I went to Southern Hills Hospital and I received the best care there.”

Hilton shouted out several nurses and doctors who cared for him during his recent hospital stay, pointing out that he may not have survived without their professionalism.

“Everybody was amazing … Thank you all and, also, thank you to the Filipino community. So many of my nurses were Filipino,” he added. “I love you all and I thank you all so much. Every single person at Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas — I would not be home already, if it were not for you.”

He captioned the video, “You are angels, all of you at @southernhillshospitallv!”

“I hope you are ok,” former Girls Next Door star Holly Madison replied to Hilton’s video.

Us Weekly has reached out to Hilton’s representative for comment.

Hilton moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas with his three children — Mario Armando, 13, Mia Alma, 10, and Mayte Amor, 8, — in January 2023. At the time, Hilton told Real Vegas Magazine that uprooting his entire family was “so hard,” especially since he had to sell his L.A. home and build a new one in Vegas.

“It was a real challenge to sell my home in LA, and I believe in being straightforward about it,” he explained. “At the same time, I was also managing the construction of a house in Las Vegas. It’s an experience that I won’t be repeating, but ultimately, everything turned out well, and I’m truly thankful for that.”

He went on, “Moving is tough, especially with kids! There’s so much to do – finding schools, doctors, dentists, and dealing with the DMV. Don’t even get me started on that lol. It took time, but seeing my kids happy in our new home made it all worth it. We love using our pool in Vegas, and we’re enjoying more family time together.”

Roomies, the news cycle just hit different this week. President Donald Trump is back at the center of conversation as former FBI Director Robert Mueller III has passed away at 81, and the timeline is already buzzing. Known for leading the investigation into Trump’s alleged Russia ties, Mueller’s death is prompting headlines that blend somber reflection with reactions that have people talking.

RELATED: Boosie Claps Back After Critics Call Him Out For Requesting Presidential Pardon From Donald Trump (PHOTOS)

Robert Mueller Passes Away And Trump Weighs In

Robert Mueller III’s family confirmed his passing on Friday via a statement shared by AP News. He served as FBI director from 2001 to 2013 and was appointed special counsel in 2017 to oversee the high-profile investigation. Following the announcement, Trump weighed in on Truth Social, writing, “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people.” As expected, the post immediately sparked reactions online, with folks debating everything from Mueller’s legacy to Trump’s controversial response.

The Timeline Explodes Over Blunt Comment

As soon as the web caught wind of Trump’s comments, folks ran straight to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section to sound off. Some called it horrible to speak that way about someone who just passed. Meanwhile, others shrugged, saying people will talk about Trump like this when the time comes. Of course, a whole crew reminded the timeline how former President Obama got roasted for wearing a tan suit, proving the double standards are real.

One Instagram user @msblingmiami said, “The way he speaks of the💀 is disturbing. He must think he’s immortal. 🤦🏽‍♀️”

This Instagram user @wecanseeitnow added, “Our president is smoking on Robert Mueller while we pay $5.60/Gal💔😭”

And, Instagram user @prettyk1206 shared, “Never forgot, all Obama did was rock the tan suit and that was enough for THEM. 💯”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @rawest.ariesss commented, “Lmaoooo😭😭😭”

And, Instagram user @pablokitchen_ wrote, “Let me screenshot this for when his time come.“

Lastly, Instagram user @kiyacole added, “MADNESS!!!! Who TF says some sh!t like this?!“

What’s Trump Been Up To Lately?

Roommates, Trump’s timeline has been going off lately. While Iran deals with reports of tragic strikes, Donald Trump hopped on Truth Social to weigh in. In an eight-minute video dropped a few weeks ago, he addressed U.S. airstrikes and framed Iran’s nuclear ambitions and missile programs as a direct threat to the U.S.He didn’t hold back, telling Iranian citizens to “take over your government,” and naturally, the clip immediately had the internet buzzing.

RELATED: Donald Trump Addresses Major Military Operation As US And Israel Attack Iran, At Least 50 Dead (VIDEO)

Revenge thrillers are a tale as old as time. Alexandre Dumas‘ 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo might not be quite as ancient by comparison, but the literary touchstone’s immense popularity has never gone out of style, either. Dozens of global adaptations have riffed on Dumas’ vengeance quest for well over a century, ranging from film and television to theater, from historically accurate to loosely modernized. France’s latest reboot was a box office smash in 2024, while just last year, Regé-Jean Page (Bridgerton) announced plans to both produce and star in an upcoming film adaptation.

