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Hostiles (2017) movie poster

Timeline

Hostiles (2017) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 134 min · English
Echo score 78
JustWatch #2,269 79
Directed by
Scott Cooper
Starring
Christian Bale, Stephen Lang, Jonathan Majors, Timothée Chalamet, Jesse Plemons, Ben Foster
Budget
$39M

In 1892, a decorated Army Captain undertakes a final, perilous mission. He must escort a dying Cheyenne war chief and his family to their ancestral lands. Along the way, they encounter a young widow seeking vengeance for the brutal murder of her family. Forced into an uneasy alliance, the group journeys through the harsh landscapes of New Mexico and Montana, facing deadly Comanche warriors and dangerous outlaws as they struggle to survive.

Adventure Drama Western Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Hostiles
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Hostiles (2017)

Where can you watch Hostiles? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Philo, Starz and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Hostiles Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Hostiles (2017) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Tragedy Strikes at Home

    In 1892 New Mexico, Rosalee Quaid experiences a horrific event as a Comanche war party attacks her home. Despite her husband Wesley's valiant efforts to defend their family, he is overwhelmed, and Rosalee is left to witness the brutal deaths of her husband and three children.

    When
    1892
    Where
    Rosalee's Homestead

  2. Escape to the Hills

    Amidst the chaos of the attack, Rosalee manages to hide while unaware that her infant son Jacob has already succumbed to a gunshot wound. As the Comanche set fire to their home, she escapes to the nearby hills, leaving her family in the aftermath of tragedy.

    When
    Immediately after the attack
    Where
    Hills near Rosalee's Homestead

  3. A New Mission

    At Fort Berringer, U.S. Army captain Joseph Blocker receives an unusual order from President Harrison. He is tasked with escorting the ailing Cheyenne chief Yellow Hawk and his family back to their sacred land, which plunges him into a personal conflict given his traumatic past with the Cheyenne.

    When
    Shortly after the attack
    Where
    Fort Berringer

  4. Reluctant Acceptance

    After battling the memories of his past and considering the threat of court-martial, Blocker reluctantly agrees to the assignment. He gathers his entourage that consists of trusted sergeant Thomas Metz, dedicated corporal Henry Woodson, inexperienced lieutenant Rudy Kidder, and young private Philippe DeJardin.

    When
    Shortly after receiving the order
    Where
    Fort Berringer

  5. Encountering Rosalee

    During their journey, Blocker’s group stumbles upon Rosalee at the site of her family's massacre. Initially in shock, believing her children are merely resting, she is persuaded to join them in order to find closure and bury her loved ones.

    When
    During the journey
    Where
    Massacre site

  6. Facing the Horrors Together

    As Rosalee travels with Blocker and his men, tensions escalate, and she confronts her fears alongside them. The shared journey puts everyone’s resilience to the test as they navigate through the pain of loss and the consequences of violence.

    When
    During their travels

  7. Comanche Attacks

    The group soon faces unexpected assaults from the Comanche, which results in significant challenges and losses. These encounters forge a bond among the soldiers and Yellow Hawk's family, prompting Blocker to reflect on his beliefs regarding honor and humanity.

    When
    During the journey
    Where
    Various locations

  8. A Change in Perspective

    As the journey continues, Blocker witnesses acts of bravery and sacrifice, particularly when Yellow Hawk insists on being unchained to defend their group. This experience causes Blocker to confront his resentment toward the Cheyenne and question his long-held values.

    When
    During the journey

  9. The Cost of War

    Tragedy strikes as the group encounters the aftermath of war, prompting Blocker to ponder the cost of his past decisions. The pain of loss weighs heavily on him as he begins to understand the complexity of the conflicts that have shaped his life.

    When
    During the journey

  10. Arriving at the Destination

    Upon reaching their destination in Montana, Blocker and his group are met with hostility from white settlers who claim ownership of the land. This confrontation escalates into violence as tensions rise and losses mount.

