Not Only 'The Mandalorian': 8 Best Movies & TV Series About Bounty Hunters, Ranked by IMDb

The adventures of the silent Mandalorian and his charming green companion, Grogu, rekindled audiences' love for a galaxy far, far away and offered a fresh take on a popular Western archetype – the lone bounty hunter.

This image invariably draws viewers with its gritty romance: a hero who lives by his own code and will hunt down any target for money yet often proves nobler than his clients.

8. 'Cowboys & Aliens', 2011

IMDb Score: 6.0/10

The outlaw Jake Lonergan awakens in the desert. He has no memory of his name or past, and his wrists are shackled.

Upon reaching the nearest town, he learns that the Wild West is under threat from an unknown force: aliens from outer space whose high-tech ships are impossible to shoot down with revolvers and rifles.

Without hesitation, he agrees to become an alien bounty hunter.

7. 'Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia', 1974

IMDb Score: 7.4/10

Bennie, a retired officer, drowns his sorrows in alcohol while working as a pianist in a seedy Mexican bar. His dreams of money and fame become a reality when the influential politician El Jefe invites him to try his luck as a bounty hunter.

If Bennie brings him the head of gigolo Alfredo Garcia, he'll receive ten thousand dollars. However, one problem complicates the search: Alfredo has been dead for a long time, and his body lies in a remote Mexican village.

Sam Peckinpah's thriller is halfway between a modern Western and a depressing neo-noir. By blending elements of both genres, Peckinpah pulls the rug out from under the audience: heroes turn into villains in the blink of an eye, and mysterious women turn out to be more than they seem.

6. 'Midnight Run', 1988

IMDb Score: 7.5/10

Jack Walsh left the police force to become a bounty hunter. Capturing criminals earns him thousands of dollars, and his new job could provide him with a comfortable retirement.

The seasoned investigator is tasked with finding Jonathan Mardukas, an accountant from Los Angeles who stole $15 million from Mafia bank accounts.

However, this seemingly simple task quickly becomes complicated: not only are gangsters hot on Jack and his captive's trail, but the FBI is as well.

5. 'True Grit', 2010

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

Mattie Ross was orphaned at age 14 when bandits killed her father and left her to fend for herself. Now, the stubborn teenager thirsts for revenge.

With the help of aging US Marshal Cogburn and Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, she ventures deep into Indian Territory in search of the killers. Rumor has it that the killers are hiding there.

The Coen brothers' movie is an adaptation of the Western novel of the same name, which was previously adapted into the cult film True Grit, starring John Wayne and Robert Duvall.

4. 'Blade Runner', 1982

IMDb Score: 8.1/10

Rick Deckard is a former android hunter who was dishonorably discharged from the LA Police Department in the future. However, when replicants escape from a space colony back to Earth, his superiors reinstate him as a detective.

Deckard must discover why the androids are seeking an audience with billionaire Eldon Tyrell, the creator of cybernetic intelligence.

The main character of Sir Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is a true mercenary, albeit one who has traded a wide-brimmed hat and a trusty revolver for a grimy trench coat and endless sadness.

3. 'For a Few Dollars More', 1965

IMDb Score: 8.2/10

The Man with No Name wanders the deserted Wild West, looking for extra money. One day, a dashing gunslinger who can put a bullet in a scoundrel's forehead from fifty feet away decides to try his luck as a bounty hunter.

After receiving a license to catch bandits and dusting off his trusty Colt, the cowboy sets out to hunt the Mexican outlaw El Indio.

However, he's not the only one hunting the outlaw – the martinet Mortimer and his posse are also after the reward, and they have no plans to share it with the lone wanderer.

2. 'Django Unchained', 2012

IMDb Score: 8.5/10

King Schultz, a German immigrant, is a mercenary who travels the US disguised as a kindly dentist. After freeing Django from slavery, Schultz sets out to find the three Brittle brothers.

Django becomes his chief assistant. He was a former slave who labored on a plantation under the watchful eye of the evil brothers. Getting revenge on the cruel overseers and earning a couple hundred dollars is an offer Django can't refuse.

1. 'Cowboy Bebop', 1998-1999

IMDb Score: 8.9/10

Spike Spiegel, a former hitman, travels from planet to planet on the spaceship Bebop, hunting fugitives. Accompanied by his loyal crew and his corgi, he always carries out his clients' orders to the letter.

Unlike most bounty hunters, however, Spike prefers to deliver his captives to prison unharmed. After all, he's an adventurer, not a common thug.

Cowboy Bebop, created by Shinichiro Watanabe, is a cult anime that combines elements of film noir, cyberpunk, and classic westerns.