Another adaptation hit European screens in late 2024 before inching its way across the ocean toward PBS Masterpiece. Although this staggered release strategy means some intrigued viewers have waited a long time for the promise of a limited series anchored by leading man Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones & The Six) and living legend Jeremy Irons, it also reflects this particular Count‘s international identity: an English-language French-Italian co-production overseen by two-time Palme d’Or-winning Danish director Bille August, filmed in France, Malta, and Italy, and performed by a cast assembled from across Europe.

As someone who split their childhood between reading classic swashbucklers and devouring historical BBC miniseries, I counted myself among those who had a sight-unseen bias toward the idea of one of my favorite epics arriving via a beloved format. Thankfully, The Count of Monte Cristo sets a near-perfect new standard both for luxurious period dramas and for modern re-imaginations that preserve the text’s essence.

What Is ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ About?

Image via PBS Masterpiece

In 1815, as dethroned Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte prepares to make his final grab for power, young sailor Edmond Dantès (Claflin) reunites with his one true love, Mercédès Herrera (Ana Girardot), following an arduous voyage. He’s ready to embrace a devoted future at his fiancée’s side, a prospect buoyed by his recent promotion. Unfortunately, the unassumingly earnest, hardworking man has earned enemies for being precisely that. Danglars (Blake Ritson), Edmond’s jealous shipmate, and Fernand Mondego (Harry Taurasi), a soldier who covets his cousin Mercédès’ affections, conspire to frame Edmond for treason against King Louis XVIII.

In a perfect storm of terrible people determined to advance their interests, Marseille prosecutor Gérard de Villefort (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard) becomes the final nail in Edmond’s proverbial coffin. As the next 15 years elevate the guilty trio into Parisian high society, Edmond languishes under a life sentence in the impenetrable island fortress of Château d’If. He only survives, escapes, and conducts his exacting revenge scheme — disguised as the exorbitantly wealthy Count of Monte Cristo — thanks to a cocktail of resilience, bitterness, and literal buried treasure.

‘The Count of Monte Cristo’s Exquisite Production Value and Detailed Storytelling Shine

Image via PBS Masterpiece

An early Variety report described The Count of Monte Cristo as “a [lifelong] passion project for Carlo Degli Esposti,” the founder of the Palomar production company, and the sentiment shows. A long-form miniseries naturally allows for the methodical pacing Dumas’ gargantuan page-turner deserves, and although this Count makes normal adaptation decisions (simplifying the moving parts, reducing extraneous clutter), it closely hews to the ingenuity behind Edmond’s Machiavellian puppeteering — a tension-filled detail which the feature films understandably yet regrettably lose.

This fidelity also means this year’s adaptation isn’t as action-packed as even the most entertaining Hollywood remakes. The corresponding payoff, however, means it’s just as cinematic. Viewers are unlikely to find anything quite as visually sumptuous outside of The Gilded Age. However, while HBO Max’s production value favors the high-spectacle brand of period drama, Count of Monte Cristo is immersive for its location-based naturalism and narrative texture, not its opulence. One can practically feel the Mediterranean sand and the harsh sea spray, only for that lived-in warmth to turn frigid once the locations shift to the stony Château d’If’s solitary confinement and the emotionally vacant trappings of Parisian aristocracy.

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Clocking in just shy of eight hours (all of which were provided for review) still isn’t enough to cover the entire source material, but familiarity with Dumas’ ins-and-outs isn’t required to partake in this adaptation’s riches. In any form, The Count of Monte Cristo is a lasting thriller and an anti-coming-of-age epic that concerns itself with love, redemption, healing, and forging something new from the ashes of manifold loss (family, independence, innocence, hope). At the same time, it tackles themes of class oppression, corruption, and vengeance-as-justice. Thanks to those eight hours, Count of Monte Cristo emphasizes the psychological richness of all involved parties, and across two generations, to boot. Edmond Dantès is one of the definitive deceptive masterminds, adeptly turning friends and foes alike into his pawns — yet no matter how much punishment Edmond’s offenders arguably deserve, his cat-and-mouse revenge makes for a self-destructive tonic.

‘The Count of Monte Cristo’s Spectacular Cast Conveys Complex Emotional Weight

To that end, Claflin delivers a delicately emotive performance that marks one of his best turns yet. Although he shifts into less overtly visceral territory during the second half, such reserve reflects the steep damage that two decades of trauma and Edmond’s ruthless pursuit have inflicted upon his deteriorating soul. Claflin affords enough glimpses underneath Edmond’s enigmatic mask to reveal equal parts tenacity and frailty — a man held together by fraying strings. Irons’ political dissident, Abbé Faria, is a fount of encouraging warmth and wisdom beyond just his scholarly knowledge. The character’s bittersweet brevity makes Irons’ appearance more of a grace note, but as Faria and Edmond heal each other’s wounds through their companionship, they become the series’ most intimate anchor.

