Contrary to the films of many other blockbuster genres over the years,Westernmovies typically don’t demand sequels. In fact, with their tales of violence and carnage usually marrying with a stern thematic conviction, few Western movies end with enough main characters left alive to warrant a follow-up feature. As rare as it may be, though, there have still been several gunslinging sequels released over the years.
These ten movies prove that, not only can a Western sequel be done, but it can be done well. The very best of them range from spectacular spaghetti Westerns that have defined the subgenre to colorful continuations of some of Hollywood’s most revered and respected classics.This list will rank the best Western sequelsbased on their overall quality, how well they continue the original’s themes and storylines, and their legacy within the genre as a whole.
10’Adiós, Sabata' (1970)
Directed by Gianfranco Parolini
While it was originally going to be released asIndio Black, thisYul Brynnervehicle was re-worked into beinga sequel to 1969’sSabata, which starredLee Van Cleefas a gunslinger who sets out to thwart the leaders of a town from achieving their duplicitous, money-grubbing scheme.Adiós, Sabatacame about as the response to the original film proved to be surprisingly positive, even inspiring several imitators.
It follows the titular gunfighter as he is hired to steal a wagonload of gold from the Austrian army in a Mexico suffering under the rule of Emperor Maximillian I. Elevating itself beyond many of its lackluster contemporaries with its attention to detail and its appetite for violence,Adiós, Sabatais a taut and tense Western thatunderstands genre conventions and uses them to its advantage. Ironically, Van Cleef had to turn down the offer of reprising his role as he was set to star insThe Magnificent Seven Ride!as Chris Adams, the role that Brynner made famous in the firstThe Magnificent Seven.
Adiós, Sabata
9’Rooster Cogburn' (1975)
Directed by Stuart Millar
Released in 1969,True Gritstands as a defining classic of the Hollywood Westerns of the mid-century, an evocative tale of justice, violence, and revenge that finds a rugged heart in the allure of its characters. While it has endured as a classic, too few Western fans today have been exposed toits sequel,Rooster Cogburn. It followsJown Wayne’s titular lawman, stripped of his badge due to his recklessness and alcoholism, as he sets out to combat the dangerous criminals who have taken over a small village.
Granted, the sequel is a step down in quality compared to its predecessor, butRooster Cogburnstill has something to offer genre lovers.Seeing movie icons John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn share the screen is a thrillin itself, while its story of redemption and honor finds plenty of stirring moments, even if it is occasionally bogged down by plot holes and poor dialogue.
Rooster Cogburn
8’Django Strikes Again' (1987)
Directed by Nello Rossati
Few titles in the annals of spaghetti Western cinema are more defining and iconic thanDjango. The 1966 action-packed extravaganza following the titular vagabond as he wages war in a town torn between ruthless Mexican revolutionaries and the oppressive rule of the Ku Klux Klan. Released some 21 years after the original film,Django Strikes AgainseesFranco Nero’s Djangohaving to don his Gatling gun once again when his estranged daughter is abducted by a vicious slave trader.
Given the time that had passed since its predecessor’s release, and the fact that Western cinema was practically irrelevant in the 1980s,Django Strikes Againfailed to make much of an impact upon release. However, there isan ultra-violent edge to itthat pierces through the picture’s more damning pitfalls to presenta story of excess and actionthat is very much in line with the interests of its time. It is far from the greatest movie of all time, but it isn’t so bad to warrant its dismissal either, and stands as a bombastic gem that is worth revisiting, especially for lovers of spaghetti Western cinema.
Django Strikes Again
7’Guns of the Magnificent Seven' (1969)
Directed by Paul Wendkos
While the 1960 masterpieceThe Magnificent Sevenis nothing short of a defining icon of Western cinema in America during the genre’s prime,the litany of sequels it inspiredis mostly cyclical and borderline unwatchable doses of genre fare, absent creativity or class. The exception to that notion is 1969’sGuns of the Magnificent Seven, the third film in the series and, funnily enough, the only one not to feature a big-name star in the lead role.
It starsGeorge Kennedyas Chris Adams, following him as he rounds up a band of miscreants and outlaws when he is hired to free a Mexican Revolutionary who has been wrongfully jailed in his native land. While there is still a formulaic lull,Guns of the Magnificent Sevenlargely manages to overcome that with itsbravura gunslinging action sequencesand its sense ofrugged coarseness that gives it a unique atmospheric punch.
Guns of the Magnificent Seven
6’The Return of a Man Called Horse' (1976)
Directed by Irvin Kershner
Following an English aristocrat as he is captured by the Sioux people but finds his spiteful opinions on the Native Americans softening as he learns of their culture, 1970’sA Man Called Horseisone of the more underrated Westernsof its era. Its sequel is similarly overlooked, as it follows John Morgan’s (Richard Harris) efforts to inspire a counterattack from the Yellow Hand Sioux after their sacred land is overrun by trappers who leave the majority of the tribe either massacred or enslaved.
