George R.R. Martin, Robert Redford, and Graham Roland are executive producing an upcoming crime drama for AMC called Dark Winds. Based on novelist Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee series, the plot follows two Navajo police officers in the southwest US in the 1970s. Fargo’s Zahn McClarnon and The Red Road’s Kiowa Gordon are set to star, with the first season scheduled to premiere in 2022.
“I read my first Tony Hillerman novel in 1986 while filming in New Mexico and was immediately hooked,” Redford said in a statement. “Hillerman is a master storyteller, his writing is full of mystery and suspense, set amidst a background that blends traditional oral stories of Native American culture and landscape.” The series will be filmed in and around indigenous tribal lands of New Mexico, with blessing from the Navajo Nation.
“We are bringing in as many Navajo and other Native Americans as possible, as writers, directors, cast, and crew, to capture all the magic and mystery and wonder of the Land of Enchantment,” Martin added. “Thanks to AMC for making it possible. Tony Hillerman wrote a lot of amazing books, and it is our dream to adapt as many of them as we can.”
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Navajo Nation president Jonathan Nez stated: “We look forward to welcoming the film crew and we hope this will serve to draw more interest from production companies and draw more tourists to boost our economy and contribute to the ‘Buy Navajo, Buy Local’ initiative.”
Dark Winds isn’t the only on-screen project George R.R. Martin has in the works. Earlier this year, the Game of Thrones author signed a long-term content deal with HBO. A GoT Broadway play is also in the works. This marks one of Redford’s first behind-the-scenes jobs since announcing his intent to retire from acting back in 2018.
