What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedHostiles
Scott Cooper · Film · 2017
If you loved Hostiles, start with Godless (Scott Frank, 2017) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Hostiles across media.
You appreciated how Hostiles explored the brutal weight of history and the difficult process of reconciliation between opposing cultures.
Books on the same thread
Lonesome Dove
Larry McMurtry · Book · 1988
Explores: Cattle Drive, American West, Frontier Life.
If the epic, cross-country trek in Hostiles resonated with you, this novel offers a similarly profound look at the American frontier through a transformative, long-distance cattle drive.
The Last of the Mohicans
James Fenimore Cooper · Book · 2004
Shares a thread with Hostiles: Survival.
Much like the cultural friction found in Hostiles, this classic explores the volatile intersection of lives during a period of intense colonial conflict and survival on the frontier.
Empire of the Summer Moon
S.C. Gwynne · Book
Explores: cultural collision, indigenous resistance, manifest destiny.
This narrative provides the historical context for the indigenous resistance depicted in Hostiles, detailing the actual life of a Comanche chief caught in a violent cultural collision.
Hostile Territory
William W. Johnstone and J.A. Johnstone · Book
Explores: frontier justice, outlaw gangs, gold rush.
Those drawn to the rugged, high-stakes journey of Hostiles will find a familiar intensity in this frontier tale, which centers on the constant peril of navigating hostile territory.
Series on the same thread
Godless
Scott Frank · Series · 2017
Shares 2 threads with Hostiles: Revisionist Western, Neo-Western.
If you valued the moral ambiguity and redemption arcs within Hostiles, you will appreciate how this series deconstructs the traditional outlaw narrative through a lens of societal transformation.
Into the West
Steven Spielberg · Series · 2005
Explores: Westward Expansion, Clash of Cultures, Manifest Destiny.
This saga mirrors the ambitious scope of Hostiles by weaving together the lives of white and native families, directly addressing the complexities of expansion and cultural clash.
Lonesome Dove
Series · 1989
Shares 2 threads with Hostiles: Redemption, Revisionist Western.
This adaptation captures the same sense of weary, long-distance travel found in Hostiles, focusing on the heavy emotional toll that a difficult journey takes on seasoned men.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Hostiles: moral ambiguity.
The podcast mirrors the analytical approach to moral ambiguity found in Hostiles, challenging you to reconsider the consequences of power and the brutal nature of historical conflict.
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
If Hostiles forced you to confront the uncomfortable realities of national prejudice, this series provides a deeper, systemic examination of the historical foundations that shaped such deep-seated tensions.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Hostiles set during a specific historical period?
Hostiles is set in 1892. The film follows a legendary Army captain tasked with escorting a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory to their Montana reservation during this era of American history.
What is the primary mission in Hostiles?
In Hostiles, a legendary Army captain nearing retirement is assigned to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family back to his reservation in Montana. The journey requires them to navigate dangerous territory while managing the captain's long-standing animosity toward Native Americans.
Does Hostiles feature a journey across the American West?
Yes, Hostiles depicts a journey through dangerous territory as an Army captain escorts a Cheyenne chief and his family to their Montana reservation. The film centers on this forced travel during the captain's final assignment before his retirement.
Is the protagonist in Hostiles an experienced soldier?
The protagonist in Hostiles is a legendary Army captain who is nearing the end of his military career. His final assignment involves escorting a Cheyenne chief and his family to a reservation in Montana, despite his history of hating Native Americans.