AMC's 'Dark Winds' filming Season 3 in Santa Fe, Tesuque Pueblo

May 20—The show Dark Winds, based on a crime novel series originated by the late New Mexico author Tony Hillerman, is filming its third season across Santa Fe and Tesuque Pueblo.

Both the show and novels follow Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, played by Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon, respectively, as the two investigate crimes that take place on the Navajo Nation.

Stage manager Peter Romero said the show began principal photography in March, and filming will run through mid-July "if everything goes well and weather cooperates."

The filming of the third season is employing a group of local talent — including 90 principal actors, 280 background actors and extras, and 200 crew members, according to the New Mexico Film Office.

"The series' return is a testament to New Mexico's commitment to being a platform for authentic Indigenous filmmaking, as the series not only showcases the stunning landscapes of our state but also brings a unique and important story to life," New Mexico Film Office Director Amber Dodson said in a statement. "The production's continued investment in New Mexico crew and talent benefits our creative economy, and we look forward to another successful season."

The show has used Camel Rock Studios since filming its first season, which was released on television in 2022. Some scenes are shot there and others are shot on pueblo land within a mile of the studio, Romero said.

The show has used the studio to film shots where characters are in homes or jail, he added.

"It's good for the community," Romero said. "They hire some local people. They rent the tribal lands right outside of the studio, so that money goes right into the pueblo to help with their needs financially."

According to the film office, Season 3 of Dark Winds picks up six months after the events that took place in Season 2. Leaphorn and Chee are investigating the disappearance of two boys "with only an abandoned bicycle and blood-stained patch of ground left in their wake."

"Meanwhile, Bernadette Manuelito (played by Jessica Matten) 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," the film office said.

While the film office didn't give a release date for Season 3, AMC Networks said the show has a target premiere date of early 2025.

Among the executive producers on the show are Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin, and Tony Hillerman's daughter Anne Hillerman, who continued her father's series after his death.