Kevin Costner is a name synonymous with iconic Westerns, especially with his portrayal of John Dutton in Yellowstone. But now, Costner is taking fans on a journey into the heart of American history with his latest project, Kevin Costner’s The West, an eight-episode docuseries that premiered on May 26, 2025, on the History Channel. Known for his rugged portrayals of frontier life, Costner’s new venture offers something different—something far more unsettling.

In his latest series, Costner delves deep into the untold stories of the American West, unmasking the darker and often tragic history of its settlement. As the host and narrator of the series, Costner provides his signature voice to tell the grim realities faced by Indigenous peoples and settlers. Far from the feel-good cowboy tales of riding off into the sunset, The West exposes the pain and struggles that shaped the land many now romanticize.

A Shocking Revelation for Costner
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Costner admitted that the history he uncovered during filming was more tragic than he had ever expected. “Everything I found, almost everything I found was tragic,” Costner revealed. This discovery shocked a man so familiar with the Western genre, where heroism often overshadows harsh truths. While the American West is typically painted as a place where rugged individuals carve out lives and legacies, The West seeks to offer a far more somber reflection.

The docuseries sheds light on the stories of suffering and survival, forcing viewers to confront the realities of what it took to establish the American frontier. In many ways, The West is Costner’s most haunting project yet, as he presents a raw and unapologetic look at a time period filled with deep injustices.

The Untold History of Native Americans
One of the most shocking aspects of the series is its exploration of the forced displacement and destruction of Native American homelands. Costner explains how the series seeks to challenge the traditional narrative seen in Hollywood films. For years, Western movies have glorified the conquest of the land, often leaving the suffering of Indigenous peoples out of the equation.

In The West, Costner and his team, including historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, make it a point to expose these painful truths, delving into the events that led to the systematic displacement of Native communities. The series contextualizes this historical injustice, showing how settlers and their ideologies altered the landscape and impacted the lives of those who had lived on the land for generations.

While movies like Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon have brought this narrative to the forefront, The West does so in a more concise and unfiltered way. It’s not just another dramatic retelling of the past—it’s an in-depth examination of the historical forces that shaped the modern United States.

Costner’s Personal Connection to the Project
For Costner, The West is not just another project in his career; it’s deeply personal. Having spent years working in the Western genre, he has witnessed the way the stories of the American frontier have been idealized. With The West, he wanted to create a series that presents a more honest portrayal of the past—one that doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of history.

The docuseries also stands as a bold statement about Costner’s evolving views on the American West. While Yellowstone presents a more traditional narrative of frontier life and cowboy heroism, The West acknowledges the complexity and pain that those stories often gloss over. Costner’s journey through this history reveals how the idealized version of the West is just one side of a much more complicated story.

A New Kind of Western Legacy
With The West, Costner has created a documentary series that will leave viewers reflecting on the history they thought they knew. It is a departure from the traditional Western myths and an invitation to reconsider what the American West truly represents. As fans of Yellowstone continue to tune in to the saga of the Dutton family, The West offers a contrasting look at the legacy of the land and the people who fought to shape it.

Costner’s latest project may not provide the easy answers or feel-good moments viewers often expect from a Western, but it offers something more profound: a reckoning with the truth. The West reminds us that the frontier’s history is layered, complex, and ultimately defined by the resilience and suffering of those who inhabited it, both the settlers and the Indigenous peoples.

This documentary will challenge your perspective on the American West, and as always with Costner, it will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about this iconic part of history.