While audiences typically associate the Western genre with lone gunslingers like Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name, it also has a rich history of team-up stories. With countless stories focusing on the work of iconic lawmen, bounty hunters, and gangs of outlaws, these movies typically explore themes of revenge and friendship. These movies have proven every bit as influential and enduring as others, allowing for comedy and levity in a way lone gunfighter movies don't.

Team-up Westerns have brought the genre some of its best ensemble casts, with stars like Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, and Charlie Sheen stepping into the role of gunslinger. While these movies don't always receive the box office success they deserve, they have brought a unique dynamic and sense of adventure to the genre. From John Wayne classics to '80s buddy movies, these all deserve a look.

Silverado follows the unity of a group of four travelers in the Old West as they're bonded by their journey to the small town, each with a different reason. However, when they arrive, they learn that Silverado is under the thumb of a corrupt sheriff, Cobb, and a family of powerful, brutal ranchers, the McKendricks. With their friends and families hanging in the balance, the heroes team up to rid the town of its corruption -- painting a target on their backs.

Silverado is one big mash-up of Western tropes, combining elements of everything from Shane and The Magnificent Seven with Rio Bravo and Once Upon A Time In the West. For people who want to enjoy a genuine buddy adventure, particularly those new to the Western genre, it's hard to beat Lawrence Kasdan's '80s classic. From its triumphant score to its ensemble cast, the movie perfects the buddy dynamic for the Wild West.

Young Guns follows Billy the Kid as he's taken in by a kindly rancher, John Tunstall, who employs a group of fellow aimless young men, including Chavez y Chavez and Dick Brewer. When their surrogate father is murdered by a rival, the men are deputized and empowered to bring his killers to justice. However, as their revenge escalates, the men find themselves pursued by the law, forcing them to make a final stand against their enemies.

Young Guns capitalized on the love audiences had for the 1980s' "brat pack" generation of young actors, uniting Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, and more for a thrilling adventure. The film is as much a Western coming-of-age story as it is an action film, seeing its heroes find independence after the death of their mentor and carve out a reputation for themselves.

Django Unchained begins when a German bounty hunter, King Schultz, frees Django from slavery in the Deep South, taking him under his wing to help him find a trio of outlaws. Along the way, the pair become fast friends, eventually leading to Schultz agreeing to assist his partner in finding and rescuing his wife, Broomhilda, from the clutches of ruthless slaver Calvin Candie.

Django Unchained doubles as a buddy adventure movie for most of its runtime and then slides into one-man army action in its final act. As great as Django's final showdown is, the film's charm comes from seeing his mentorship under Schultz, channeling classics like Two Mules For Sister Sara and For A Few Dollars More. With many praising it as Tarantino's best script, the film's characters make it great, and every minute Django and Schultz share the screen is a gift to Western fans.

Rio Bravo revolves around a sheriff, John T. Chance, as his arrest of the violent brother of a powerful land baron leads to conflict, with the villain threatening to use a small army of hired guns to free his sibling. In response, the lawman assembles a small posse of town heroes to defend the jail, protect the locals, and keep his prisoner behind bars. With his motley crew of deputies, he awaits the arrival of the baron's men and makes his stand.

John Wayne's legacy in the Western genre is broad, but few movies have made as enduring an impact as Rio Bravo. Despite having been made as a rebuke of High Noon, it earned an iconic status in its own right, thanks to its focus on the friendships between the heroes. For most of its runtime, the film plays on themes of redemption and camaraderie, highlighting how Chance inspires his friends to make a stand.

Once Upon A Time In the West begins when a farmer, McBain, is murdered by an assassin, Frank, who has been tasked by a railroad magnate with getting the family's property. However, when it's revealed that McBain left behind a widowed wife, she is protected by a pair of gunfighters, Harmonica and Cheyenne, the former of whom has his own vendetta against Frank. Realizing that her late husband wanted to build a town around his land, Jill McBain endeavors to build a train station, all under the watchful eyes of her protectors.

Once Upon A Time In the West isn't just a brilliant buddy action and revenge movie, it's also one of the most beautiful Westerns ever made. Brought to perfection by Ennio Morricone's unforgettable score, the movie gives its audience a touching relationship between its heroes. Motivated by love and revenge, the audience is given an emotionally driven exploration of the demise of the Old West, with Harmonica and Cheyenne giving a send-off for the classic gunslinger as McBain ushers in a new chapter.

