The most exciting Western movie of the year releases next week, and stars multiple A-list actors. The Western genre once dominated American cinema, captivating audiences with stories of frontier justice, rugged individualism, and the untamed wilderness. From the 1930s through the 1960s, Westerns were the most popular film genre, producing countless classics from The Searchers to High Noon.

However, Westerns began to lose their appeal as societal values shifted. Audiences grew increasingly interested in science fiction, action, and superhero movies, which more accurately reflected modern concerns and technological advancements, while the Western genre’s traditional themes and historical settings began to feel outdated. By the 2000s, the genre had become a rarity, with only occasional revivals attempting to recapture its former glory.

So far, one of the only Western movies released in 2025 has been The Unholy Trinity, which, despite starring Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson, received mixed reviews from critics and made less than $1 million at the box office. While Westerns have struggled to find relevance in today’s cinematic landscape, that trend could change very soon.

Why Eddington Is 2025’s Most Exciting Western Movie

It Stars Multiple A-Listers

Written and directed by Ari Aster – known for the A24 horror movies Hereditary and Midsommar and the surrealist tragicomedy Beau is Afraid – the upcoming contemporary Western follows the conflict between a sheriff and mayor in the fictional small town of Eddington, New Mexico in May of 2020, which causes tensions to explode and turns neighbors against each other.

Eddington stands out as the most exciting Western movie of 2025. Certainly, it’s the most creatively ambitious and interesting, combining elements of the neo-Western genre with pandemic-era paranoia and political disillusionment. The film plays like a fever dream of 2020, with confrontations over masks, lockdowns, and personal freedoms escalating into gunfights and betrayals.

The film is from a writer-director with a unique voice, and Eddington’s cast is fantastic, featuring A-listers like Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Austin Butler, and Emma Stone. However, Eddington sparked divisive reactions at its Cannes premiere, indicated by its 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes, because of its inconsistent tone that left many viewers feeling unsatisfied.

Even with Eddington‘s reviews proving divisive, the movie looks like a fascinating watch. Eddington dares to explore the Western genre through a contemporary lens, exposing the fragility of social order in times of crisis. The movie looks messy, audacious, and impossible to forget, which is exactly what the modern Western genre needs right now to remain relevant.

A Western Trend Could Be Halted By Eddington

The Genre Could Shift From TV Back To Movies

In recent years, neo-Western television shows have become much more prevalent than movies, including Yellowstone and its various spinoffs, 1883 and 1923. Eddington probably won’t reverse this trend fully or become a big box office hit because of its experimental tone and dark themes that may alienate casual moviegoers.

However, Eddington could help shift Westerns back to movies. Maybe not completely, but it’s at least one film in the genre that’s worth seeing in theaters. If the movie finds even modest success at the box office, Eddington could encourage film studios to take more creative risks with the Western genre once again, embracing a bold, auteur-driven style.

If nothing else, Eddington reminds audiences that Westerns can still surprise – and that alone may be enough to bring the genre back into theaters, at least for now.