    When
    At their journey's end
    Where
    Montana

  11. Rescue of Little Bear

    In the midst of rising violence, Rosalee rescues Little Bear, an orphaned child. This act of compassion stands in stark contrast to the chaos surrounding them and symbolizes a desire for connection amidst despair.

    When
    After reaching the destination
    Where
    Montana

  12. A New Beginning

    As the train departs, Blocker hands Little Bear a book about Julius Caesar, signifying the hope for a fresh start. This poignant farewell reflects the impacts of their harrowing journey marked by tragedy, resilience, and the quest for peace.

    When
    At the end of the journey
    Where
    Train Station

  13. Return to Sacred Lands

    Ultimately, Blocker and Yellow Hawk's journey fulfills a critical mission of returning to sacred Cheyenne land. Despite the immense struggles faced, this mission reinforces the importance of healing and understanding between cultures.

    When
    At the journey's conclusion
    Where
    Cheyenne Sacred Lands, Montana

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 20:33

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Timeline questions answered

Hostiles Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Hostiles (2017): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Captain Blocker agree to escort Chief Yellow Hawk despite his hatred for the Cheyenne?

Blocker initially resists the assignment due to deep personal resentment from past trauma, his friends were killed by the Cheyenne. However, he has no choice because Colonel Biggs threatens him with court-martial if he refuses. This forces him to accept despite his profound personal conflict.

Foreshadowing: Blocker's initial resistance hints at the traumatic history that shaped his deep-seated hatred.

  • joseph blocker
  • yellow hawk
  • cheyenne
  • escort mission
  • court-martial
Q2

Why does Rosalee join Blocker's group after the Comanche attack on her family?

After witnessing her husband and three children brutally murdered, Rosalee is found in shock at the massacre site. She decides to join the group because she wants closure, specifically to find and bury her loved ones properly. Her journey becomes one of grief and healing.

Foreshadowing: Her initial state of shock, believing her children are merely resting, sets up her need for closure.

  • rosalee quaid
  • massacre
  • closure
  • burial
  • join group
Q3

Why does Yellow Hawk insist on being unchained during the journey?

Yellow Hawk, despite being a prisoner and physically weak from cancer, insists on being unchained so he can defend the group when they face Comanche attacks. This act of bravery and willingness to risk his life for his captors surprises Blocker and becomes a pivotal moment in changing his perspective.

Foreshadowing: Yellow Hawk's earlier dignified silence during captivity hints at his inner strength.

  • yellow hawk
  • unchained
  • defend group
  • bravery
  • cancer
Q4

Why are white settlers hostile toward the group when they arrive in Montana?

When Blocker's group reaches what should be Yellow Hawk's ancestral lands in Montana, they encounter white settlers who claim ownership of the land. This hostile confrontation escalates into violence, highlighting the harsh reality that even the promised sanctuary for Native Americans has been taken.

Foreshadowing: The mission's difficulty foreshadows that return to ancestral lands won't bring peace.

  • montana
  • settlers
  • hostility
  • land claim
  • cheyenne lands
Q5

Why does Rosalee rescue Little Bear during the violence in Montana?

Amidst the violence with the settlers, Rosalee rescues Little Bear, an orphaned child. This act represents her transformation from a grieving widow seeking vengeance to someone capable of compassion and connection. It symbolizes healing and choosing life over more loss.

Foreshadowing: Her earlier loss of children makes her recognize another child in need.

  • rosalee
  • little bear
  • rescue
  • orphan
  • compassion
Q6

Why does Blocker give Little Bear a book about Julius Caesar at the train station?

At the train station farewell, Blocker hands Little Bear a book about Julius Caesar as a symbolic gesture. It represents his hope for the boy's education and future, as well as Blocker's own redemption, choosing knowledge and civilization over violence and vengeance.

Foreshadowing: This moment reflects how Blocker's journey has transformed his worldview.

  • little bear
  • julius caesar
  • book
  • redemption
  • train station
Q7

What happens to Rosalee's children during the Comanche attack?

Rosalee's husband Wesley is killed fighting the Comanche war party. Her three children, Lucy, Sylvie, and infant Jacob, are all murdered during the attack. Crucially, Rosalee hides during the attack and doesn't realize Jacob has already died from a gunshot wound until later, adding to her trauma.

