Dances with Wolves, the 181-minute Western starring Kevin Costner, is set to leave Prime Video on May 31. The film follows Lieutenant John J. Dunbar as he bonds with a Lakota community after the Civil War—and it remains one of Costner’s biggest award-winning p
On May 31, Prime Video will lose a major Western cornerstone: Dances with Wolves. If you’ve been meaning to settle in for its full 181-minute sweep, that clock is ticking.
Kevin Costner—whose career is now closely tied to the genre—stars in the award-winning epic as Lieutenant John J. Dunbar. The story begins after the Civil War. when Dunbar. a Union Army officer. requests a remote post on the American frontier. Cut off from his own military and surrounded by unfamiliar land, he forms a bond with a nearby Lakota community. That connection forces him to question where he came from and the violence that follows the expansion of the West.
Costner is joined by Mary McDonnell as Stands With A Fist, described as a white woman raised by the Lakota. Graham Greene plays Kicking Bird, a Lakota medicine man, while Rodney A. Grant portrays Wind In His Hair, a proud Lakota warrior. Floyd Red Crow Westerman appears as Ten Bears, the tribe’s respected chief. Tantoo Cardinal plays Black Shawl, Kicking Bird’s wife.
The cast also includes Robert Pastorelli as Timmons, the wagon driver who takes Dunbar west, Charles Rocket as Lieutenant Elgin, a Union Army officer, and Maury Chaykin as Major Fambrough, the officer who sends Dunbar to his post.
The film’s departure arrives with real nostalgia weight. Dances with Wolves is frequently remembered as a major awards moment, earning 12 Oscar nominations and winning seven Academy Awards. Those wins included Best Picture and Best Director for Costner. It was also Costner’s directorial debut on a feature film.
Financially, the numbers have long been an equally bold part of the legend: the film grossed about $424 million worldwide against a reported budget of around $19–22 million—an enormous return and about 22 times its production budget.
Its legacy hasn’t been frozen in time, though. Over the years, the film has been reassessed, especially around its portrayal of Native American culture. Even with that debate, it remains impossible to ignore how big it was when it arrived.
Dances with Wolves released on November 21, 1990, and was written by Michael Blake. Producers credited for the film include Jake Eberts. The streaming end date is May 31.
Dances with Wolves Kevin Costner Prime Video leaving May 31 Western epic Lieutenant John J. Dunbar Mary McDonnell Stands With A Fist Oscars Best Picture Best Director
Is this the one with all the long speeches? Might still watch it if it leaves May 31 lol.
Wait Kevin Costner? Like the actor? Thought it was already on Netflix forever. Guess Prime really just rotates stuff out.
So it’s leaving May 31 but it’s still an Oscar winner so why would they get rid of it? Seems backwards. Also I swear this movie was about cowboys not like… the whole Lakota thing.
I started it once and fell asleep around the part where he “bonds” with the tribe. Not saying it’s bad, but 181 minutes is basically a whole weekend. And this might sound dumb, but if it’s got 7 Oscars why don’t they leave it up year-round? Maybe Prime’s trying to save money or something.