Certain genres just fit well together, and the old-world aesthetic of Westerns perfectly complements the endless possibilities of sci-fi. Whether it’s time-traveling stories where futuristic heroes unwittingly find themselves in the past or space opera adventures where bandits traverse the final frontier, there are so many great movies that combine elements of these two genres.
Some of the best Westerns of all time contain elements of sci-fi, as filmmakers have been testing the limits of this genre for decades now. From grand revolutionary epics to fun-filled franchise entries, there’s no denying the sci-fi Western holds a special place in cinema history.
10
Timerider: The Adventures Of Lyle Swann (1982)
A cross-country dirt bike racer finds himself back in 1877 in Timerider: The Adventures of Lyle Swann. This bizarre clash between modern technology and the Wild West made this an enjoyable fish-out-of-water story where the locals of the past couldn’t understand how this dirt bike rider was zipping through the 19th-century landscape.
As a fun film filled with plenty of B-movie action, Timerider: The Adventures of Lyle Swann doesn’t take itself too seriously and is all the better for it. Despite a negative critical reception at the time, this is a fast-paced Western sci-fi romp that’s perfect to watch with a group of friends looking for an outrageous, genre-bending adventure.
9
Ghosts Of Mars (2001)
Though it’s set on a colonized Mars, John Carpenter’s much-maligned Ghosts of Mars was actually a Western movie in disguise. With a ragtag group of defenders fighting back against the ghosts of the planet’s former inhabitants, Ghosts of Mars was secretly a stealth remake of Howard Hawks’ classic Western Rio Bravo.
With a dusty landscape and plenty of allusions to Old West cinema, Ghosts of Mars combined supernatural horror, sci-fi, and Western stylings to be one of Carpenter’s most tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top releases. While Ghost of Mars didn’t fare well with critics, for those looking for some mindless entertainment, it more than delivers.
8
Wild Wild West (1999)
Will Smith notoriously turned down the lead role in The Matrix to star in Wild Wild West, a steampunk sci-fi Western that was let down through an overreliance on special effects over storytelling. However, it’s impossible not to feel nostalgic listening to Smith rapping the film’s theme song and remember an era where movies were afraid to be fun.
Wild Wild West has a lot going for it, as its stacked cast, including Kenneth Branagh and Selma Hayek, are clearly having a good time with it. Despite eight Razzie nominations, including Best Picture, those who go in with an open mind will find themselves enjoying it for the B-movie sci-fi Western pastiche that it is.
7
The Postman (1997)
While Kevin Costner started off the 1990s well with his Best Picture-winning directorial debut, Dances with Wolves, he had plenty of missteps throughout the rest of the decade, with Waterworld underwhelming critics and The Postman bombing at the box office. However, this post-apocalyptic Western was more than meets the eye and told a compelling story of pushing back against a tyrannical warlord.
With Costner as an unnamed nomad who discovers the old Postal Service uniform, this simple piece of clothing sparks a movement to fight back against oppression. The biggest problem with The Postman was it took itself a little bit too seriously, and had it embraced its goofier side, it would have connected with audiences a lot more.
6
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
The Japanese anime series Cowboy Bebop always embraced its status as a sci-fi Western, and its movie adaptation was no different. As an epic Western story set between the 22nd and 23rd episodes of the original series, the plot centers on a terrorist attempting to release a virus that will exterminate the human population on Mars.
With high stakes and plenty of the show’s unique charm, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie was just like the show but on a much grander scale, and its narrative of a deranged terrorist felt particularly relevant in the wake of the recent September 11th attacks. As a powerful feature film, this Japanese animated sci-fi Western ticked all the right boxes.
5
The Valley Of Gwangi (1969)
As a mix between Jurassic Park and a classic Western movie, The Valley of Gwangi was ahead of its time in many ways. Telling the story of a cowboy hoping to make his fortune capturing an Allosaurus living in a Mexican valley, after a rodeo owner and stuntman discovers a still-living dinosaur, they’re convinced they can make a killing putting it in a Wild West Show.
Featuring impressive stop-motion effects, The Valley of Gwangi stands as the greatest cowboy dinosaur movie ever made, and that’s not just because it’s the only one. As a direct influence on Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, with the scene when Gwangi appears from behind a hill being copied directly, The Valley of Gwangi deserves a special place in cinema history.
4
Serenity (2005)
While Joss Whedon’s cult classic sci-fi Western series Firefly was cancelled after just one season, it did return with the feature film Serenity. This long-anticipated continuation maintained the Western influences of the show as its crew of fugitive freedom fighters traced the frontiers of space and pushed back against political forces.
By encapsulating all the cinematic stylings of classic Western movies, Serenity’s Unification War, which caused its captain to go on the run in the first place, was even comparable to the genuine American Civil War that informed so many Western classics. As a thrilling sci-fi tale of outlaws and gunslingers, Serenity was a fitting conclusion to the beloved series.
3
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
The post-apocalyptic landscape of the Mad Max franchise was essentially a dystopian Western with sci-fi elements. While this was apparent from the very first movie, it was in Mad Max 2, also known as The Road Warrior, that it fully embraced its identity as a Western sci-fi.
As a lawless world categorized by brutal survivalism, the antagonists that Max meets in Road Warrior were outlaws, bandits, and gunslingers. With Max as the lone hero making his way across a barren wasteland, George Miller’s vision set a new standard for action filmmaking and proved it’s possible for directors to forge their own path and conjure unique, genre-bending worlds.
2
Back To The Future Part III (1990)
The Back to the Future franchise embraced the Western genre in the trilogy’s final installment as Marty McFly traveled back in time to save Doc Brown, who had been trapped in the year 1855. With enjoyable reference to Clint Eastwood’s The Man with No Name, Back to the Future Part III poked fun at Western movie conventions.
While Part III may not have the same iconic heights as its predecessor, it stands as a heartfelt conclusion for the series that puts the focus on Doc’s love story with the Old West schoolteacher Clara Clayton. By combining time travel antics with strong characterization, Part III pays respect to both the sci-fi and Western sides of its story.
1
Westworld (1973)
While writer and director Michael Crichton would later gain prominence as the author of Jurassic Park, his directorial debut was actually the sci-fi Western classic Westworld. Although many will be familiar with the later HBO series, the original movie was a wildly entertaining mix of technology and Western tropes and clichés.
Set in a Wild West theme park populated by lifelike androids, things take a dark turn in Westworld when the robots start malfunctioning and running rampant. By blending a thought-provoking examination of the possibilities of artificial intelligence with solid B-movie action fun, Westworld delivered on all fronts and represented the very best of the sci-fi Western genre.