While there are certain cultural oversimplifications and a strikingly apparent white savior narrative,The Return of a Man Called Horsedoes at least try toinvest in the treatment the Native Americans were subjected to. Doing so with an eye for restrained storytelling that is never swayed to completely indulge in the allure of turning the Sioux people’s plight into an epic spectacle,The Return of a Man Called Horsemaintains a certain tastefulness and tactthat many of its contemporaries never even sought to obtain.
The Return of a Man Called Horse
5’The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold' (1958)
Directed by Lesley Selander
After thriving in the form of radio show, serial features, and an ongoing television show since its launch in the 1930s,The Lone Rangerfinally got the true cinematic treatment in the form of 1956’sThe Lone Ranger. Two years later,The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Goldwas released, following The Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore) and Tonto (Jay Silverheels) as they investigate a string of brutal murders against Native Americans in possession of silver medallions that serve as a treasure map.
Designed to appeal to younger viewers as well as adults,The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Goldflaunts an entertaining fervor that is emblematic of television Westerns through the middle decades of the 20th century. It isa fun rollercoaster, more so than a compelling drama, but it delivers on this spectacle with vibrancy and vigor, even if its presentation has aged noticeably over the decades.
The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold
4’Trinity is Still My Name' (1971)
Directed by Enzo Barboni
Marrying the grit of the Old West with a penchant for outbursts of hilarity,Terence HillandBud Spencerproduced several enticing Western comedies, withThey Call Me Trinityone of their most notable successes. It even earned a sequel in the form of 1971’sTrinity is Still My Name, following gunslinging brothers Trinity (Hill) and Bambino (Spencer) and their efforts to become notorious outlaws to fulfill their promise to their dying father. It all soon cascades into farcical hysteria when they are mistaken for federal agents.
While it doesn’t quite reach the hilarious heights of its predecessor,Trinity is Still My Namestill presentsa winning combination of Western intrigue and frequent laughsthat make for one of the more entertaining and enjoyable efforts of its decade. Interestingly, while Western comedy combinations have become more prominent, bothTrinity is Still My Nameand its predecessor stand as unique movies that have lost little of their appeal over time.
Trinity Is Still My Name
3’Deadwood: The Movie' (2019)
Directed by Daniel Minahan
Running for three seasons from 2004 to 2006,Deadwoodis one of the defining television titles of the modern era. It won critical acclaim and enchanted the masses with its bleak and confronting story of corruption and opportunity in the mining town of Deadwood. However,the hit HBO series was abruptly canceledfollowing its third season, leaving the story unresolved, much to the frustration of those who loved the series’ storytelling instincts.
Serving as a sequel of sorts,Deadwood: The Moviewas released to HBO Max in 2019, featuring the return of many of the original cast members as the film follows residents of the town gathering to celebrate the city’s statehood, only for lingering rivalries to reignite with devastating consequences. The long-awaited film treatment of the story delivers in spades, operating asa compelling standalone movie that offers well-deserved closureto what was one of the pioneering series of television’s rise to become a prestige form of entertainment.
Deadwood: The Movie
2’Back to the Future: Part III' (1990)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
It may be the weakest picture in the trilogy, butBack to the Future: Part IIIstill offers the same sense of playful blockbuster fun that madeBack to the Futuresuch an iconic hit to begin with. Desperate to save his friend from meeting a premature end in a duel, Marty (Michael J. Fox) journeys back to 1885, where Doc (Christopher Lloyd) has fallen completely in love with a schoolteacher. Needing to repair the damaged DeLorean and having to fight off attacks from the brutish thug “Mad Dog” Tannen (Tom Wilson), Marty’s endeavors to save Doc push him to his limits.
Making use of its Old West setting with wondrous flourishes of fun-loving intrigue,Back to the Future: Part IIIis amongthe most absorbing and enjoyable Western movies of its time. Its eagerness to play with some of the genre’s most iconic moments while still delivering a story rich with meaningful stakes and some exhilarating sequences results in a rewarding conclusion to the sci-fi adventure trilogy.
Back to the Future Part III
1’For a Few Dollars More' (1964)
Directed by Sergio Leone
While only a loose sequel toA Fistful of Dollars,For a Few Dollars Moredoes seem to advance the story ofClint Eastwood’s nameless bounty hunter, making for one of the greatest Western movies of all time in the process (The Good, the Bad and the Uglyis considered a prequel for the purposes of this list). Following Eastwood’s nameless gunslinger as he teams up with the vengeful Colonel Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) to bring down El Indio (Gian Maria Volonté), the film unfolds as an absorbing marriage of drama and style thatdepicts the grit of the Old West with intoxicating ferociousness.
Bolstered by a litany of brilliantly stoic performances,Ennio Morricone’s magnificent score, and a surprisingly emotional story of justice and revenge,For a Few Dollars Moreis emblematic of the alluring might of spaghetti Western cinema. Given its iconic standing and its enduring legacy, it can only be regarded as the greatest sequel Western cinema has ever seen, standing among the few sequels from any genre that surpassed the films that came before them.
