AMC has officially greenlit Dark Winds, a series adaptation of the Leaphorn & Chee books by Tony Hillerman. Starring veteran TV actor Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon as Indigenous police detectives forced to navigate brutal murders, the series will be executive produced by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin and Robert Redford, which is quite a powerhouse combination.
According to the network announcement, Dark Winds will be a “psychological thriller that follows two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest, as their search for clues in a grisly double murder case forces them to challenge their own spiritual beliefs and come to terms with the trauma of their pasts.”
“We’re thrilled by the prospect of authentically telling this story with a group of remarkably talented individuals,” said Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios. “This is a rich and deeply unsettling psychological thriller set in a world we know viewers will appreciate experiencing for themselves. The series order is the product of several months in a writers’ room staffed entirely by Native American writers, and it is a series that will be brought to life by those storytellers, with a cast led by Zahn McClarnon and featuring Native American actors, filmed largely in and around Native American lands, with the full support and blessing of The Navajo Nation. We are so excited about telling this captivating and entertaining story while rendering this vibrant, rich, wonderful culture and community on AMC+ and AMC.”
In a statement to Variety, McClarnon expressed his enthusiasm for not only adapting the book series but also for getting to work with Martin and Redford, as well as the opportunity to continue to bring Indigenous roles to TV:
“I am honored to be asked to star as the lead in this innovative series for AMC and to executive produce,” McClarnon said. “To have the support and to be a part of a team which is led by two iconic visionaries as George R.R. Martin and Robert Redford is something to which I’ve always aspired. I believe as Indigenous people we are in a new era of progress in TV and film representation.”
The first season of Dark Winds will include six episodes and is set to premiere on AMC+ and AMC in 2022.
(Via Variety)