As for Edmond’s adversaries, they range from mustache-twirling relish (Ritson) and malevolent narcissism (Mondego) to flickers of wavering conflict (Følsgaard). Similarly, the villainous women are selfish connivers, whereas the virtuous ones, like Mercédès and the orphaned Haydée (Karla-Simone Spence), are almost as wronged as Edmond. Even though one craves a touch more depth in this regard, the moral-opposites tactic isn’t egregiously two-dimensional, and even the most underutilized women benefit from enhanced autonomy and insight. Edmond’s assembled crew of 19th-century Avengers is also fleshed out with an eye for nuance, especially the rogueishly delightful Jacopo (Michele Riondino) and the guilt-ridden Caderousse (Jason Barnett).

The quibbles with this adaptation are few and far between. The moments it plays against second-screen viewing habits by doubling down on dialogue and repetitious flashbacks aren’t off-putting. The ultimate result straddles a successful line between wide-ranging accessibility and not talking down to its audience’s intelligence. And while the finale’s emotional arcs are far from unearned, the catharsis also could’ve benefited from a longer denouement. Overall, this rendition of a timeless classic, inspired by the bones of the great period dramas that have come before, is as painstakingly faithful and exquisitely exciting as you could hope for.

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Release Date

2026 – 2024-00-00

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Network

Rai 1, France Télévisions Jeunesse

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Directors

Bille August

Writers

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Greg Latter

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Pros & Cons

• The cast deliver superb performanaces from top to bottom, with Sam Claflin and Jeremy Irons as particular highlights.
• Shooting on location creates an immersive viewing experience.
• The supporting characters, especially the women, are expanded beyond their more limitating book counterparts.
• The methodical pacing gives the story’s ins-and-outs ample time to shine.

• Although empowered, some female characters still could have received more depth and screentime.
• The final episode might have needed a little more time to breathe.

Kim Kardashian is definitely supportive of her 10-year-old son Saint West’s latest hobby.

The All’s Fair actress, 45, showed off son Saint popping a wheelie on a dirt bike via her Instagram account on Saturday, March 21. The photo captured Saint in action with his off-road bike in a vertical position, with one wheel fairly high off the ground.

“BIKER BOY SAINT,” Kardashian captioned the photo.

Saint got lots of love for his dirt biking via his mom’s Instagram comment section, with singer and streamer Morgan Westbrooks replying: “Let me pull up [and] show him how to do some wheelies… he’s dope.”

“OK saintttt we see you,” another follower added, with a third chiming in, “Let’s goooo, saint!”

Saint is one of Kardashian’s four children with her ex-husband Kanye West. The former couple also share North West, 12, Chicago West, 8, and Psalm West, 6. (Kardashian and West, 48, split in early 2021 after seven years of marriage and finalized their divorce the following year. She was previously married to producer Damon Thomas from 2000 to 2004 and later to NBA star Kris Humphries for a brief period in 2011.)

The Kardashians star frequently supports her kids’ hobbies via her social media. Last October, Kardashian came to daughter North’s defense when her daughter showed off an edgy new look via TikTok. North amassed millions of TikTok views by debuting a faux star tattoo under her eye and her name written in cursive on her cheek, as well as a fake septum piercing and a black grill over her teeth.

When some TikTok commenters suggested the new look was inappropriate for a child, Kardashian seemingly clapped back, “This is such a non-issue.”

Related: Kim Kardashian Celebrates Son Saint’s Birthday: ‘One of My Soulmates’

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Courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Instagram Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s oldest son, Saint, celebrated his ninth birthday on Thursday, December 5, and his proud mom let the world know via her Instagram account. In a heartfelt post, Kardashian, 44, shared a carousel of photos showing her and Saint over the years, including the pair smiling, snuggling […]

In a subsequent video for Complex with her All’s Fair costar Niecy Nash-Betts, Kardashian clarified that she personally regulates all of North’s TikTok videos.

“North, if she ever posts a TikTok, it’s on my phone, so she has to ask my approval, and then I post it,” Kardashian said on November 5, 2025. “The comments, all that’s on my phone.”

