The Dead Don't Hurt: release date, trailer, cast and everything we know about the western

Movie fans are going to head west this summer, as the western is set to have a moment with a few movies, one of them being The Dead Don't Hurt from Viggo Mortensen. The acclaimed actor stars, writes and directs the 2024 new movie, which is set up to be a nice alternative entry to the summer's usual blockbuster fare, including Kevin Costner's planned epic western, Horizon: An American Saga.

Mortensen is no stranger to the western, having starred in a number of movies in the genre, but this will be his first time directing one. He also has lined up a nice ensemble of actors to star alongside him and some early buzz on the movie makes it one to be on the lookout for.

With that in mind, here is everything you need to know about The Dead Don't Hurt.

The Dead Don't Hurt release date

The Dead Don't Hurt is set to premiere exclusively in US movie theaters on May 31; at this time there is no info on if/when it'll release in the UK or elsewhere outside the US.

Right now the only movie that it shares its release date with is the family dramedy Ezra starring Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro and Rose Byrne.

The Dead Don't Hurt cast

Mortensen leads the cast of The Dead Don't Hurt with Vicky Krieps. The two play US immigrants, Holger Olsen and Vivienne Le Coudy, in the 1860s who form a loving relationship.

While best known for playing Aragorn in Lord of the Rings, Mortensen is a three-time Oscar-nominated actor for Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic and Green Book. Two of his more recent movies have been Thirteen Lives and Crimes of the Future.

Krieps, meanwhile, received her breakout starring in the Paul Thomas Anderson movie Phantom Thread alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, and has since appeared in The Girl in the Spider's Web, the Das Boot TV series, Bergman Island, Old, Beckett and The Survivor.

Other notable members of The Dead Don't Hurt cast include Danny Huston (Yellowstone), Garret Dillahunt (Where the Crawdads Sing) and Solly McLeod (House of the Dragon).

The Dead Don't Hurt plot

With a script by Mortensen, here is the official synopsis for The Dead Don't Hurt:

"The Dead Don't Hurt is a story of star-crossed lovers on the western US frontier in the 1860s. Vivienne Le Coudy is a fiercely independent woman who embarks on a relationship with Danish immigrant Holger Olsen. After meeting Olsen in San Francisco, she agrees to travel with him to his home near the quiet town of Elk Flats, Nevada, where they start a life together. The outbreak of the Civil War separates them when Olsen makes a fateful decision to fight for the Union. This leaves Vivienne to fend for herself in a place controlled by corrupt Mayor Rudolph Schiller and his unscrupulous business partner, powerful rancher Alfred Jeffries. Alfred's violent, wayward son Weston aggressively pursues Vivienne, who is determined to resist his unwanted advances. When Olsen returns from the war, he and Vivienne must confront and make peace with the person each has become. Both a tragic love story and a nuanced depiction of the conflict between revenge and forgiveness, the film is a portrait of a passionate woman determined to stand up for herself in an unforgiving world dominated by ruthless men."

The Dead Don't Hurt trailer

The trailer for The Dead Don't Hurt is now available, which you can watch directly below:

The Dead Don't Hurt reviews

After initially premiering at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (and playing in a few festivals after that) a handful of reviews have already come in for The Dead Don't Hurt, giving the movie a solid buzz to build on. It currently is rated "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Playlist calling it a "picture rendered with grace, patience and artistry."

Viggo Mortensen directed movies

The Dead Don't Hurt is Mortensen's second directorial effort. His first came back in 2020 with the movie Falling, which he also wrote. If you're curious to watch Falling, it is available for free (with ads) on Tubi.