‘Young Washington’ Rivals ‘Dances with Wolves.’ Puts Native Leadership Back in American History

Young Washington belongs in the same conversation as Dances with Wolves.

Native Leadership Drives the Story

Released July 3, 2026 by Angel Studios, Young Washington follows a 22-year-old George Washington through the French and Indian War. Director Jon Erwin gives Tanacharison, the Seneca leader known as the Half King, real weight on screen. Actor Ryan Begay (Coyote vs. Acme, Dark Winds, Rutherford Falls) plays him with quiet authority. Tanacharison guides Washington across the Ohio Country, presses for action against the French, and makes his own strategic choices. Sovereignty was never a modern idea!

This Film Stands Beside a Classic

Many of us grew up on Dances with Wolves, and Young Washington delivers that same rare treat of Native actors speaking meaningful dialogue in a major film. It is very impressive. Montana Cypress (The Adobe, Horizon), a Miccosukee actor, appears as Chief Red Hawk. Reviewers call the film broadly true to the big facts of Washington’s early life, though it rearranges some details. Readers who want to stand on the real ground can visit Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Pennsylvania.

Watch a clip on YouTube here.

Read the Book Behind the Story

For the documented history, pick up Paul R. Misencik’s George Washington and the Half-King Chief Tanacharison, which examines the alliance between Washington and the 54-year-old chief. All American history carries an Indigenous angle, before the founding, through the actions of the United States, and into today.

Help Write the Next Chapter

History is still being written, and every Native reader is invited to help shape it. Native Americans for Sovereignty and Preservation supports this work by encouraging Native families to know their history, tell their own stories, and defend tribal sovereignty for generations to come. Watch the film, read the book, and share both with your relatives.