The reality star went on, “Her and her girlfriends, they love doing costumes, they love doing looks, and so, it’s Halloween season, so they put on fake tattoos on their face, fake piercings, they all had their colored hair. They looked like an opium Powerpuff Girls … [that’s] what they were going for.”

Kardashian confirmed that North was actually the one responsible for her clapback to the TikTok backlash.

“She was like, ‘I don’t get it. It’s a Halloween costume. It’s all fake,’” Kardashian recalled. “So, she takes my phone, and she writes back to a comment, and she goes, ‘This is such a non-issue.’ Then online, it was like, ‘Kim defends North to the end on this look.’”

Related: Kim Kardashian Says North and Saint Are Bonding Over His YouTube Channel

Kim Kardashian’s son Saint is bonding with his sister North over his new YouTube channel. “I will say it has brought him and North closer together because she’s filming his content and making him do challenges,” Kardashian, 43, told Entertainment Tonight at the Kering for Women dinner in New York City on Monday, September 9. […]

She then quipped, “That’s a good clapback.”

Meanwhile, Kardashian turned heads on the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty on Sunday, March 15, when she arrived wearing blue contacts and a skin-tight gold ball gown by Gucci. Among those impressed by her awards season look was rumored love interest Lewis Hamilton, who left a flirty comment via Kardashian’s Instagram account.

Apple TV has built one of the most impressive catalogs in streaming over the years. Their shows reflect a dedication and quality that’s tough to see anywhere else; perhaps even statistically, Apple TV has the least amount of criticized original programming, and though their volume is disproportionate compared to other streamers, it’s commendable to see a deliberateness in a streamer’s release schedule.

Though Apple TV is known for its versatile drama content, it has a range of genres across all shows; not all of them are exciting, but some are so fun and easy to watch that they’re worth a binge-watch. From dystopian thrillers to spy dramas and historical epics, these are the most exciting Apple TV shows to binge-watch.

10

‘Bad Sisters’ (2022–2024)

Image via Apple TV

Bad Sisters is exciting because it’s one of the rare shows that prepares you for what is about to happen. It doesn’t spare its leads any trauma or heavy-hitting truths, showing them as more than just heroes of a story but rather as very regular people, humans who try to do the right thing. Bad Sisters was co-created by and stars Sharon Horgan, known for her dry, sarcastic humor; she’s surrounded by other Irish actors in this adaptation of the Belgian series Clan, adding her stamp of dark humor into the story. With two seasons and 18 episodes so far, this is one of the easiest shows to binge-watch over a long weekend.

Bad Sisters is a black comedy-thriller that follows the five Garvey sisters—Eva, Grace, Ursula, Bibi, and Becka—who become inescapably drawn together by the untimely “accidental” death of Grace’s (Anne-Marie Duff) abusive husband, John Paul (Claes Bang). The first season flashes between past and present as two life insurance investigators (Brian Gleeson and Daryl McCormack) look into John Paul’s death, revealing the sisters’ various attempts to kill the monstrous man who made their lives hell. The second season jumps ahead two years, exploring the guilt and consequences of their actions. The chemistry between the sisters feels genuine, and while Season 2 may lack the oomph of the first, Bad Sisters is one of the best original series on Apple TV.

9

‘The Studio’ (2025–Present)

Image via Apple TV

The Studio may not be the first thing you think of when you hear “exciting,” since this adjective is typically attributed to thrillers and action. However, one look at The Studio‘s pilot episode will make you realize just why this black comedy/satire is so fun. There’s one episode that was fully filmed as a single take (aptly called “The Oner”), and some extended scenes and episodes throughout the show are also continuous, or at least appear to be, to achieve the perfect flow of events. This is why The Studio is so exciting—so much happens in a span of 20–30 minutes, and it avalanches into incredible slapstick events.

The Studio follows Matt Remick (Seth Rogen), the newly appointed head of a fictional movie studio, Continental. It’s a clever Hollywood satire that explores the tension between artistic integrity and corporate demands, with Matt representing integrity and the increasing demand for IP-focused content symbolizing the industry’s urgency to keep up with trends. People around Rogen are just as ridiculous and brilliant, from Kathryn Hahn to Catherine O’Hara, who passed away before getting the chance to star in Season 2. You’ll finish The Studio within a single day, for sure.

