Netflix has created its own budding Western franchise withAmerican Primeval, which could finally be an answer to Taylor Sheridan’s wealth of original series on Paramount+. Since it premiered on Netflix on July 07, 2025,American Primevalhas remained one of the top original series on the streaming platform in the new year. Peter Berg, the celebrated creator ofFriday Night Lightsand director of Mark Wahlberg action epics such asPatriots DayandDeepwater Horizon, createdAmerican Primevalusing extensive research. LikeSheridan inYellowstone,1883, andLioness, Berg also appears in a small role in his Western series.
Before the revolutionary boom ofYellowstonethat led to a Western streaming empire, Sheridan mostly wrote screenplays for feature films such asSicario,Hell or High Water, andWind River. In the same vein, Berg was primarily a movie director and screenwriter before leaning back into television in recent years with Showtime’sBoys in Blueand Netflix’sPainkillerin 2023. Given the success ofAmerican Primeval,Netflix and Berg should team up in a Sheridan and Paramount type of dynamic, allowing Netflix to build on the promise of the gritty and ruthless 6-episode Western series that could become a franchise.
Netflix Has Made A Lot Of Great Modern Westerns
Godless, The Power of the Dog & American Primeval
Netflix has produced its fair share of original Western films and series, some of which have even won Emmys and Oscars.Godlessis often considered one of the best modern Western series ever made and is arguably thebest Western show on Netflix.The Power of the Dog, which earned 12 Academy Award nominations, including a Best Director win for Jane Campion, is another gripping Western distributed by Netflix. Joel and Ethan Coen’sWestern comedyThe Ballad of Buster Scruggsis also worth mentioning. Nominated for 3 Oscars, the anthology film tells six stories on the Old West American frontier.
American Primeval Created A Surprising Western Cameo Trend, Following On From A Taylor Sheridan TV Show
Two of the most popular new Western series on streaming feature surprising and nearly random cameos from two separate longtime NFL franchise owners.
WhileGodless,The Power of the Dog, andThe Ballad of Buster Scruggsare standalone projects, the addition ofAmerican Primevalgreatly strengthens Netflix’s arsenal of original Westerns. It’s unlikely that Campion or the Coen Brothers would spearhead a modern Western renaissance on Netflix.
Berg has a track record for sticking to content that consistently works, making him a prime candidate to spark a Netflix Western franchise.
One can imagine that Scott Frank, who wroteLoganand created another celebrated Netflix series,The Queen’s Gambit, wants to keep his options open. Berg, however, has a track record for sticking to content that consistently works,directing Walhberg in five action films in seven years. This makes him a prime candidate to spark a Netflix Western franchise.
Netflix Hasn’t Topped Taylor Sheridan’s Western TV Shows As A Whole
Despite having a lot of good Westerns, Netflix’s current slate of Western projects consists of mostly standalone movies or miniseries rather than returning shows that can become big franchises. They’ve proved they can make Westerns as good as Sheridan, if not better, just not in a long-running series or franchise approach.Netflix has a reputation for canceling shows in their primeor before they have a chance to find their footing. This suggests that Netflix isn’t even interested in building their own Sheridan-level Western universe. If they were, however,all signs point to anAmerican Primevalanthological expansion.
American Primevalis a very different type of Western series thanYellowstoneor anything else in the Sheridan universe, even1883and1923. Berg’s approach toAmerican PrimevalwithThe Revenantscreenwriter and series creator Mark L. Smithis more extreme and visceral than anything in Sheridan’s current wheelhouse. This gives Netflix a unique edge over Sheridan’s content, which is rooted in classic TV sensibilities likeDallas. Some have calledYellowstonea soap opera, whereasAmerican Primevalis an exhibition of brutality and violence. This creates a harrowing yet realisticOld West atmosphere that wouldn’t work as a Sheridan show.
Could American Primeval Be Netflix’s Western Franchise?
Netflix Could Choose To Create More Standalone Westerns Instead
Netflix and Paramount+ are quite different in scope and scale, which makes it much more difficult to predict what will be renewed at Netflix, even for a hit series likeAmerican Primeval. While there’s currently speculation of anAmerican Primevalprequel series, nothing has been confirmed by Berg, Smith, or Netflix. Considering theending ofAmerican Primeval, several main characters will not be able to return, making a directsequel series less likely than a spinoff or an anthological expansion.
Netflix’s New Western Is The Best Proof Yet That We Need A Live-Action Red Dead Redemption Adaptation
Netflix’s new epic period Western series American Primeval is the perfect example of why a Red Dead Redemption film or TV adaptation needs to happen.
AnAmerican Primevalseason 2 or spinoff is entirely possible and would be something to root for. Berg would likely be open to it with or without Smith, meaning a renewal would theoreticallycome down to Netflix’s bottom line regarding viewership, projections, and more data analysis that fan support.
Sheridan has a firm home at Paramount, while Netflix may be less accommodating.
Alternatively, Netflix could use the success ofAmerican Primevalto create more original Western standalone projects rather than use the miniseries as a foundation for a franchise. Sheridan has a firm home at Paramount, while Netflix may be less accommodating.
