Kevin Costner’s career has been full of milestones, but few projects stand out quite like his 1990 Western epic Dances with Wolves, a film that not only cemented his status as a Hollywood powerhouse but also went on to become one of the most successful and culturally significant movies of its era. Celebrating its 34th anniversary this month, the film remains a touchstone in cinematic history, remembered for its sweeping landscapes, emotional storytelling, and the risks it took in portraying a deeply nuanced narrative about Native American culture and the American frontier. At the time of its release, Dances with Wolves shocked industry insiders by grossing an astonishing $390 million worldwide, a figure that placed it in direct competition with action juggernauts like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which dominated the early ’90s box office. While James Cameron’s sci-fi masterpiece ultimately held the edge in terms of sheer global impact, Costner’s film proved that audiences still had a hunger for stories grounded in history, humanity, and emotional depth.

The film’s success was not a foregone conclusion. In fact, Dances with Wolves was considered a risky endeavor from the very start. Costner not only starred in the lead role as Lieutenant John Dunbar, but also directed and produced the film, putting his reputation and finances on the line in an industry where actor-directors rarely found success on such a large scale. Skeptics doubted that a three-hour historical Western with extended sequences in Lakota dialogue could attract mainstream audiences. Many critics were quick to label it overly ambitious, slow-paced, or, in some cases, “depressing” due to its themes of cultural loss and inevitable tragedy. Yet it was precisely these qualities—the willingness to embrace authenticity, the refusal to sanitize history, and the quiet, contemplative tone—that made the film resonate so deeply with viewers who were tired of formulaic blockbusters.

The story follows Dunbar, a Union officer who finds himself stationed at a remote frontier outpost, where he gradually builds a profound relationship with the Lakota Sioux people. Instead of perpetuating stereotypes that had long plagued Hollywood Westerns, the film sought to portray the Lakota as fully realized characters with their own customs, struggles, and dignity. This approach was groundbreaking at the time, marking a turning point in the representation of Native Americans in cinema. Costner’s commitment to cultural accuracy included hiring Lakota language consultants and Native American actors, helping ensure the film carried a sense of respect and authenticity that audiences appreciated. While some critics dismissed it as idealized or overly romanticized, many Native American voices praised the effort as a step forward in shifting mainstream narratives.

At the Oscars, Dances with Wolves became a sensation, winning seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Costner, and Best Adapted Screenplay. For a film that many thought would flop, it was a crowning achievement and a validation of Costner’s bold creative choices. The Oscars sweep also served as a symbolic moment for the Western genre, which had been considered outdated and commercially unviable by the late 1980s. Costner breathed new life into it, proving that stories about the frontier could still captivate modern audiences if approached with sincerity and scale.

Commercially, the movie’s $390 million global box office haul was nothing short of phenomenal. At the time, it was among the highest-grossing films of the early ’90s, competing directly with big-budget studio spectacles like Terminator 2. What made this accomplishment even more impressive was the contrast in tone and style between the two films. Where Cameron’s sci-fi sequel dazzled with groundbreaking special effects, relentless pacing, and blockbuster appeal, Costner’s film invited audiences to slow down, reflect, and connect emotionally with a story about loss, identity, and cultural collision. The fact that both films succeeded on such a scale demonstrated the diversity of audience appetites and the potential for cinema to thrive across genres.

Yet, for all its triumphs, Dances with Wolves has never been immune to criticism. Detractors have long argued that it still centers a white savior narrative, framing the Lakota’s story through the perspective of a white Union soldier. Some critics called it melancholic, overly sentimental, or even depressing in its portrayal of the inevitable decline of Native American culture under colonial expansion. Others pointed to its lengthy runtime as indulgent. Despite these criticisms, the film’s enduring legacy lies in its attempt to confront uncomfortable truths and its success in elevating marginalized voices in ways that mainstream cinema had largely ignored.

In the decades since its release, the film’s influence has been undeniable. It reinvigorated interest in the Western, paving the way for a new wave of revisionist stories that sought to reexamine myths of the American frontier. It also established Kevin Costner as not just a movie star but a filmmaker of vision and ambition, a role he has continued to embrace with projects like Open Range and, more recently, his passion project Horizon: An American Saga. For audiences who discovered Costner anew through his role as John Dutton in Yellowstone, revisiting Dances with Wolves offers a fascinating glimpse into the foundations of his career-long fascination with the themes of land, legacy, and cultural survival.

The 34th anniversary celebration of the film is more than just a look back at a box office success—it is a reminder of how cinema can challenge expectations and endure over time. Despite being labeled “depressing” by some critics, Dances with Wolves remains a film that continues to spark discussion, inspire admiration, and serve as a cultural milestone. Its sweeping cinematography, its emotional core, and its willingness to highlight Native American voices helped it transcend the limitations of its genre and era.

As fans and film historians revisit the movie this month, there is a renewed appreciation for the risks Costner took and the rewards they yielded. In an age dominated by CGI spectacles and cinematic universes, Dances with Wolves endures as proof that thoughtful, human-centered storytelling still has the power to resonate across decades. It may not have ultimately surpassed Terminator 2 in terms of pop culture dominance, but its legacy is equally important, reminding audiences that the greatest stories are not always the loudest or the flashiest but the ones that speak to the heart, confront history, and dare to be different.