Though it has been years in the making, Wind River 2 seems like it might be gaining momentum again as one of its stars updates on its status. Written and directed by Yellowstone‘s Taylor Sheridan, the first Wind River movie originally came out in 2017. That film starred Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Kelsey Asbille, and the late, great Graham Greene.
Though the film works as a standalone, a sequel titled Wind River: The Next Chapter was announced in November 2022. The film is also set to be a cop drama which would focus on Chip Hanson, a smaller character from the first movie. The cast includes Martin Sensmeier, Scott Eastwood, Jason Clarke, Alan Ruck, Gil Birmingham, and Joshua Odjick.
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Liam Crowley for The Last Frontier, Clarke reveals an update about the Wind River sequel. According to the actor, the movie is “about to come out soon.”
Clarke had nothing but praise for the quality of Wind River: The Next Chapter, calling it “extraordinary” and “a beautiful movie.”
Jason Clarke: It’s extraordinary. It’s set within the Native community. Martin Sensmeier is the lead in that. It’s got an insane cast. It’s a beautiful movie. It’s been locked up with the legalities, but now it’s about to come out soon. It’s going to surprise you, and it’s a lot more beautiful. It’s a lot more cinematic. That was when I saw it about a year and a half ago.
Clarke’s statement makes the critical confirmation that Wind River 2 has been completed, and is well into ...-production phase. The film was previously announced to have finished shooting in 2023, but updates had been slow. Even if there have been tweaks since Clarke saw it sometime in 2024, ...-production process has to be fairly far along.
The reasons for Wind River 2‘s delay have never been concretely stated, but the lack of a release date had always hinted at some issues behind-the-scenes. Clarke seemingly confirms this by noting that Wind River 2 was “locked up with the legalities.”
Sheridan himself, who is kept incredibly busy with his multiple successful TV shows, was not the barrier to holding the film back. Though he was behind the first film, the Wind River sequel has a different director and does not involve Sheridan in any major capacity.
Whatever the exact legal reasons for this delay were, Clarke’s update is a positive sign. A movie coming out “soon” should not be confused with any form of release date, but it at least indicates that a release date may be announced imminently.
When the movie does finally arrive, it will be interesting to see how it does in theaters. The first film did decently at the box office, making over $44 million on an estimated $11 million budget. This sets the bar high for Wind River: The Next Chapter, especially as director Kari Skogland looks to live up to Sheridan’s film.