Billy Bob Thornton is an actor, writer, director and producer, born William Robert Thornton in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His work spans feature films and television, and his titles are spread across several streaming services rather than one.
This guide sets out which films and series are linked to him, where the listings place them, and where information is still incomplete. Streaming availability changes by region and over time, so the platform details reflect listings that are not dated in every case.
Film and television are covered separately, so release order and season order are not confused. Each section separates confirmed details from claims that remain unclear.
Where can you watch Billy Bob Thornton’s movies and TV shows?
Who
Billy Bob Thornton, actor, writer, director and producer, born William Robert Thornton in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Where to watch
Platforms vary by title and region, and the listings below are not confirmed for every title.
Best starting points
Sling Blade (1996), which he wrote, directed and starred in; Fargo, where he plays Lorne Malvo in its first season; Goliath on Prime Video; Landman on Paramount+.
Latest release
No current feature is confirmed as his latest. The most recent dated feature in the listings is The Gray Man (2022).
- His work is divided between film and television, across several services, so no single platform carries his full catalogue.
- His most clearly documented lawyer role is Billy McBride in Goliath, which streams on Prime Video rather than Netflix.
- Landman, in which he plays Tommy Norris, is widely reported to stream on Paramount+, not Netflix.
- Sling Blade (1996) is the clearest entry point, as he wrote, directed and starred in it, and it won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- Questions about the “best” films and the films “in order” call for different approaches: rankings need stated criteria, and chronology needs release years.
- Availability changes by region and over time, so every streaming claim in this guide carries some uncertainty.
| Fact | Detail | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birth name | William Robert Thornton | Confirmed in search results |
| Birthplace | Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States | Confirmed in search results |
| Professions | Actor, writer, director, producer and soundtrack | Confirmed in search results |
| Notable TV role (lawyer) | Billy McBride in Goliath, on Prime Video | Established; platform listings can change |
| Landman platform | Paramount+ | Widely reported; not fully confirmed |
| Netflix availability | Region-dependent and undated in listings | Unconfirmed |
Which Billy Bob Thornton movies are on Netflix?
The Netflix listings include Bad Santa (2003), Faster (2010) and Mr. Woodcock (2007), but none of these listings is dated. The Gray Man (2022) is listed on Plex, and its Netflix availability is not confirmed.
Availability can differ by country, and the listings do not cover the en-GB region specifically.
Which Billy Bob Thornton movies are on Amazon Prime?
Most of the film listings point to Amazon as a rental or purchase option rather than streaming. This is different from Prime Video streaming, which is confirmed for Goliath and listed for Fargo.
Several films, including Sling Blade, Monster’s Ball and A Simple Plan, are listed on other subscription services, with Amazon offered only as rent or buy.
Is there a Netflix series with Billy Bob Thornton as a lawyer?
The series in which he plays a lawyer is Goliath (2016–2021), where he plays Billy McBride. Goliath streams on Prime Video, and it is not listed on Netflix.
Is Landman on Netflix with Billy Bob Thornton?
Landman is not listed as a Netflix title. It premiered in 2024 and is widely reported to stream on Paramount+, where Thornton plays Tommy Norris.
What are the best Billy Bob Thornton movies?
There is no agreed list of his best films, and no ranking criteria are given. Third-party rankings reflect the opinion of their publishers, so the selection below is drawn from the listings rather than presented as a verdict.
A countdown list dated names 15 films, but the visible excerpt states no criteria and no streaming information.
- Sling Blade (1996): written, directed and starred in by Thornton, listed on HBO Max for streaming and on Amazon for rent or purchase.
- Monster’s Ball (2001): listed on Showtime for streaming and on Amazon for rent or purchase.
- A Simple Plan (1998): listed on Paramount+ for streaming and on Amazon for rent or purchase.
- Friday Night Lights (2004): listed on Starz for streaming and on Amazon for rent or purchase.
- Love Actually (2003): listed on IMDbTV for streaming and on Amazon for rent or purchase.
- Bad Santa (2003): listed on Amazon for rent or purchase, with an undated Netflix listing.
The CinemaBlend guide to his best films and where to watch them places Sling Blade at the top of his titles. Sling Blade also earned an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, which makes it a useful first choice for readers new to his work.
Which Billy Bob Thornton TV shows should you know about?
His television work includes Fargo, Goliath and Landman, alongside earlier series and guest appearances. Readers who want to compare a similar mix of film and television work can look at Tom Hardy Movies and TV Shows: Full List From Debut to 2026.
Goliath and the lawyer role
In Goliath (2016–2021), Thornton plays Billy McBride, a lawyer. Apple’s person listing records a Golden Globe win for Best Actor, Drama for the role.
Goliath is listed on Prime Video, and no other service is listed for it.
