Young Guns 3: Dead or Alive

Young Guns 3: Dead or Alive brings back the iconic Western franchise 35 years after Young Guns 2. Emilio Estevez directs and reprises his role as Billy the Kid, reuniting with Lou Diamond Phillips as Chavez y Chavez and Christian Slater as Arkansas Dave Rudabaugh -- none of their characters were shown dying on camera in the previous films, leaving the door open for their returns. The screenplay is co-written by Estevez and John Fusco, who wrote the original Young Guns films. The production introduces a new generation of Regulators to the silver screen. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham personally announced the production alongside Estevez at Film and Media Day in March 2025, underscoring the state's commitment to the franchise that helped put New Mexico on the filmmaking map. The film will employ hundreds of local crew members, actors, and support staff, utilizing local vendors and businesses to generate significant economic activity throughout the state. Filming is scheduled for fall 2025 in New Mexico, using the same dramatic desert and mountain landscapes that defined the original films. The production is backed by Morgan Creek Entertainment (which produced the first two films) and packaged by CAA. Young Guns (1988) and Young Guns 2 (1990) were cultural touchstones that turned the story of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War into a pop phenomenon, grossing a combined $134 million worldwide.