Netflix's New Western Looks Incredibly Gritty And Powerful: WATCH

Is "Train Dreams" going to be Netflix's next big hit?

Basic info:

• Streaming platform: Netflix
• Plot: Based on the beloved novella by Denis Johnson, Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier (Golden Globe-nominee Joel Edgerton), whose life unfolds during an era of unprecedented change in early 20th century America. Orphaned at a young age, Robert grows into adulthood among the towering forests of the Pacific Northwest, where he helps expand the nation’s railroad empire alongside men as unforgettable as the landscapes they inhabit. After a tender courtship, he marries Gladys (Academy Award-nominee Felicity Jones) and they build a home together, though his work often takes him far from her and their young daughter. When his life takes an unexpected turn, Robert finds beauty, brutality and newfound meaning for the forests and trees he has felled. An ode to a vanishing way of life, an ever-evolving world, and to the extraordinary possibilities that exist within even the most simple of existences, Train Dreams captures a time and place that are now long gone, and the people who built a bridge to a future they could only dream of.
• Cast: Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon and William H. Macy
• Release date: November 21, 2025

"Train Dreams" is an upcoming western on Netflix. (Credit: Netflix)

Netflix releases "Train Dreams" trailer.

Although I've never read the novella by Denis Johnson, I can tell from the plot details that this is the kind of movie I'm going to have a lot of interest in.

I'm sold as soon as I hear about someone finding "beauty, brutality and newfound meaning for the forests and trees."

It definitely looks like "Train Dreams" will be both gritty and uplifting, judging from the preview. Give it a watch below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Unfortunately for Netflix, it's recent track record of Westerns isn't great. "Ransom Canyon" was absolute trash, "Untamed" didn't hook me after an episode and a half (still going to give it a shot) and "Territory" was canceled after one season.

It turns out trying to tap into the magic Taylor Sheridan created with "Yellowstone" is a lot harder than networks and studios might think.

That's why he's the king of entertainment. Because he can do things others can't. Having said that, Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones teaming up for "Train Dreams" makes me think that we're in for a fun time.

Felicity Jones and Joel Edgerton star in the upcoming Netflix series "Train Dreams." (Cr: Courtesy of Netflix)

You can catch "Train Dreams" on Netflix starting November 21, 2025. Hit me with your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.