Foreshadowing: The chaos of the attack and her hiding explain why she initially believes her children might still be alive.

  • rosalee children
  • lucy
  • sylvie
  • jacob
  • comanche attack
Q8

How does Blocker's perspective on the Cheyenne change throughout the journey?

Blocker begins the journey with deep-seated hatred for the Cheyenne due to past trauma. Through witnessing Yellow Hawk's bravery, the shared dangers, and the mutual respect that develops, Blocker's views shift. He comes gradually to see Native Americans as complex humans rather than enemies, leading to his act of giving the book to Little Bear.

Foreshadowing: His initial resistance to the mission plants the seeds for his eventual transformation.

  • blocker transformation
  • redemption
  • cheyenne
  • perspective change
  • honor

Movie threads

More Movies Like Hostiles, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Hostiles tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Harsh Journeys of Uneasy Alliance like in Hostiles

Bitter enemies are forced to cooperate on a perilous trek for survival. Movies like Hostiles featuring perilous journeys where hostile characters must form uneasy alliances to survive. If you liked the tense dynamic between the army captain and the Cheyenne family, you'll find similar stories of forced cooperation and survival in unforgiving landscapes here.

  • gritty
  • unforgiving
  • morally complex
  • harrowing
  • tense
  • survival
  • Tone: tense, morally complex, harrowing
  • Pacing: steady, journey-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a linear, often geographically challenging journey that serves as a crucible for character transformation. Initial hostility and distrust are gradually worn down by shared dangers and hardships, leading to moments of mutual reliance and a re-evaluation of deeply held beliefs.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a perilous journey as the central plot device, the compelling dynamic of a forced alliance between antagonistic parties, and the theme of survival forging unexpected understanding in a morally complex world.

The Oregon Trail movie poster

The Oregon Trail

1959
They Came to Cordura movie poster

They Came to Cordura

1959
Canyon Passage movie poster

Canyon Passage

1946
Frontier Crucible movie poster

Frontier Crucible

2025
Hostiles movie poster

Hostiles

2017
Stagecoach to Dancers’ Rock movie poster

Stagecoach to Dancers’ Rock

1962
The Last Frontier movie poster

The Last Frontier

1955
Tracker movie poster

Tracker

2010

Emotionally Heavy Frontier Justice like in Hostiles

Gritty stories where justice on the frontier comes with profound personal cost. Find movies similar to Hostiles that explore grief, trauma, and the brutal cost of justice on the frontier. If you were moved by the heavy emotional weight and themes of loss and redemption in a gritty Western setting, this collection is for you.

  • somber
  • gritty
  • reflective
  • harrowing
  • lonely
  • grief
  • Tone: somber, reflective, gritty
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Characters are often deeply scarred by past violence and are driven by grief or a thirst for vengeance. Their journey is as much an internal struggle with trauma as it is an external conflict, leading to a resolution that acknowledges the high price of survival or retribution, often resulting in a bittersweet or melancholic conclusion.

Why they belong together: These films share a heavy emotional weight centered on themes of grief, loss, and trauma. They are set in unforgiving frontier-like worlds and feature a tense, gritty tone where justice is complex and rarely comes without profound sacrifice.

Frontier Crucible movie poster

Frontier Crucible

2025
Canyon Passage movie poster

Canyon Passage

1946
The Last Frontier movie poster

The Last Frontier

1955
Frontera movie poster

Frontera

2014
Hostiles movie poster

Hostiles

2017
Wyatt Earp movie poster

Wyatt Earp

1994
Borderline movie poster

Borderline

1980
The Man from Laramie movie poster

The Man from Laramie

1955

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Movies Like Hostiles

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Stagecoach movie poster

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1939
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2008
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A Man Called Horse movie poster

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Shalako movie poster

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Hostile Forces movie poster

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Grayeagle movie poster

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The Last Frontier movie poster

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Cheyenne Warrior movie poster

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Every angle

Hostiles (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Hostiles in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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