Eric Bana Leads Netflix’s Untamed: A Gritty New Thriller From The Revenant Writer Set in Yosemite’s Wild Heart
Netflix is once again venturing deep into the wilderness — and this time, it’s deadly. The streamer has unveiled Untamed, a gripping new six-part limited series from The Revenant and American Primeval writer Mark L. Smith, promising a haunting exploration of man, nature, and the primal forces that bind them both.
Set amid the breathtaking yet perilous expanse of Yosemite National Park, Untamed stars Eric Bana, Sam Neill, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lily Santiago, and Wilson Bethel. The series premieres Thursday, July 17, and Netflix is already teasing it as a “character-driven mystery-thriller” that pushes the limits of human survival and morality.
A Wilderness Mystery With Teeth
According to Netflix’s official synopsis, Untamed follows Kyle Turner (Eric Bana), a special agent for the National Parks Service tasked with enforcing human law across nature’s most unforgiving terrains. When the brutal death of a hiker sends shockwaves through the park, Turner’s investigation pulls him into a web of dark secrets — not only hidden in Yosemite’s forests but buried deep within his own past.
The series unfolds across six one-hour episodes, blending slow-burn tension with the grandeur of the American frontier. “Everyone thinks of Yosemite as this beautiful place with all the vistas and all the scenery,” Smith told Netflix. “But we were trying to touch on the dangers that are just beyond that.”
Co-showrunner Elle Smith adds: “We get to understand what this job really is — to protect people from nature, and sometimes, to protect nature from people. We show the beauty of the park, but also the dangers.”
A Stellar Ensemble Cast
Bana, who also serves as an executive producer, brings a grounded intensity to Turner — a man caught between law enforcement duty and personal reckoning. Known for his riveting performances in Munich, Black Hawk Down, and The Dry, Bana has built a career portraying men defined by resilience, guilt, and emotional scars — all qualities that fit perfectly within Yosemite’s merciless landscape.
Joining him is Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Peaky Blinders) as Paul Souter, Yosemite’s longtime chief park ranger. Souter has spent half his life protecting the park, balancing his roles as husband, father, grandfather, and friend to Turner. “He’s a man at peace with the wilderness — until it turns on him,” Neill said in a statement.
Lily Santiago (La Brea) plays Naya Vasquez, a former Los Angeles police officer and single mother seeking a fresh start. As the newest member of Yosemite’s ranger squad, she brings street smarts, strong instincts, and homicide expertise to a world that follows very different rules. “She’s learning to survive in a place that doesn’t care who you were before,” Santiago explained.
Rosemarie DeWitt (The Staircase, Mad Men) co-stars as Jill Bodwin, Turner’s ex-wife. A former park counselor and teacher, Jill has moved on with her life — but her history with Turner and the haunting events that once tore them apart remain unresolved.
Meanwhile, Wilson Bethel (Daredevil, Hart of Dixie) plays Shane Maguire, a reclusive wildlife officer and ex-Army Ranger who prefers solitude over society. Living off the grid in the wild, Maguire’s knowledge of the terrain — and his own secrets — could be key to uncovering the truth behind the mysterious death.
Behind the Scenes: From The Revenant to Untamed
Untamed marks a return to the wilderness for Mark L. Smith, whose screenplay for The Revenant earned him widespread acclaim — and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Known for his visceral storytelling, Smith specializes in crafting atmospheric, morally complex tales set against unforgiving backdrops.
“Nature is never just scenery in Mark’s stories,” says producer John Wells (The West Wing, Shameless). “It’s a character — beautiful, brutal, and indifferent.”
Smith co-showruns the series with Elle Smith, who also executive produces alongside Eric Bana, John Wells, Erin Jontow, Todd Black, Tony Shaw, Steve Lee Jones, and Cliff Roberts. The production comes from John Wells Productions, Escape Artists Entertainment, Bee Holder Productions, and Syndicate Entertainment.
With this powerhouse lineup behind the camera, Netflix is positioning Untamed as one of its tentpole limited series for summer 2025 — a prestige thriller that blends cinematic scope with intimate emotional stakes.
The Return of the Wilderness Thriller
The early buzz around Untamed has critics calling it “Wind River on steroids,” referencing Taylor Sheridan’s 2017 neo-Western classic. With shades of Sicario and The Dry, the series promises a mix of psychological tension, rugged landscapes, and human drama that transcends the traditional procedural.
Netflix is betting on the growing audience appetite for frontier noir — the same modern-Western grit that’s fueled the success of Yellowstone, Reacher, and True Detective: Night Country.
“Untamed is as much about the wilderness inside us as the one outside,” says Smith. “It’s about what happens when those two collide.”
As Untamed prepares to premiere on July 17, fans of atmospheric thrillers and survival dramas are already marking their calendars. With its combination of stunning visuals, powerhouse performances, and moral ambiguity, Untamed looks poised to become Netflix’s next breakout hit — and perhaps the most haunting exploration of the American wild since The Revenant.
