If you’ve been craving a brutal, character-rich Western ever since Deadwood rode off into the sunset, Netflix is about to make your month as the streamer’s new frontier saga The Abandons debuts on December 4, and early footage suggests it’s aiming for exactly the kind of lawless intensity, mud-soaked grit, and ferocious moral ambiguity that made HBO’s classic such a hit with audiences. As part of Collider’s Exclusive Winter Preview, we previously released a new image featuring Game of Thrones alum Lena Headey leading a family of outcasts through burning forestland and the vibe is clear: The frontier is hell, and survival isn’t guaranteed.
Set in the untamed Washington Territory of 1854, The Abandons pits two powerful matriarchs on a violent collision course. Headey stars as Fiona Nolan, the fierce and protective leader of a makeshift family of orphans, drifters, and strays. On the opposite end of the social spectrum is Gillian Anderson’s Constance Van Ness, the ruthless head of a wealthy clan backed by silver riches, political influence, and zero conscience. What starts with two crimes and an awful secret escalates into a full-blown war over a piece of land both women claim — and Constance is willing to scorch the earth (literally) to claim it.
Who’s Involved in ‘The Abandons’?
It’s a classic tale of the haves versus the have-nots, but creator Kurt Sutter — the mind behind Sons of Anarchy — brings a layered sense of pain, loyalty, and desperation to the conflict. Though Sutter departed during production due to budgetary and creative disputes, the series was completed by director Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders, Robin Hood) and co-executive producer Rob Askins (The Umbrella Academy), who carried the show across the finish line. The result looks massive in scale, filmed on location in Calgary with sweeping vistas, authentic period detail, and a cast stacked with genre talent. The cast list is enormous and impressive, featuring:
- Lucas Till
- Nick Robinson
- Diana Silvers
- Ryan Hurst
- Aisling Franciosi
- Toby Hemingway
- Michael Greyeyes
- Clayton Cardenas
- Patton Oswalt
- Michiel Huisman
Based on the trailer and what we’ve seen so far, The Abandons feels like Netflix’s attempt to build something epic in scope but emotionally grounded — a sprawling, dangerous land where justice hasn’t arrived yet, and survival depends on how hard you’re willing to fight for the people you call family. For fans of Deadwood, Godless, or Taylor Sheridan’s frontier sagas, this is the exact blend of dust, fire, and blood you’ve been waiting for.
The Abandons moseys onto Netflix on December 4.
Release Date
December 4, 2025
Network
Netflix
