10 Things Hollywood Can Learn From The Lone Ranger Flop

5. Westerns Are Not Popular Anymore

Cowboys and Aliens The Western genre is that one that everyone's dad loves, but it's never exactly been solid gold at the box office, largely because youngsters dismiss them as "boring", as a result of seeing their dads watching them on TV every Sunday afternoon. However, even when hip young actors like Will Smith take on the genre, it's still proven to be a disaster; who can forget the execrable critical and commercial failure that was 1999's Wild Wild West? More recent examples fare no better; Casa de Mi Padre, Cowboys & Aliens and Jonah Hex were all victims of the critical and box office chopping blocks, and the only Western movies that seem to succeed are those coming from auteurs like the Coen Brothers (True Grit) and Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained). The clear message is this; unless you've got a very distinct, singular vision with a top-notch cast, it's best not to bother.
Contributor
Contributor

Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.