WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for American Primeval.

Netflix's new epic period Western series American Primeval alters several real-life historical details and figures.

Red Dead Redemption is not only one of the best Western-themed video games ever made but is truly one of the greatest video games ever made, period. Developed by Rockstar Games of legendary Grand Theft Auto acclaim, the first installment of Red Dead Redemption was released in 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Red Dead Redemption 2 was developed and released in 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Despite its appearance as a sequel to the 2010 installment, Red Dead Redemption 2 is actually a prequel that takes place in 1899, twelve years before the events of Red Dead Redemption.

Netflix's American Primeval Is Similar To Red Dead Redemption

Both offer epic & gritty survival stories on Old Western terrain

There have long been hopes of a Red Dead film or television adaptation since the success and acclaim of the 2010 game. The game is naturally cinematic with many narrative-driven cut scenes and a compelling main storyline with dozens of side quests available throughout the expansive terrain. At the time of writing, Red Dead Redemption 2 has the largest open-world map of any Rockstar game, a stat that is sure to change with the highly-anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI in 2026. There is a wealth of untapped narrative content to dive into with both modern Red Dead ​​​​​​installments.

There are many thematic and narrative similarities between Red Dead Redemption and American Primeval. Both take place on epic, gritty Western terrain and are ultimately tales of survival in a relatively lawless land. Additionally, both games and the Netflix series follow protagonists who get caught up in a bigger battle than themselves between government forces and rebels (John Marston in RDR 1, Arthur Morgan in RDR 2, and Isaac Reed in American Primeval). The prevalent themes of violence and potential danger around every corner fuel the natural tension of all three narratives, making Red Dead an ideal blueprint for a film or TV show.

Red Dead Redemption Could Be A Much Better Epic Western

Red Dead has some of the greatest and most cinematic stories in any video game

While American Primeval has its gripping narrative moments, its story is not nearly as strong as either Red Dead Redemption or Red Dead Redemption 2. This is not really a problem with RDR or RDR2, since both video games already have fantastic stories. One of the greatest aspects of the Red Dead franchise is its outstanding and captivating protagonists in both Arthur Morgan and John Marston, who are both characters in Red Dead Redemption 2. In fact, the very first installment of the Red Dead franchise was the 2004 Rockstar-developed Red Dead Revolver, which also has a great story following bounty hunter Red Harlow in the 1880s.

American Primeval has a lot of room to grow if producer and director Peter Berg wishes to extend the miniseries with a second season. The Netflix series is incredibly violent, featuring graphic and unforgettable scenes that border on the horror genre. At some points, it feels like American Primeval opts to entertain through violence over a compelling story, which is never the case in Red Dead Redemption. Violence is more of a tool and an inevitability in the celebrated video games. Gunfights, train robberies, and the like would create a more classic portrait of the American West in a Red Dead adaptation, whereas American Primeval highlights a more primitive conflict in the 1850s.

Should Red Dead Redemption Be A Movie Or TV Show?

Red Dead's expansive world & side quests make it a perfect TV series

Based on how expansive all three Red Dead games are, any adaptation should really be a series rather than a feature film. A film could be great and focus only on the main storyline but a series would allow more of the well-crafted side quests to become a part of the story, which is one of the best parts of the Red Dead video game experience. Because the game is so large and there are so many regions and characters to explore, a serialized format is truly the best option for any Red Dead adaptation. On the other hand, it would be fascinating to see Red Dead on the big screen in the hands of a fantastic modern Western director.

A Red Dead Redemption television/streaming series opens the door to all sorts of approaches and adaptations. The first season could focus on the 2010 Red Dead Redemption video game, leaving out the Red Dead Revolver protagonist and story, and dive right into the action with John Marston. Alternatively, the series may benefit from having both Marston and Arthur Morgan in play from the start, which would mean that season 1 would adapt Red Dead Redemption 2. This would also make the most sense chronologically, considering that RDR 2 is a prequel to RDR 1. The franchise could also take a similar approach to Yellowstone and its two prequel series, 1923 and 1883.

Is A Red Dead Redemption Adaptation Likely?

Recent TV video game adaptations make it plausible

With the recent success of video game adaptations getting made into celebrated streaming series such as HBO's The Last of Us and Amazon Prime Video's Fallout, a Red Dead Redemption adaptation seems more logical and likely than ever before. While there's been no official word on the development of a Red Dead film or television series, it feels like a conceptual no-brainer, especially considering the recent streaming success of American Primeval on Netflix, which still remains in the Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. at the time of writing.

The tricky part of actually seeing a Red Dead film or movie come to fruition comes down to a simple question: do we really needs it? The video games are exceptional as they are and may just be too great for any film or television series to truly capture. Part of the fun of Red Dead has been the open-world aspect, where the main story and side quests are always available but not required to play the game. The immersion of Red Dead Redemption 1 & 2 would also have to be replicated in any film or television adaptation since players don't only play for the plot. Red Dead Redemption is already wildly successful and may be better off staying in its lane, even after American Primeval's streaming success. Done correctly, however, an adaptation could be brilliant.