8

‘Your Friends and Neighbors’ (2025–Present)

Image via Apple TV+

For anyone chronically online, you must have seen that meme of Jon Hamm dancing in a nightclub under some blue lights to a 2010s house tune; that scene is from Your Friends and Neighbors, one of the quietest and most underrated bangers streaming on Apple TV right now. Many consider this to be Hamm’s best role since Mad Men, as he delivers sharp comedic timing and drama, leaning into the absurdist and black comedy nature of the show. With Season 2 premiering in April 2026, Season 3 has already been ordered, too; Jonathan Tropper‘s series is gearing up to be one of the most consistent shows on TV, though that’s not surprising for Tropper.

Your Friends and Neighbors follows Andrew “Coop” Cooper (Hamm), a hedge fund manager who loses his job when a consensual hookup with a coworker becomes an HR violation. This gives Coop’s ruthless boss a convenient excuse to lay him off while keeping his clients. Losing his job makes Coop resort to robbing his wealthy neighbors’ mansions to maintain his lifestyle, and what begins as a caper comedy evolves into a deep dive into themes of family, class privilege, and toxic masculinity. You can binge-watch the first season just ahead of the second to prepare for Coop’s new adventures.

7

‘Dark Matter’ (2024–Present)

Image via Apple TV+

Some viewers have called Dark Matter Apple TV’s best sci-fi show since Severance. Competition is tight in that category on Apple TV, so this isn’t for nothing; Dark Matter may be slow at some points, but it’s incredibly exciting as soon as we—and the protagonist—get the hang of the physics. Blake Crouch adapted his book into nine episodes, while Joel Edgerton is fantastic in playing two versions of the same man. As a bonus, the show uses Chicago’s urban landscape beautifully, giving noir-esque night sequences, in particular, a breathtaking atmosphere.

Dark Matter follows college physics professor Jason Dessen (Edgerton), who is a happy family man living with his wife Daniela (Jennifer Connelly) and their teenage son, Charlie (Oakes Fegley). One evening, he’s abducted by a strange man and sent into an alternate version of his life; as it turns out, Jason’s place has been taken by his doppelgänger from another dimension. Jason must go through numerous parallel realities to return to his true family, facing the most terrifying enemy imaginable: himself. Captivating from the first episode, Dark Matter is a mind-bending hard sci-fi series that roots its emotional weight in Jason’s motivation and emotions. It’s a pretty cool mix of paranoid thriller elements and complex scientific ideas.

6

‘Silo’ (2023–Present)

Silo has an interesting position on Rotten Tomatoes: it has 90% critics’ approval and only 68% audience approval; yet, when viewers discuss Silo, they’re typically very enthusiastic about the show, enjoying its layered themes, dystopian sci-fi setting, and impeccable set design and production. Silo was based on Hugh Howey‘s novel trilogy of the same name, and showrunners had planned it to be a four-part series from the start; we’re now two seasons in, awaiting the third and fourth.

Silo is set in a dystopian, devastated future, where humanity lives in a massive underground silo, a 144-story structure housing 10,000 people who believe the outside world is uninhabitable. Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson), an engineer with a rebellious nature, begins to uncover secrets about the silo’s origins and the reasons people cannot ever leave it, as well as why those who do simply never return. Silo is another series you might deem a bit slow, but this gives the narrative more tension and depth, filling the atmosphere of the show with uncertainty. Once the plot deepens, you’ll find it impossible to put this series down.

5

‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ (2023–Present)

Image via Apple TV

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters isn’t a widely discussed show, so we’ll summarize it with a few words: it’s a clever expansion of the MonsterVerse without asking its viewers to be experts on the subject matter. If you like the Japanese kaiju movies (Godzilla, etc.), Monarch plays on that well, though, admittedly, the monster scenes are rather limited. However, they’re completely spectacular when they arrive, keeping viewers hooked on watching; the human drama is also compelling enough to carry the episodes between monster appearances, and it’s guided by Wyatt Russell and his father, legendary actor Kurt Russell.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is set in 2015, after the battle between Godzilla and the Titans in San Francisco (as shown in 2014’s Godzilla); the story follows two siblings, Cate Randa (Anna Sawai) and Kentaro, who begin tracing their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization named Monarch. The narrative jumps between the 1950s and the present day, with Kurt and Wyatt Russell playing the same character, Lee Shaw, at different ages. Monarch is an intriguing, character-driven conspiracy thriller that happens to feature giant monsters, and it’s a show you won’t just stop watching so easily—it’ll pull you in almost instantly. Season 2 has just started, too, so you’ll surely catch up quickly.​

4

‘Chief of War’ (2025–Present)

Image via Apple TV+

Jason Momoa returns to Apple TV to produce a groundbreaking series that we can safely claim hasn’t been done in such a manner until now. Chief of War is his decade-long passion project, and it’s unique because it’s performed almost entirely in the Hawaiian language, with costumes and weapons crafted to historical specifications. Beyond that, experts translated dialogue, the cast learned to speak the language, and filming took place in New Zealand and Hawaii with minimal CGI; as a cherry on top, Hans Zimmer and James Everingham provided the cinematic, epic score.

