Dark Winds Season 4 Premieres February 2026: AMC Drops First Teaser

AMC has officially set the release date for the highly anticipated fourth season of its neo-noir thriller Dark Winds. The new instalment will premiere on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and AMC+, marking the show’s return after nearly a year of production secrecy.

To celebrate the announcement, AMC dropped a first-look teaser during the Sunday premiere of Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order, giving fans a glimpse of the upcoming high-stakes investigation.

Zahn McClarnon once again takes centre stage as Lt. Joe Leaphorn, the stoic but deeply introspective Navajo Tribal Police officer who faces his most personal and dangerous case yet.

In the teaser, Leaphorn’s haunting voiceover sets the tone:

“I had this badge for four years before I saw my first murder. Now it just feels like every day. It’s hard having to hold it all.”

The 30-second clip cuts through quick shots of desert chases, smoke-filled motels, and tense interrogations — a clear signal that Dark Winds is heading into its most emotionally charged and atmospheric season to date.

A Missing Girl, an Obsessive Killer, and a Journey Beyond Navajo Nation

Season 4’s plot revolves around the disappearance of a young Navajo girl, a case that pushes Leaphorn and his team far beyond the borders of their home territory.

As the search intensifies, Leaphorn joins forces once again with Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten). The trio’s pursuit leads them from the wide-open mesas of the Navajo Nation to the dangerous underbelly of 1970s Los Angeles, where organised crime, corruption, and cultural conflict collide.

AMC describes the season as a “race against time to save an innocent life”—a case that not only challenges Leaphorn’s sense of justice but also forces him to confront the growing moral toll of his work.

“This season takes Leaphorn into unfamiliar territory, both literally and emotionally,” showrunner John Wirth told AMC’s press blog. “Los Angeles in the ‘70s is a world apart from Navajo Nation, but the same demons follow him — just wearing different faces.”

Returning and New Cast Members

Zahn McClarnon, who also serves as an executive producer, leads the returning ensemble alongside Kiowa Gordon and Jessica Matten. Their on-screen chemistry continues to anchor the series, offering an authentic portrayal of Navajo life against a backdrop of systemic injustice and creeping violence.

Here’s a full overview of who’s back — and who’s new this season:

Actor	Character	Role Description
Zahn McClarnon	Lt. Joe Leaphorn	Veteran Navajo police officer investigating the disappearance.
Kiowa Gordon	Jim Chee	Former FBI agent and Leaphorn’s partner, torn between two worlds.
Jessica Matten	Bernadette Manuelito	A determined officer fighting to balance tradition and justice.
Deanna Allison	Emma Leaphorn	Joe’s wife, whose quiet strength anchors him amid chaos.
Franka Potente	Irene Vaggan	A mysterious woman linked to the Los Angeles underworld.
Isabel DeRoy-Olson	Billie Tsosie	The missing Navajo girl at the heart of the case.
Chaske Spencer	Sonny	A former Marine turned smuggler who holds key information.
Luke Barnett	FBI Agent Toby Shaw	A conflicted agent with ties to both sides of the investigation.
Titus Welliver	Dominic McNair	A ruthless organized-crime figure operating in L.A.
A. Martinez	Gordo Sena	Acting Chief of the Scarborough Police Department.

This diverse cast continues Dark Winds’ commitment to featuring Indigenous representation both in front of and behind the camera—a hallmark that has earned the series widespread critical acclaim.

A Look Behind the Camera

Based on the bestselling Leaphorn & Chee novels by Tony Hillerman, Dark Winds is adapted by Graham Roland (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Fringe) and produced by a powerhouse lineup that includes Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin, and Chris Eyre.

Returning showrunner John Wirth (Hell on Wheels, Hap and Leonard) once again guides the production, which is co-produced by AMC Studios and produced in partnership with Native-led teams to ensure cultural authenticity.

The series also benefits from its unique creative pedigree — blending Western grit with noir sensibilities.

Key Creative Team	Role
Graham Roland	Creator / Executive Producer
John Wirth	Showrunner / Executive Producer
Zahn McClarnon	Star / Executive Producer
Robert Redford	Executive Producer
George R.R. Martin	Executive Producer
Chris Eyre	Executive Producer / Director
Anne Hillerman	Consultant / Producer
Jim Chory	Executive Producer
Tina Elmo	Executive Producer

Production for Season 4 wrapped in late summer 2025 across New Mexico and select Los Angeles locations, using practical sets and 35mm cinematography to replicate the 1970s noir aesthetic.

The Evolution of ‘Dark Winds’: From Desert Mysteries to Urban Crime

While Dark Winds began as a grounded procedural set amid the mesas of the American Southwest, the show’s storytelling has expanded each season — exploring new moral and geographic frontiers.

Season 1 focused on a brutal double murder in 1971 that unearthed buried trauma in the Navajo community.
Season 2 delved into federal corruption and spiritual reckoning.
Season 3, hailed by critics as the show’s creative high point, deepened character arcs and ended with a cliffhanger involving the growing influence of organized crime.

Season 4 builds on that legacy, shifting the lens toward Los Angeles, a setting that allows the series to examine systemic exploitation of Indigenous people beyond the reservation.

Film historian Dr. Michael Otero described the show’s shift as “a bold extension of Hillerman’s world — one that uses noir tropes to expose the cultural invisibility of Native victims in 20th-century America.”

Critical Acclaim and Awards Buzz

Since its debut, Dark Winds has earned multiple nominations from the Critics’ Choice Association and Peabody Awards, praised for its writing, cinematography, and representation.
The Los Angeles Times called it “a rare crime show that restores moral depth to the genre,” while The Guardian hailed it as “an intelligent reclamation of the Western myth.”

AMC’s Head of Original Programming, Dan McDermott, stated earlier this year:

“Dark Winds remains one of the network’s proudest achievements. It honors Tony Hillerman’s legacy while carving out a distinctive place in modern television.”

Season 4 Themes: Faith, Guilt, and Redemption

From what’s been revealed, Season 4 explores how trauma and responsibility intertwine within Leaphorn’s psyche. The disappearance of the Navajo girl parallels Leaphorn’s unresolved grief, and his journey to Los Angeles forces him to confront both his faith and his failures.

“This season asks whether Leaphorn’s badge is a shield or a burden,” said showrunner Wirth. “It’s the most personal story we’ve told.”

When and Where to Watch?

Network	Premiere Date	Platform Availability	Number of Episodes
AMC & AMC+	Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET/PT	AMC+, AMC linear, VOD next day	6 Episodes

The premiere episode will debut immediately after Anne Rice’s Talamasca: The Secret Order, capitalizing on AMC’s growing “dark genre” Sunday block.

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