Tombstoneis widely regarded as one of the greatest Westernsin recent memory, in large part thanks to its masterfully woven ensemble featuring Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott,and the late Val Kilmer. However, another Western released in 2024 -Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1bears a cast fit to rivalTombstone, containing the perfect mix of fresh faces and cinematic greats to give the 1993 classic a run for its money.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1is not only a film that marks Kevin Costner’s directorial return—it’s also a movie that boastsa remarkable cast of new stars, character actors, and legendary Western icons—some of them even veterans ofTombstone. Though they may be an eclectic bunch, there’s no denying their power together as the key players in Costner’s sweeping Old West epic.
Tombstone Has One Of The Best Ensemble Casts In The Western Genre
The Film’s Like A Strike Of Lightning
There’s no denying the legendary performances inTombstone, whether it be the swaggering introduction of Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) or Val Kilmer’s mysterious portrait ofDoc Holliday, who many consider the film’s true star. These aren’t the only stars inTombstone, however:the film also includes Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton as Earp’s brothers, and a rare villainous role from actor Michael Biehn.
Truthfully,Tombstone’s cast is so strikingly perfect that every other Western struggles to appear half as realistic (save the John Wayne films).
This ensemble brilliantly complements the direction of Kurt Russell (who famously didn’t want to be credited asTombstone’s director), with every look, design, and mustache hair appearing perfectly in place,as if one had somehow been transported into a Louis L’Amour novel. Truthfully,Tombstone’s castis so strikingly perfect that every other Western struggles to appear half as realistic (save the John Wayne films).
Kevin Costner’s Horizon Cast Was Almost As Star-Studded As Tombstone’s
The Cast Doesn’t Fit The Western Textbook
Over 30 years afterTombstone,Kevin Costner assembled the greatest modern Western cast in a generationforHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, combining seasoned talents like himself, Danny Huston, and Michael Rooker (who famously played one of “The Cowboys” inTombstone) with up-and-coming stars like Abbey Lee and evenStranger Things' own Jamie Campbell Bower.
Furthermore,Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1features key performances from other great actors, likeAvatar’s Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi ofSaving Private Ryanfame, and even Luke Wilson in his first Western since the indie filmOutlaws and Angels. The glue that holds these performances together is Costner’s direction, which transforms these varied actors into the calloused faces of the frontier.
Other Western Movies That Featured Highly Impressive Casts
Tarantino Is The Force Behind The Modern Western Ensemble
Apart fromTombstoneandHorizon: An American Saga -Chapter 1, there have been plenty of star-studded casts in Westerns throughout the years, perhaps most notably inHow The West Was Won, which featuresJohn Wayne, James Stewart, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda, and even Debbie Reynolds. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another Western with even half of the greats found in this 1962 classic.
These days, Tarantino is spearheading large Western ensemble filmsthrough his two takes on the genre, with 2012’sDjango Unchainedfeaturing performances by Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and Leonardo DiCaprio, whileThe Hateful Eightboasts Tombstone’s own Kurt Russellalong with Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and even Channing Tatum (both films also include performances by Samuel L. Jackson and Walton Goggins).