Chief of War was based on true events, set during a time of war between the four big Hawaiian islands—Hawai’i, Maui, O’ahu, and Kaua’i—and follows the warrior chief Ka’iana (Momoa) of Maui as he tries to unify the Hawaiian islands before Western colonization in the late 18th century. It’s an ambitious and epic production, violent but human all at once, showing exceptional storytelling and even greater action, depicting Ka’iana’s ambitions, struggles, and dominance while his people learn how to trust him. You can watch the nine episodes of Chief of War instantly, since the show is incredibly immersive, and you can do it before a potential Season 2 and even 3 are announced.

3

‘Black Bird’ (2022)

Image via ©AppleTV+/ Courtesy Everett Collection

Black Bird is one of the most intense and thrilling cat-and-mouse chases ever made for TV, and the fact that it’s a miniseries makes it all the better. Why? Because it’s a fully wrapped-up story, and all that’s left for you, after binge-watching it, is to give it a rewatch and enjoy all the nuances of Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser‘s character work. Egerton dials up his charm as the arrogant Jimmy Keene, but the real revelation is Hauser, who delivers a career-best performance as the unsettling Larry Hall. Hauser won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his performance, and the series truly is one of the best Apple TV has ever offered its viewers.

Black Bird was based on true events, and this six-episode series follows Jimmy Keene (Egerton), a charismatic drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in a minimum security prison. The FBI offers him a deal: transfer to a maximum-security prison, befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Hauser), and get him to confess to multiple murders, including revealing where the bodies are buried. In return, Jimmy walks free, and the charges are dropped. The pacing feels deliberately slow, made to amp up the dread while giving insight into who Keene and Hall truly are. Dennis Lehane‘s masterful script makes Black Bird a well-written show, but the performances elevate it to a higher level of brilliance.

2

‘Slow Horses’ (2022–Present)

Image via Apple TV

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Slow Horses is an interesting breed: having started in 2022, the show has so far stacked five magnificent seasons that maintain the same level of quality throughout. Slow Horses may have a lot of episodes, but you’ll find yourself welcome at Slough House as much as anyone possibly can by the time your weekend is over. The beauty of Slow Horses is how well it can move from agents cleverly uncovering an elaborate threat to public safety to its main spies accidentally dropping a can of paint on a vital political figure without a dramatic change in tone.

Slow Horses was based on Mick Herron‘s novel series called Slough House (which is even funnier source material), which is the name of the “dumping ground” for MI5 agents who’ve screwed up so badly they can’t be fired, just banished to administrative hell (known as “slow horses”). Slough House is run by Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), a flatulent, disheveled, and brilliantly rude spy who was once legendary. These “slow horses” keep getting dragged back into real espionage, often because Lamb is several steps ahead of everyone else, often including the criminals. Oldman’s Lamb is one of television’s greatest creations, and Slow Horses is smart, cynical, and utterly addictive.

1

‘Severance’ (2022–Present)

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Severance is an incredibly ambitious series, and it works in all the ways it tries to. Set in modern times, yet somehow pristinely decorated in retro-futuristic sets and motifs, Severance deliberately feels claustrophobic, sterile, and confusing. You’re meant to get lost in the world of the “severed” before you’re rudely cut away and sent somewhere else, which turns out to be their “real life.” The show works on multiple levels: as workplace satire, a philosophical exploration of identity, and a mystery-box thriller. The Season 1 finale is one of the most compelling hours of television in recent memory, while Season 2 episodes range from great to near perfection.

Severance is set in the offices of Lumon Industries, where employees can undergo a “severance” procedure that surgically divides their memories: their “innie” exists only at work, and their “outie” remembers nothing of the job. Mark S. (Adam Scott) leads a team of innies who perform mysterious, repetitive tasks while his outie, Mark, lives blissfully unaware of his own job. When a former colleague starts leaving the team cryptic messages, they begin questioning everything, and Severance unravels into thriller territory. You will likely need roundtable discussions with friends after every episode, because Severance is television at its most ambitious and most rewarding.

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Severance

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Release Date

February 17, 2022

Network

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Apple TV

Showrunner

Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman

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