Is “Dark Winds ”Based on a True Story? The Real Inspiration Behind the Navajo Detective Thriller

‘Dark Winds’ is based on a book series by author Tony Hillerman

Before he died in 2008, author Tony Hillerman wrote 37 books — 18 of which tell the fictional story of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police.

In 2022, AMC adapted Hillerman’s Navajo novels into a series titled Dark Winds. The show follows Lieutenant Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and Deputy Chee (Kiowa Gordon) as they try to solve a string of crimes and murders on their reservation in the 1970s.

While the series is not based on a true story, creator Graham Roland and his producing team, which includes Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin and actor Robert Redford, have said they are dedicated to authentically depicting the Diné (the Navajo people).

However, despite hiring an entirely Native writer's room, their attempts were criticized following season 1 for blending Indigenous cultures and missing the mark on specific Navajo customs. Director Chris Eyre told the Navajo Times that the Dark Winds team made necessary “course correction[s]” after these comments, including hiring a language consultant and a cultural advisor.

Here’s everything to know about the chart-topping AMC series, Dark Winds, and the books that inspired it.

Is Dark Winds based on a true story?

Dark Winds is largely adapted from Tony Hillerman’s fiction novels, but the show’s themes and storylines are deeply rooted in history. In season 1, viewers learn about two pieces of Indigenous history in the United States: the forced sterilization of Native American women and assimilation boarding schools that attempted to detach young Indigenous children from their heritage, among other atrocities, including abuse and murder.

“What we wanted to smuggle in was a greater story about what it means to be Native, but also to go beyond just representation, like just having Natives on screen,” writer Maya Rose Dittloff told Salon in 2022.

Because the show is based on novels written by a White man, writer Billy Luther said that the writers' room's task was to take Hillerman's books and make the show more authentic.

“We all had different backgrounds, different experiences and came from different tribes and nations and that was really cool,” he said of the writers' room. “I think all of the writers knew that we were doing something special with Tony.”

What is Dark Winds about?

The AMC series, which garnered a 100% rating from Rotten Tomatoes for the first and second seasons, is a “thrilling Southwestern Noir” that follows Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Deputy Jim Chee (who is also an undercover FBI agent) of the Navajo Tribal Police as they investigate a series of crimes on their reservation.

Season 1 draws from Hillerman’s novel Listening Woman about two people who are murdered in front of a blind shaman. While the “Listening Woman” believes supernatural evil has been unleashed, Leaphorn is sure the killer is human.

Season 2 draws from Hillerman’s People of Darkness, which tells the story of a dying man’s murder and a rich wife who agrees to pay $3,000 for the return of a stolen box of rocks. The series of odd events haunts Chee and draws him into the “Bad Country.”

Each season closely follows its respective book, but creator Roland did make certain changes regarding character development.

“The liberties that I took were really with the characters — adding another layer to them. [For example,] Leaphorn dealing with his own loss as he’s investigating the case, that’s something that isn’t in the novel ... and Chee returning to the reservation after a long period [of time]," he explained during an interview with SciFi Vision.

Where is Dark Winds filmed?

Dark Winds is mostly filmed at Camel Rock Studios — the first-ever Native American-owned film studio — located in Sante Fe, N.M. The backlot movie ranch features standing sets, shooting stages and 100 acres of tribal lands.

“The land breathes further life and authenticity into these stories,” McClarnon told Cowboys & Indians in 2024. “This environment allows me to bring Joe Leaphorn to life. For so many Native tribes, land is the foundation of our culture and our spirituality. The land is sacred and an important character within our [tribal] stories.”

Camel Rock, formerly a 75,000-square-foot casino, opened its doors in 2020. Tom Hanks’ News of the World was the first film to be shot on the property.

Where can I watch Dark Winds?

Dark Winds seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on AMC+ and Netflix.

Will there be a season 3 of Dark Winds?

In September 2023, AMC announced that Dark Winds had been renewed for a third season.

“We started this journey with very high hopes for this series, given the remarkable source material and extraordinary creative team behind it, and it has delivered on every level,” Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks, said in a statement. “From the beloved novels to an incredibly collaborative producing team, there is so much storytelling yet to come in this universe.”

Dark Winds season 3 is expected to premiere sometime in 2025, and according to the New Mexico Film Office, the storyline will draw from Hillerman's second detective novel, Dance Hall of the Dead.

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