Before Yellowstone: The Movie Taylor Sheridan Wrote 2 Years Ago That Every Dutton Family Fan Must See

Fans of Taylor Sheridan and Yellowstone need to watch one of the acclaimed writer’s earlier movies, because it’s a perfect companion to the Dutton family’s story. Before he started creating Yellowstone and all its spinoffs in 2018, Taylor Sheridan was a renowned movie writer. He created some truly special and acclaimed movies, like Sicario and Wind River, before he ever turned to the small screen. Some of Sheridan’s movies are great for Yellowstone fans, but one is an absolutely perfect film to watch after the ending of Yellowstone.

There are quite a few Yellowstone shows already available to stream, and Sheridan has several more upcoming Yellowstone shows in production. In the meantime, fans of the show may want something they can stream right now on Paramount+. Though it doesn’t actually feature any members of the Dutton family tree or even take place in the same world, Hell or High Water is a fantastic choice for what to watch after Yellowstone.

Hell Or High Water Is The Perfect Movie For Yellowstone Fans

Hell Or High Water Follows Toby As He Fights For His Land & His Children’s Future, Just As John Does In Yellowstone

Taylor Sheridan’s 2016 film Hell or High Water came before Yellowstone, but it has many similarities to the Western show. Hell or High Water follows Toby (Chris Pine) as he and his brother, Tanner (Ben Foster), rob a series of banks to pay off their debt and secure their mother’s land and the oil beneath it for Toby’s children. Immediately, Hell or High Water‘s Toby sounds incredibly similar to Yellowstone‘s John Dutton III: both men take the law into their own hands to secure a future for their children. Hell or High Water has more similarities to Yellowstone than just in its protagonist, however.

Hell or High Water is one of the best neo-Westerns ever made, just as Yellowstone is one of the best Western shows ever created. Both of Sheridan’s creations revitalized the genre and partially led to the Western “Renaissance” of the late 2010s and 2020s. As such, Hell or High Water also has a lot of the same offerings that appeal to Yellowstone fans: its complicated, morally grey plot mixes perfectly with complex and well-developed characters, and its themes are as timeless now as they were almost a decade ago. There’s no better source of breakneck neo-Western action and interpersonal drama than Hell or High Water.

Of All Of Sheridan’s Movies, Hell Or High Water Is The Closest To Yellowstone

Hell Or High Water Feels Like The Blueprint For Yellowstone, While Many Of Sheridan’s Other Movies Explored Different Ideas

While almost all of Taylor Sheridan’s movies have something unique to offer, Hell or High Water really is the best for Yellowstone fans. Many of Sheridan’s movies – like Sicario, Without Remorse, or Those Who Wish Me Dead – are more action-thrillers than neo-Westerns. Even Sheridan’s other neo-Western movie, Wind River, is more similar to a show like Dark Winds than it is to Yellowstone. Sheridan experimented with the genres and themes of his other films, to great effect, so Hell or High Water remains the best companion movie for Yellowstone.

Movies Written By Taylor Sheridan
Title	Release Date
Sicario	2015
Hell or High Water	2016
Wind River	2017
Sicario: Day of the Soldado	2018
Without Remorse	2021
Those Who Wish Me Dead	2021

Though Hell or High Water is the most similar, Taylor Sheridan’s other movies are still well worth watching. Most of Sheridan’s movies are available on Paramount+, and they all feature the same exceptional quality of writing he’s known for. Even viewers who don’t typically enjoy action-filled thrillers will still be able to find something they love about Sicario or Those Who Wish Me Dead. Hell or High Water may be the best next watch for fans of Yellowstone, but just about anything Taylor Sheridan was involved with is still almost guaranteed to be worth your time.

How Hell Or High Water Is Different From Yellowstone

The Scale Of The Story Yields More Shades Of Gray

Hell or High Water certainly parallels Yellowstone in some of its major plot points, but the smaller scale of the neo-Western classic allows for intimate development of its primary characters. As a result, the entire movie boils down to shades of gray; Toby and Tanner are criminal bank robbers, but they’re robbing the very banks that are trying to force them off their land, on which oil has been discovered. Their adversaries are Marcus Hamilton and Alberto Parker, two Texas Rangers who are guilty of nothing besides upholding the law of the land.

The Dutton family and their inner circle aren’t afraid to use unscrupulous methods to protect their land and themselves, but by and large they’re clearly the “good guy” in the narrative, fighting against greedy corporations, corrupt politicians, or vicious militia members. In Hell or High Water, it’s difficult to truly picture Toby, Tanner, Marcus, or Alberto as villains, given that the audience is given ample time to empathize with all four men. The turning point comes when Tanner opens fire with an automatic rifle, but even then you almost feel sorry for him having been driven to such desperation.

It’s a hallmark of Taylor Sheridan’s writing that no major character really operates within strict lines of black and white. However, that dynamic is at its best in Hell or High Water. The paradox of rooting for armed bank robbers is part of what makes the movie so powerfully complex, and breeds true drama out of the situation. The complexity of the characters’ motivations is perhaps the most significant difference between the modern classic and Yellowstone.

Yellowstone vs. Hell Or High Water: What Is Taylor Sheridan’s Best Neo-Western?

Both Helped Revitalize The Western Genre

Hell or High Water‘s debut preceded the release of Yellowstone, and the reviews were so positive that many designated it as a revitalization point for the modern Western genre. However, it earned just under $38 million at the box office, indicating that it didn’t reach a massive audience upon its release. Yellowstone, on the other hand, became a massive streaming hit as it unfolded, with the season 4 premiere garnering over 12.7 million viewers. In that sense, Hell or High Water and Yellowstone can (and should) be looked at as a 1-2 punch for bringing neo-Westerns back to the foreground.

For as popular as Yellowstone and its subsequent spinoffs have been, Hell or High Water is perhaps Taylor Sheridan’s finest work as a writer. Admittedly it’s difficult to compare a stand-alone movie with a prestige drama series, but the list of accolades garnered by Hell or High Water certainly supports the notion that the airtight, perfectly-placed story is one of the finest Westerns of all time. Yellowstone is certainly among the best Western TV shows ever, but Sheridan may never again craft a narrative as strong as Hell or High Water.