This 10/10 Kevin Costner Western Is Finally Streaming for Free

The 1990s weren’t widely seen as a golden age for Westerns. After decades of dominance, the genre had faded from mainstream popularity. Still, a few standout films helped redefine what a Western could be. Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, George Cosmatos’ Tombstone, and Sam Raimi’s The Quick and the Dead each brought a fresh perspective to a genre long associated with familiar tropes. This shift gave rise to what became known as the “Revisionist Western.”

Leading the charge at the start of the decade was an epic that few expected to succeed on such a massive scale. Dances with Wolves not only revived interest in the genre but also elevated Kevin Costner to the ranks of elite actor-directors alongside figures like Eastwood, Robert Redford, and Warren Beatty.

Released in 1990 after a challenging production process, the film struggled to get studio backing. At the time, Hollywood largely believed that Westerns were no longer commercially viable. Despite multiple setbacks, Dances with Wolves debuted to strong reviews and became a box office phenomenon. Made on a reported $22 million budget, it grossed over $420 million worldwide, finishing as the highest-grossing film of the year.

The film also made history at the Academy Awards. It became only the second Western ever to win Best Picture, later joined by Unforgiven and No Country for Old Men. Today, it holds a “Certified Fresh” 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics acknowledge its cultural oversimplifications but praise its emotional power and sweeping scale.

Where to Watch Dances with Wolves

More than three decades later, Costner remains closely associated with the Western genre. He later directed Open Range, a film many consider underrated, and recently committed himself to an ambitious new Western saga. The first chapter of Horizon: An American Saga received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office, leading to an indefinite delay for its sequel. Costner, who partially financed the first two installments himself, had also begun work on a third film, with plans for two more entries. Much of his ability to fund the project stems from his massive success as the star of the hit series Yellowstone.