Seventeen years have passed since the last update regarding the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed novel and film, Dances With Wolves. Now, the vision of author Michael Blake, the creative mind behind the original story, is poised to return to the screen. Blake, who penned the 1988 novel Dances With Wolves and subsequently adapted it into the Oscar-winning 1990 screenplay for Kevin Costner’s directorial debut, has completed a screenplay based on his follow-up novel, The Holy Road. The production of The Holy Road, a direct continuation of the Dances With Wolves narrative, is anticipated to commence soon, reigniting interest in the saga of Lieutenant John Dunbar and his life amongst the Comanche.
The directorial reins for The Holy Road have been entrusted to Simon Wincer, a veteran filmmaker with a proven track record in the Western genre. Wincer, known for his work on the Steven Spielberg-produced Emmy winner "Into the West" and the iconic miniseries "Lonesome Dove," brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the American West to the project. Moonstone, Amicus Entertainment, and Double Eagle Films are backing the production. Notably, Costner’s production company had previously passed on the opportunity to develop the sequel when Blake initially began adapting the novel into a screenplay.
Currently, The Holy Road is in the pre-production phase, with various elements being meticulously prepared for the start of filming. One question lingering in the minds of fans is whether Kevin Costner will reprise his iconic role as Lieutenant John Dunbar, also known as Dances With Wolves. However, Costner’s previous statement, "I don’t believe in sequels," casts doubt on his potential involvement.
The Holy Road picks up the narrative approximately a decade after the events of Dances With Wolves. The story is set in the late 1800s, amidst the relentless expansion of the United States westward. Lieutenant John Dunbar, having severed his ties to the white world, has fully embraced the Comanche way of life. He is now known as Dances With Wolves, a respected warrior within the tribe. He is married to Stands With A Fist, a white woman raised by the Comanches, and together they have three children: a son and two daughters.
Within the Comanche village, Dances With Wolves is revered as a loyal protector, fiercely dedicated to preserving their traditions and way of life. However, the encroaching wave of white settlers poses an ever-growing threat to their existence. The sequel, The Holy Road, promises to delve into the challenges and conflicts faced by the Comanches as they navigate a rapidly changing world.
The title, The Holy Road, refers to the imposing railroad system that was rapidly expanding across the nation. The Comanches viewed the railroad as a symbol of the white settlers’ westward expansion, representing their relentless march toward occupying the land. Despite the increasingly dire situation faced by the Comanches, Blake felt a profound responsibility to continue their story in his latest novel and now, the screenplay.
Blake openly acknowledged the emotional toll of revisiting this chapter of American history. He expressed a deep connection to the characters, finding it "difficult, emotionally and spiritually, to write about all that because it’s all gone." As a white man living on a ranch in Southern Arizona, Blake views the character of Dunbar as a means of witnessing and understanding the profound changes that swept across the frontier.
Blake stated, "With the sequel, I wanted to be there again, no matter what the consequences would be. I knew it was going to have an ending that was rather bleak." This suggests that The Holy Road will confront the harsh realities of the Comanches’ struggle for survival.
A notable shift in focus in The Holy Road is the increased emphasis on the native characters and their interactions. While Dances With Wolves remains a significant figure, the sequel delves deeper into the internal dynamics of the Comanche tribe, exploring their alliances and their attempts to engage directly with the U.S. government to protect their lands and livelihoods.
One of the criticisms leveled against the original novel and, more prominently, the film adaptation of Dances With Wolves, was the perception that Lieutenant Dunbar overshadowed the Comanche society. Some critics argued that the narrative presented a scenario in which "the white character coming in and kind of out-Indianing the Indians" with his hunting and fighting skills.
However, others have praised Blake’s authentic portrayals of Native American life and the unique challenges faced by tribal communities, issues that are often overlooked in mainstream media. Tom Grayson Colonnese, director of American Indian Studies at the University of Washington, acknowledged this dichotomy in the reception of Blake’s work.
Blake maintains that his intention was to depict Dunbar as a soldier who, feeling abandoned by his nation on the desolate frontier, evolves into "a warrior doing his duty" for a community that embraces him as an ally. Dunbar’s humility and sense of duty are portrayed as being as significant as his heroism.
Blake explained that many whites captured by tribes during the pioneer era chose to remain with their captors, drawn to what he describes as the Native Americans’ "freedom and lack of encumbrance." While acknowledging that they lived a "pretty primitive life," he emphasized that "that Plains culture had something that was very special… It was just simpler."
Blake’s commitment to preserving elements of this culture extends beyond his writing. He has actively lobbied for the creation of a national Buffalo Commons, a game reserve intended to restore some of the ecological balance of the Great Plains.
Blake’s own life has been far from conventional. Before the success of Dances With Wolves, he struggled as a screenwriter in Los Angeles, often living out of his car or relying on the generosity of friends. As he candidly admitted, "I didn’t have a dime to my name until I was 44." The success of the movie drastically altered his circumstances.
Blake began writing The Holy Road in the early 2000s, shortly before his wife, painter Marianne Blake, gave birth to their third child, Lozen. The period between the publication of the first novel and the completion of the sequel was marked by personal challenges. Blake twice battled Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes, and has been in remission since 1993.
In May, Blake revealed that he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating nervous-system disorder. While he may have had a low-grade version of the disease for years, the diagnosis remains inconclusive, leaving doctors "baffled."
Despite these health challenges, Blake remains undeterred. He has completed the screenplay for The Holy Road and envisions a film on "a very large canvas," echoing the panoramic scope of Dances With Wolves.
Blake has always conceived of his story as a trilogy, suggesting that a third novel, potentially extending into the 20th century, is in the works. While the specific details of this third installment remain undefined, Blake is committed to continually improving his craft as a writer. He aims to avoid the common pitfall of a band’s debut album being their best, striving to make each subsequent work a testament to his growth and evolution as a storyteller. The sequel to Dances With Wolves will eventually go into production.
About the Author:
Tyrone Beason, a staff writer for the Seattle Times, can be reached at 206-464-2251. ©The Seattle Times Company
Editor’s Note:
The book version of Dances with Wolves focused on the Comanche people, while the movie adaptation inexplicably changed the tribe to the Lakota (Sioux). This raises a crucial question: Will the movie adaptation of The Holy Road remain faithful to the Comanche narrative of the book, or will it continue the altered portrayal of the Lakota as seen in the original Dances With Wolves film? The historical context and cultural nuances of these two tribes are distinct, making this a significant point of consideration for the upcoming production. The upcoming production of the sequel to Dances With Wolves will hopefully do the tribe justice.