The second entry in Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy, For A Few Dollars More, follows the arrival of a bounty hunter, Colonel Mortimer, to a small frontier town in search of outlaw El Indio. There, he encounters the Man With No Name, initially clashing only to team up for their mutual benefit and the capture of the villain and his gang. With one man motivated by revenge and the other by fortune, they form a great team as they play the villain for a fool, leading to a thrilling showdown.

For A Few Dollars More brings an unfortunately rare buddy cop-inspired dynamic to the Old West, casting its heroes as partners in their efforts to make a fortune off the gang. In Mortimer, Lee Van Cleef was given one of his best roles, bringing out great on-screen chemistry between him and Eastwood's Stranger. Sporting one of the genre's best endings, it highlights the mutual respect between its heroes, delivering one of the most satisfying gun duels the West has ever seen.

Set in the last days of the West, The Wild Bunch focuses on an aged outlaw gang forced to reckon with changing times as America enters an age of modern industrialism. After narrowly surviving an ambush, Pike Bishop and the last of his men flee to Mexico, where they protect a small village from a ruthless military officer. Facing threats from bounty hunters and the Mexican military alike, the gang digs in, assists local rebels against their government, and comes to terms with their situation -- aiming to go down in a blaze of glory.

The Wild Bunch helped push the Western genre to embrace its violent side, delivering a mature take on the likes of The Magnificent Seven. Although controversial at the time of its release, the movie has become a staple of its genre since, for both its team-up dynamic and morally ambiguous heroes. The movie highlights the loyalty and friendship among the group, all men defined by a past that no longer exists, awaiting the same fate in a world that has moved on from the likes of them.

The Outlaw Josey Wales begins when a farmer, Josey, discovers the murder of his family at the hands of the Union Redleg militia, driving him into the arms of the Confederacy. When his unit surrenders, they're betrayed, leaving Wales the sole survivor. As he sets off for Mexico in the hopes of finding sanctuary from his hunters, he befriends a group of fellow dispossessed travelers, from an outcast Native American to an elderly widow. Giving Clint Eastwood one of his best Westerns, the film delivers an anti-war message alongside its sense of companionship.

The Outlaw Josey Wales is something of a controversial film since, despite its story of unity and diverse heroes, it was actually penned by a former segregationist. For some, the film is a testament to its author having moved on from his past beliefs, perceiving its story as something of an apology, while others question its sincerity. Regardless, the story's touching message of heroes finding solace in one another despite their different backgrounds, shouldn't be discounted for its influence and contribution to the genre.

True Grit follows the arrival of fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where she hires an aged US Marshal to help her avenge her murdered father. Along with a Texas Ranger, she and Marshal Rooster Cogburn head out into Indian territory, where they hunt her father's killer and wanted fugitive, Tom Chaney. Along the way, the trio clash as their conflicting personalities and motivations come into play, causing Mattie to question her choice.

True Grit is synonymous with many things in the Western genre, from revenge to adventure. At its core, the story is a character study, one that explores the legend of the Old West's rugged lawmen. In Rooster, the story simultaneously deconstructs and rebuilds that mythos, giving Mattie a heroic companion who slowly proves his worth against audience expectations. Despite some iconic action sequences, the film is at its best when the three heroes share the screen, proving them all heroes of true grit.

Tombstone documents the story of the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday in their rivalry with the violent Cochise County Cowboy gang in Tombstone, Arizona. Beginning with the lawmen attempting to bring law and order to the frontier town, things soon escalate as their feud turns deadly -- sending a vengeful Wyatt on his famous vendetta ride. However, with his friend in ailing health and a target on his own back, the heroic lawman has his work cut out for him.

Tombstone stands out as one of the best Westerns of all time and is made great through its character relationships, notably the friendship between Wyatt and Doc Holliday. Seen by many as the definitive take on the Gunfight at the OK Corral, the film was a true turning point in the genre as it pushed it towards action in a way never before seen. With an all-star cast and an endless string of memorable quotes, it's hard to find a Western as iconic as Tombstone.