‘Dark Winds’ Season 3: What to Know About Latest Chapter of AMC’s Drama

AMC and AMC+‘s acclaimed original series Dark Winds is gearing up for Season 3, and while fans await the show’s return, we’re taking a look at everything we know so far.

With the show’s recent arrival on Netflix, Seasons 1 and 2 are more accessible than ever, and luckily even more action is on the way for Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and his deputy, Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), as their story continues in 1970s Navajo Nation. Below, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about the forthcoming chapter.

When Is Dark Winds Season 3 Filming?

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Production for Season 3 of Dark Winds began in April 2024 and is still ongoing, according to the New Mexico Film Office, which lists the shoot as still active. AMC teased the show’s progress with a clapperboard photo back in April and has since shared a behind-the-scenes video with star Kiowa Gordon teasing that filming was almost complete as of July 10.

Filming for the third season has taken place in Santa Fe and Tesuque Pueblo, the latter of which was featured in Gordon’s BTS video.

When Will Dark Winds Season 3 Premiere?

 

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AMC has confirmed that Dark Winds will return in 2025, with an exact date yet to be announced. As fans will recall, this means Season 3 is set to arrive, two years after Season 2, which aired in 2023. Production on the series, similar to many other shows, was delayed during the actors’ and writers’ strikes, hence the longer wait. But as we approach 2025, stay tuned for exciting updates regarding the show’s return date.

Who Stars in Dark Winds Season 3?

Dark Winds will see the return of leading man Zahn McClarnon as Chief Joe Leaphorn as he’s joined by Kiowa Gordon’s Jim Chee and Jessica Matten‘s Bernadette Manuelito. Also returning alongside them are Deanna Allison as Emma Leaphorn, and A. Martinez as Scarborough Police Department Acting Chief Gordo Sena. New additions to the cast include guest stars Jenna Elfman as FBI Special Agent Sylvia Washington, Bruce Greenwood as Tom Spenser, Raoul Max Trujillo as Budge, Tonantzin Carmelo as Border Patrol Agent Eleanda Garza, Alex Meraz as Border Patrol Agent Ivan Muños, Terry Serpico as Border Patrol Senior Chief Ed Henry, Derek Hinkey as Shorty Bowlegs, Phil Burke as Michael Halsey, and Christopher Heyerdahl as Dr. Reynolds.

What Is Dark Winds Season 3 About?

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Season 3 of Dark Winds will pick up six months after the events of Season 2, as Leaphorn and Chee investigate the disappearance of two boys, with only an abandoned bicycle and blood-stained patch of ground left in their wake. Meanwhile, Bernadette attempts to settle into her new life 500 miles from home with the Border Patrol but stumbles across a conspiracy involving human and drug smuggling with far-reaching implications.

Who Makes Dark Winds Season 3?

The series is based on Tony Hillerman’s Leapohorn & Chee book series and was created for television by Graham Roland. Season 3 is led by showrunner John Wirth who executive produces the show with Roland, McClarnon, Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin, Anne Hillerman, Chris Eyre, Vince Gerdardis, and Tina Elmo.

Dark Winds, Season 3 Premiere, 2025, AMC & AMC+