The classic Western is riding back to TV—and the man behind ‘Heroes’ is in the saddle
There’s something about The Magnificent Seven that just won’t go away, despite the fact that it wasn’t a blockbuster when it first hit theaters in 1960. In fact, as Western historian Rob Word—the creative force behind YouTube channel A Word on Westerns—points out, early reactions were lukewarm at best.
“When United Artists first looked at it, they said, ‘Nothing happens—it just sits there,’” he recalls. And yet, over time, the film, powered in no small part by Elmer Bernstein’s now-iconic score, dug in, found its audience and refused to leave the conversation—a point driven home by the fact that more than six decades later, here we are again. There’s a new version on the way, this time as a television series being developed for MGM+, with Tim Kring, the creator of Heroes, at the helm.
And if the past has shown anything, it’s that this particular story—seven gunmen, one desperate town, and a fight that’s never quite as simple as it seems—has a way of reinventing itself for whatever era it finds itself in. And while Kring may not be a Western veteran, that’s not necessarily a drawback. In fact, Word sees it as part of the appeal.
“Based on what I know and my conversations with Tim Kring,” says Word, who has been a friend of the writer/producer for many years, “I think he’s an interesting choice. He hasn’t done a Western before, but he’s a brilliant writer who understands character. Even with a tighter budget, shooting in Canada will help maximize what they have. The locations are stunning and he’s being careful—he wants to do it right. I even sent him a list of films to immerse himself in. Things like The Sacketts and Open Range.
“Those are character-driven Westerns with realism, not just action,” he continues. “It’s going to be interesting. He wants it to feel contemporary while still being grounded in realism. I also suggested Young Guns and Young Guns II, because they handle ensemble storytelling well in a short time. Kring will have more room to expand that across a series. And I know the location, up near Calgary, where Open Range was shot. It’s ideal. They’re starting production this summer and I’d love to get up there.”
Kring’s emphasis on character could end up being the key difference this time around. Unlike the earlier television version—where juggling seven leads in a 42-minute episode often meant someone got shortchanged—the streaming format offers a much larger canvas. Stories can unfold over multiple hours, relationships have room to breathe, and the ensemble can actually feel like one.
“It’s like a long movie,” Word muses. “You’re not trying to cram everything into one episode. You can take your time, let the characters develop.”
As noted, production is set to take place in Canada, a choice that’s as practical as it is visual. The landscapes offer scale without the cost of traditional Western locations, and Word notes that some of the most effective modern Westerns have used the region to great effect. The expectation, at least from his perspective, is that Kring will lean into a more grounded, realistic approach rather than trying to outdo the genre with spectacle. “He wants it to feel real,” Word says. “Not overblown. That’s important.”
At the same time, this won’t simply be a retread of what’s come before. While the core idea remains intact, the new series is expected to introduce original characters rather than relying on familiar archetypes from the earlier films. Which is a tricky balance—honoring the DNA of The Magnificent Seven without feeling like a copy—but it’s also where the opportunity lies.
And then there’s casting. Which brings us to what may—or may not—be the most confusing casting story you’ll hear about this show. According to Word, “They’ve got Matt Dillon as the lead, and I loved him on Gunsmoke.”
Take a moment. Think about it. The sheriff of Dodge featured in a Western series over 70 years later? CG? AI? Not exactly. “I’m talking about James Arness on Gunsmoke,” he adds with a laugh. “They asked on Jeopardy! who Matt Dillon was, and nobody knew.”
In reality, of course, he’s talking about actor Matt Dillon, not the fictional character. And that Matt Dillon, of course, has been a familiar screen presence since the early 1980s, breaking through as a teen performer in films like The Outsiders and Rumble Fish before building a long, varied career in projects ranging from Drugstore Cowboy and There’s Something About Mary to his Oscar-nominated turn in Crash. He’s not automatically associated with Westerns, which may actually make him an intriguing choice: a recognizable actor with decades of experience, but not someone carrying a lot of genre baggage into the saddle.
The Dillons represent a throwaway joke, but it actually underscores something worth keeping in mind: every generation comes to the Western in its own way. The names, the faces—even the reference points—shift over time. What doesn’t change is the appeal of the setup itself. For Word, that’s part of what makes this new version worth watching, even before a single frame has been shot.
“I’m excited about any new Western,” he says. “And this one has the right pieces in place.”
Saddle up for a trip back to the Old West
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