All 9 Taylor Sheridan Movies, Ranked Worst To Best (2024)

Taylor Sheridan has been involved in nine movies as either a writer, director, or cast member over the course of his career, but these films vary in their overall quality, making it possible to rank them from worst to best. Sheridan began his career as an actor, gaining notoriety for several TV roles, including David Hale in the FX original series, Sons of Anarchy. After making the transition into screenwriting and directing, Sheridan gained further fame for co-creating the smash-hit original series, Yellowstone.

While Sheridan's best TV shows include some of his greatest work, he has not been limited to a career in TV — far from it. He has also been involved in some fantastic feature films, and to be fair, a couple of not-so-fantastic ones. This variance is inevitable over the course of a career in show business, and it often depends on whether Sheridan was acting, writing, directing, or some combination thereof. Regardless of what his role in a given film was, it's useful to reflect on his career thus far by ranking his movies from worst to best.

9 Vile (2011)

Directed by Taylor Sheridan

Though Sheridan insisted in a 2017 interview with Rotten Tomatoes that he does not consider the 2011 film, Vile, to be his directorial debut, it is the first feature film to credit him as director, so it technically counts towards his filmography. Vile is a horror film that follows 10 captives attempting to escape a locked room within 22 hours. This is likely the smallest film production he has been involved in, especially compared to some of Sheridan's upcoming TV shows and movies, and he claims his involvement was little more than pointing the camera and generally providing guidance. With that in mind, Vile is still Sheridan's worst movie.

8 White Rush (2003)

Features Taylor Sheridan as Tug

White Rush is another lesser-known film that involved Sheridan, this time in the role of a man named Tug. White Rush follows a group of tourists who stumble onto the aftermath of a drug deal while on vacation, deciding rather rashly to take and sell the leftover drugs themselves. White Rush is a largely forgettable film, and though its notoriety still outmatches Vile, its lack of conviction and generally unappealing narrative make it one of Sheridan's worst films.

7 Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Written and directed by Taylor Sheridan

Those Who Wish Me Dead is a 2021 thriller following a boy played by Finn Little who witnesses the murder of his father and is forced to go on the run when two assassins, played by Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen, are sent to kill him. The boy is helped along the way by Angelina Jolie's Hannah Faber, a smokejumper in Montanna. There are a lot of movies like Those Who Wish Me Dead, but Sheridan's pulsating directing makes it worth a watch, as do the performances. Unfortunately, the story is a bit too straightforward and bland for it to qualify as one of Sheridan's best movies.

6 12 Strong (2018)

Features Taylor Sheridan as Field Officer Brian

12 Strong is a 2018 military movie that follows the experiences of U.S. Army Special Forces sent to Afghanistan right after the 9/11 attacks. With a loaded cast that includes Chris Hemsworth, Michael Peña, Rob Riggle, and Michael Shannon, 12 Strong delivers a memorable movie experience. Sheridan has a minor role in the film as a field officer named Brian, but his involvement is fairly limited. While 12 Strong benefits from some convincing performances and a riveting true story, it's a bit heavy-handed and fails to make much impact outside of short-term diversion, keeping it outside Sheridan's best five movies.

5 Without Remorse (2021)

Written by Taylor Sheridan

Without Remorse is a 2021 action thriller based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name with a screenplay written by Sheridan and Will Staples. It stars Michael B. Jordan as John Kelly, a U.S. Navy SEAL seeking revenge after his pregnant wife and the other members of his unit are assassinated. Sheridan's action-packed script is carried by a strong performance from Jordan, making for an enjoyable, if a bit generic, action movie. Without Remorse is a solid entry in Sheridan's filmography, even if it doesn't have the same impact as some of his better films.

4 Sicario: Day Of The Soldado (2018)

Written by Taylor Sheridan

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a sequel to Sicario, also written by Sheridan, and though it's not quite as good as the original, it's still one of his best overall movies. Starring Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin, the story follows the U.S. government's attempt to start a war between Mexican drug cartels when they come to believe the cartels are responsible for smuggling terrorists across the U.S.-Mexico border. With hauntingly violent action sequences and a satisfyingly intricate narrative, Sicario: Day of the Soldado delivers a thrilling viewing experience that puts it among Sheridan's best-ever movies.

3 Wind River (2017)

Written and directed by Taylor Sheridan

Wind River is a 2017 neo-Western crime film starring Jeremy Renner as Cory Lambert, a tracker for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Elizabeth Olsen as FBI agent Jane Banner. After a murder is comitted on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming, Lambert lends his tracking skills to Banner, helping her investigate what turns out to be an intriguingly complex case. Sheridan's script and the lead performances help Wind River craft a character-driven thriller that is thoroughly engaging, making it one of his best movies.

2 Sicario (2015)

Written by Taylor Sheridan

Sicario is a 2015 action thriller written by Sheridan and directed by Dennis Villeneuve. Starring Emily Blunt, Benecio del Toro, and Josh Brolin, Sicario follows an FBI Special Agent's (Blunt) attempts to bring down the leader of a powerful Mexican drug cartel. Sicario was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing. Its performances are laudable, and its narrative is both entertaining and layered, lending it an impressive level of depth. It also has beautifully choreographed action sequences that help make it Sheridan's second-best movie.

1 Hell Or High Water (2016)

Written by Taylor Sheridan

Hell or High Water is a neo-Western crime drama that follows two brothers, played by Chris Pine and Ben Foster, who set out on a series of bank robberies to find enough money to save their family ranch. Hell or High Water was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. In typical Sheridan fashion, the film creates thoroughly engaging characters that are delivered expertly by its talented cast. Hell or High Water is beautifully paced, and the story offers much more than a typical Western heist. Overall, this is the best Taylor Sheridan movie.