John Travolta's character part was loosely based on B.J. Wheeler, a real-life marshal from Clovis, NM.
For the duration of filming The Purge (2013), Jason Blum had Ethan Hawke stay in his house in Los Angeles. While there, Blum and Hawke would watch western movies together and Hawke suggested that Blumhouse Productions should produce a western.
Its screening at South by Southwest gained notoriety after comedian Doug Benson forcibly removed an audience member for using his cell phone throughout the screening.
The opening sequence, credits, and music are inspired by A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).
Filmed on the same set as many other westerns, such as Silverado and A Million Ways to Die in the West.