Easily among the most famous “cowboys” to ever live, the real-life Wyatt Earp was a bit far off from his cinematic counterparts. He truly was a rough-and-tough lawman that lived up to the reputation of his name, though. And while he was undoubtedly there at the thirty-second-long Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, his brother Virgil was actually more of the head in that regard. Of course, there’s also a third brother named Morgan, but Wyatt is by far the most famous.
And within the realm of film, he’s also among the most famous characters to ever fall within the western genre. He’s arguably the single most renowned, in fact, as far as general fan appeal and name recognition goes. And there’s a reason for that, as will be shown here with every western about Wyatt Earp, ranked.
Wyatt Earp (1994)
Although this features some of the most well-known actors out of any film featured on this list, not even the likes of Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, and Gene Hackman could save Wyatt Earp (1994) from its critical and commercial disasters. You know: $60 million garnered on a budget of $63 million in tandem with a “rotten” score of 31% on critical consensus website Rotten Tomatoes.
And although that’s pretty abysmal in the grand scheme of things, that very well might not be the worst review score you’ll read about today. In other words: if you’re a fan of the western genre in general and are looking for a slightly more contemporary take on the story of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, then Wyatt Earp could very well be worth your time. Aside from that, though, it’s best to move onto the next.
Doc (1971)
It holds a mediocre 50% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a similar audience score of 49%. But it’s worth shining light on as the only film on the list to focus as a main character on Doc Holliday, a prominent member of Wyatt Earp’s story of the O.K. Corral and beyond. But it’s also relevant because of the name value held by its two stars.
Although the popularity of Stacy Keach would come after the release of Doc (1971), it’s still a fun revisit for fans of the famous actor. And then, there’s Faye Dunaway. She had already established a massive name for herself in the industry thanks to films like Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968). And although the film as a whole was nothing to write home about, it does land here at number ten.
Tombstone (1993)
This is likely the single most iconic film on the list, which makes sense, as Tombstone (1993) surely had a star-studded cast that went down as a highlight of the film. Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp, Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton as his brothers Virgil and Morgan, respectively, along with Val Kilmer in a fan-favorite role as Doc Holliday — all of these stars propelled the product to heights it wouldn’t have reached with another cast. Kilmer shined especially brightly, as plenty of you may recall, even though Doc was almost portrayed by Willem Dafoe. That would’ve been interesting.
And although many fans expected this to come out on top, this spot at number two should instead shine light on the caliber of the number one pick. Of course, all that said, there’s still plenty left to write home about regarding Tombstone. It has a sleek, contemporary style as far as the western genre is concerned, and should without a doubt entertain from start to finish.