Fargo and Landman
Fargo (2014–2024) is an FX series in which Thornton plays Lorne Malvo in its first season. The series is listed on Prime Video and, according to a Yahoo Entertainment television feature, is available there.
Landman (2024– ) is a Taylor Sheridan series in which he plays Tommy Norris. It is widely reported to stream on Paramount+, and the role earned a Golden Globe nomination.
One biography listing says he narrates later seasons of Fargo. This claim is not confirmed.
Guest roles and earlier series
Hearts Afire (1992–1995) was a CBS sitcom in which he plays Billy Bob Davis. He also appears as Marshal Jim Courtright in 1883, which is listed on Apple TV.
His guest roles include The Big Bang Theory (season 8, episode 7), Knots Landing (season 13, episode 15) and Matlock (season 1, episode 23). Apple TV’s person page lists several of these credits, and an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (season 13, episode 25) is listed on Peacock.
The Big Interview With Dan Rather (season 7, episode 6) is listed on Philo, which offers a free trial and a $25 per month Essential plan.
What is Billy Bob Thornton’s latest movie?
The listings do not confirm a current latest movie, so no single title can be stated as his newest with confidence.
The most recent dated feature film in the listings is The Gray Man (2022), which Plex lists, while its Netflix availability is not confirmed. Two 2025 titles, Widespread Panic: Panic in the Streets and If These Walls Could Rock, appear under documentaries and other appearances rather than in the feature list.
Upcoming titles are excluded, as no confirmed release dates are listed for them.
What order should you watch Billy Bob Thornton’s movies in?
The list below follows release years for films and first-air years for television. Season order within each series is not part of this sequence.
- : Sling Blade, which he wrote, directed and starred in. Source: CinemaBlend guide.
- : A Simple Plan and Armageddon. Source: CinemaBlend guide.
- : Monster’s Ball. Source: CinemaBlend guide.
- : Love Actually, Intolerable Cruelty and Bad Santa. Sources: CinemaBlend guide and search results.
- : Friday Night Lights. Source: CinemaBlend guide.
- : Fargo begins, with Thornton as Lorne Malvo in its first season. Source: Yahoo Entertainment feature.
- : Goliath premieres on Prime Video, with Thornton as Billy McBride. Source: Apple TV listing.
- : Landman premieres, widely reported on Paramount+. Source: Yahoo Entertainment feature.
Which details about his filmography are confirmed, and which remain unclear?
| Established information | Information that remains unclear |
|---|---|
| Born William Robert Thornton in Hot Springs, Arkansas | Whether Netflix carries any title in the en-GB region, as listings are region-dependent and undated |
| Billy McBride in Goliath, streaming on Prime Video | Whether Landman is currently available on Paramount+ in the en-GB region |
| Sling Blade, written, directed and starred in by Thornton | The dates and criteria of the countdown list dated 27 December 2024 |
| Lorne Malvo in the first season of Fargo | Whether he narrates later Fargo seasons, as one listing suggests |
| Hearts Afire (1992–1995), a CBS sitcom | A single current platform for every season, as none is confirmed for all of them |
Dead Man (1995), Six Days, Seven Nights and Apostle, The appear in search results under his name, but these credits are not confirmed, so they are left out of the timeline.
Why is his work spread across so many streaming services?
His career divides between early film work, such as Sling Blade, and a later run of television roles in Fargo, Goliath and Landman. Each series sits with a different distributor, which is why searches split between Netflix, Prime Video and Paramount+.
The listings show three broad types of access:
- Free with ads: Tubi, Plex, SBS On Demand, Pluto TV and Roku Channel.
- Subscription: Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, Hulu, Starz, Showtime, Stan, Apple TV and Philo.
- Rent or buy: Amazon, which covers most of the listed films.
Many listings are undated, and current availability is not confirmed for a large number of titles. Where a title appears on Tubi, Plex or Netflix without a date, its availability remains unverified.
How dependable are the sources behind these listings?
The information here draws on platform pages, a Yahoo Entertainment feature, a CinemaBlend guide and a filmography search on IMDb. The IMDb filmography is used as a cross-check for credits, while platform pages inform availability.
One result comes from an unofficial Netflix search aggregator and is not treated as an authoritative source. No official or primary source covers every claim, which is why the sections above separate established details from unclear ones.
What is the clearest way to approach his catalogue?
His catalogue is easiest to approach by separating films from television and treating every streaming listing as provisional. Sling Blade offers the strongest starting point, while Goliath and Landman show his television work on Prime Video and Paramount+. Readers looking for a comparable overview of another actor’s film and television record can read Christian Bale Movies: Complete Filmography, Best Films and Where to Watch.
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Toby Marsh is Senior Reporter at Castradar.uk, covering film and TV stories across the UK.