On the outskirts of town, the hard-nosed Vienna owns a saloon frequented by the undesirables of the region, including Dancin’ Kid and his gang. Another patron of Vienna’s establishment is Johnny Guitar, a former gunslinger and her lover. When a heist is pulled in town that results in a man’s death, Emma Small, Vienna’s rival, rallies the townsfolk to take revenge on Vienna’s saloon – even without proof of her wrongdoing.

Famed rock and roll guitarist Johnny Thunders arrives in New Orleans to get his life together after a toll of hardships, but instead falls into a dark journey and trail of events that are based on his real life unexplained mysterious death.