Ryan Evans's Lounge Discussions

Westerns aren't typically big box office draws...And they're usually expensive to make if you want the film to look authentic. But yet we still see a handful or so get made each year. Most recently, this years Oscar winning Film "The Power of the Dog" starring Benedict Cumberbatch. To that point, I think of Hostiles (2017) starring Christian Bale, which in my opinion is one of the best Western films in recent history. Even with an extremely modest budget of a reported $39,000,000, it still failed to make any sort of revenue in the box office. Westerns are one of the oldest genres in hollywood, but considered the biggest risk for filmmakers. Meanwhile, television shows like West World and Yellowstone are thriving. What do studios & producers look for in a Western? What is the criteria and selection process to get financed? Are there people actively looking to finance western films? I've been told that westerns are the last thing you should ever mention in a pitch meeting. Would producers be more willing to produce a television series over a film for this genre?

Westerns aren't typically big box office draws...And they're usually expensive to make if you want the film to look authentic. But yet we still see a handful or so get made each year. Most recently, this years Oscar winning Film "The Power of the Dog" starring Benedict Cumberbatch. To that point, I think of Hostiles (2017) starring Christian Bale, which in my opinion is one of the best Western films in recent history. Even with an extremely modest budget of a reported $39,000,000, it still failed to make any sort of revenue in the box office. Westerns are one of the oldest genres in hollywood, but considered the biggest risk for filmmakers. Meanwhile, television shows like West World and Yellowstone are thriving. What do studios & producers look for in a Western? What is the criteria and selection process to get financed? Are there people actively looking to finance western films? I've been told that westerns are the last thing you should ever mention in a pitch meeting. Would producers be more willing to produce a television series over a film for this genre?