How to Write a Modern Western: The New Wild West

The Western was one of the earliest cinematic genres and it has had a number of resurgences and reinventions over the last one hundred years. It’s a genre that through its popularity has continued to grow. But what does a modern Western look like?

Contemporary Westerns are typically genre hybrids. In this article we will use five different films that combine genres to form modern Western films.

1. No Country For Old Men is a modern Western crime thriller.
2. Hell or High Water is a modern Western heist movie.
3. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is a modern Western drama and black comedy.
4. Sicario is a modern Western action thriller.
5. Logan is a modern Western superhero film.

These films teach us that the Western is a malleable genre and can work well in combination with other genres. In this article we’ll look at different aspects of the Western genre and examine how they can best be applied to the contemporary. These aspects will include:

• What is a Modern Western?
• What are the Key Themes of a Modern Western?
• The Importance of Setting in a Modern Western.
• The Characters of a Modern Western.
• How Do You Plot a Modern Western?

So…

What is a Modern Western?

A modern Western is a genre that takes (all or aspects of) the themes, settings and plot/character archetypes of the traditional, classical Western genre and transplants them into a contemporary setting.

Not only will the setting be contemporary but so will the issues and themes the film seeks to address. Modern Westerns don’t only exist because of their traditional forebears but they exist to be in conversation with them.

Modern Westerns will try and contrast with old Westerns, demonstrating the changes that have occurred since the Western genre was at its peak (1940’s -60’s) and since the era it typically depicted (late 19th Century).