The wait for AMC’s Dark Winds Season 2 is almost over! The eagerly anticipated new season of the hit western noir crime thriller, which was immediately renewed after the release of its first season, is now set to arrive this July. Created by the renowned Graham Roland and based on Tony Hillerman’s popular novel series Leaphorn and Chee, Dark Winds follows a series of unexplained, violent crimes, including murders and robberies, in the remote town of Navajo Nation during the 1970s. As tribal police officers Zahn McClarnon (Longmire) and Kiowa Gordon (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) investigate the cases, the mystery deepens, and the occurrences appear to transcend the physical realm, challenging their spiritual beliefs and inspiring them to rediscover themselves.
Set in the American Southwest, Dark Winds Season 1 received critical acclaim and was described as “unexpectedly commendable and daring” in positive reviews. Zahn McClarnon’s performance as Bernie Manuelito garnered particular praise for his compelling and nuanced portrayal of the dedicated police lieutenant. The first season was based on parts of Hillerman’s third book, Listening Woman, and fourth book, People of Darkness, with the possibility that the second season may draw from the remaining sections of the fourth book.
If you enjoy finely woven crime noir or western thrillers, Dark Winds is just what you’re looking for. The first season is currently available for streaming on AMC+, so while you eagerly await the second season’s arrival, you can catch up on the previous six episodes. In the meantime, here’s what we know so far about Dark Winds Season 2, including its release date, episode count, cast, and more.
What is the Release Date of Dark Winds Season 2?
Release Date: Dark Winds Season 2 is set to premiere on Sunday, July 30, 2023, exclusively on AMC and AMC+.
What is the Episode Count of Dark Winds Season 2?
Episode Count: The second season of Dark Winds follows the same episode count as its first season, with each episode running for approximately 40 to 50 minutes. All-new episodes will be available for streaming weekly, releasing on Sundays, with the final episode expected to air on September 3, 2023. These new episodes will be accessible only to AMC+ subscribers. Additionally, Billy Luther, who was a staff writer for the first season, will direct an episode in the second season. For all updates on Dark Winds Season 2 episodes, you can check this space.
Are There any Glimpses of Dark Winds Season 2?
Catch the AMC’s Teaser Trailer for Dark Winds Season 2 Unveiled on May 13, 2023. Although it’s a brief 45-second clip, the teaser offers a glimpse into the forthcoming season of the western thriller. Darker and more foreboding than the previous season, the teaser sets the tone, with Leaforn’s voiceover hinting at the ominous events that lie ahead. It appears that suspense levels have been taken up a notch, as the teaser showcases a series of attacks on Leaforn and his team. Despite physical and mental challenges, the teaser also portrays Leaforn’s determination to uncover the truth and thwart the insidious plot endangering the entire town.
On June 15, 2023, AMC released the full-length trailer for Dark Winds Season 2. The trailer presents a string of murders and attacks and hints at a menacing force at work. Watch it in the player below:
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Who’s in the cast of Dark Winds Season 2?
As Dark Winds Season 2 unfolds, we can anticipate the reappearance of several crucial characters, though the lead pair, Leaphorn, and Chee, might not be mentioned. Zahn McClarnon played an indigenous tribal police lieutenant in the Kayenta town of Navajo County, portraying Leaphorn’s role, and Kewa Garden played Jim Chee, an undercover FBI agent and Leaphorn’s newest deputy, investigating unsolved cases together. Jessica Matten also returns as Bernadette Manuelito, a sharp and swift Navajo tribal police sergeant who works alongside Leaphorn. Deanna Allison portrayed Emma, Leaphorn’s wife and a nurse, and Rainn Wilson played the dedicated Dan/Dane Demarko, a corrupt missionary and used-car salesman who misuses people’s trust for recruiting followers.
Some other important characters we saw in the first season might also make a comeback in the second season. We might hope to see Elva Guerra as Sally Growing Thunder, a pregnant teenager who takes care of Leaphorn, and Jeremiah Bitsui as HózhÃ, a mysterious Navajo medicine man; Frank Nakai portrayed by Eugene Brave Rock, a Vietnam war veterinarian and a member of an extremist group. Additionally, the second season of Dark Winds may introduce some new faces with Kate. As previously announced, Dopesick star Michael Keaton and Star Trek series star Jeri Ryan were added to the cast for the second season in January 2023. Ryan is set to appear as Rosmarie “Ros” Weinz, “a deadly woman who leaves a trail of bodies in her wake,” while Keaton is in the role of a killer named Colton Wolf. Both characters are also featured in Tony Hillerman’s People of Darkness book.
Who are the producers of Dark Winds Season 2?
Dark Winds is created by Graham Roland for AMC, who is an author and producer known for his work as a co-creator and executive producer on the Jack Ryan series. In addition to crafting and overseeing the success of the popular sci-fi series Fringe, he has been the mastermind behind other hit shows like Prison Break, Lost, Almost Human, and various others. He wrote the pilot episode of Dark Winds Season 1 and has already started writing for the second season. The writing room was joined by John Wirth, Riann Steele, Max Hurwitz, Dezdèb’, Steven P. Judd, Jason Gavin, and Billy Luther.
Chris Eyre and Sanford Bookstaver directed the first season of the series, and there is hope for Luther to return for the second season to direct an episode. Roland and Eyre both work as executive producers on the show along with George R. R. Martin, Robert Redford, Annie Hillerman, Tina Elmo, Vince Gerardis, and Vince Calandra. Paul Elliott, a cinematographer known for his work on award-winning projects like House of Cards and No Country for Old Men, was involved in the crew for Dark Winds Season 1, so there’s a possibility he might return for cinematography in the second season as well.
When and where was Dark Winds Season 2 filmed?
The production of Dark Winds Season 2 commenced in November 2022, with filming occurring at diverse New Mexico settings, such as Santa Fe and Tesuque, and concluding by March 2023.
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What’s the story of Dark Winds Season 2?
The first season of Dark Winds left several unanswered questions, hinting at the dangers ahead for the two police officers and their reservation. The second season’s story picks up from where it left off, “After having to put down his son, season 1 concludes with Leap horn separated from Chee, but season 2 brings them back together to solve a series of murders in the Navajo nation, with Manuelito by their side.”
Dark Winds Season 2 will delve into new, deeper, and more dangerous events and start from the point where things aren’t yet resolved. In fact, if the teaser trailer for the second season is any indication, things are about to get even more perilous for Sergeant Chee here. Manuelito, Leaphorn, Chee, and Sheriff Gordo confront dangerous killers to restore peace and order in the city.
