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Taylor Sheridan’s Streaming Home Officially Revives the Worst Western of the ‘90s
Will Smith’s 1999 sci-fi Western Wild Wild West has become one of the ten most-streamed films on Paramount+ in the United States after joining the service in August. Its renewed visibility is notable because the film is widely regarded as a major critical and commercial disappointment, despite its association with the Western genre popularised by Taylor Sheridan’s programmes on the platform.
The article links the film’s resurgence to demand for more Western content while Sheridan’s Lioness releases its third series weekly. Lioness returned strongly after the July finale of Yellowstone spin-off Dutton Ranch, with its opening episode receiving a 9.0/10 IMDb score; the season currently holds 82% from critics and 95% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. Wild Wild West, adapted from a 1960s television series, ranks below Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender on Paramount+’s US streaming chart.
In short
- Wild Wild West has entered Paramount+’s US top ten.
- The 1999 film was previously a notable flop.
- Sheridan’s popularity may be boosting Western viewing.
Explained simply
Wild Wild West is a 1999 science-fiction Western starring Will Smith. It was adapted from a 1960s television series and combines the familiar setting of the American West with futuristic inventions.
Taylor Sheridan is a writer and producer whose Western and crime dramas, including Yellowstone and Lioness, are associated with Paramount+. Western stories have also gained attention through the Yellowstone spin-off Dutton Ranch, while Lioness is releasing its third series week by week.
The film’s renewed visibility comes amid interest in Western content on the service. Its reception has been very different from that of a conventional hit: it was widely criticised and performed poorly commercially when it was released.
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