American Primeval Trailer: Netflix Reveals Bloody & Gruesome Look For Western Series That Takes Things Further Than The Yellowstone Universe

The trailer for American Primeval offers an extended look at Netflix’s upcoming Western series, which delivers more violence and death than Yellowstone has ever seen. Consisting of six episodes, and hailing from Friday Night Lights and Patriots Day director Peter Berg, with The Revenant‘s Mark L. Smith writing the script, American Primeval is described as a dark and gritty retelling of the exploration and birth of the American West in 1857. It features a familiar leading cast, including Friday Night Lights alum Taylor Kitsch, GLOW star Betty Gilpin, and Perry Mason‘s Shea Whigham, among others.

Netflix has unveiled the mature-rated trailer for American Primeval, which debuts all six episodes on January 9. The preview runs for about a minute, but it quickly becomes clear that the upcoming Western is nothing like the family drama of Yellowstone or the personal angst of spinoffs, such as 1923. The forthcoming series instead lives up to its dark and gritty promise, with bodies quickly getting dispatched in gruesome ways. Check out the trailer below:

What Happens In The American Primeval Trailer

Death Is All Around

The mature trailer declares its dark tone at the outset. The narration asserts that there is no God and not even anyone to ask for help. This is edited together with a scene of a woman getting struck with an arrow to the head, as blood begins to pool over. Amidst all the chaos, a woman and a child try to run to safety. Characters speak of having no choices and being forced to choose violence, though Gilpin’s character is incredulous. She wonders if it’s all necessary.

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Taylor Kitsch in American Primeval and Kevin Costner as John Dutton in Yellowstone.

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With a main cast that also includes Dane DeHaan, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Kyle Bradley Davis, Dane DeHaan, Lucas Neff, Derek Hinkey, Saura Lightfoot Leon, Preston Mota, and Shawnee Pourier, the trailer for the Western series escalates in its violence. Throats are slit and guns are fired. At one point, there’s a shot of what looks to be a corpse lightly gripping a stick. It’s near the end of the trailer that American Primeval previews one of its core themes. The main character is asked whether he feels bad about killing men, but he answers, “Not the bad ones.”

Our Take On American Primeval’s Trailer

It Does A Strong Job Of Selling The Show

American Primeval image of woman looking off to the right against a snowy backdrop

The mature trailer is a plus to viewers who enjoy death scenes and intricate setpieces, appealing to action movie aficionados and horror fans alike. Although it doesn’t reveal much about the central characters and their relationships, it drives home the ideas and moments that will be significant when American Primeval debuts in just a matter of days. Thus, it could be an early contender for one of the buzzy shows in 2025.

Source: Netflix