Steven Spielberg is preparing to venture into uncharted territory with his first-ever Western, an untitled feature film that he hopes to begin shooting in 2027. The legendary filmmaker, whose career has moved effortlessly between science fiction, adventure, historical drama, and thrillers, is finally taking on one of Hollywood's oldest genres. Even more exciting, his longtime cinematography collaborator Janusz Kamiński is already imagining the landscapes that could give the project its visual identity.

And this is not just another director adding a genre to an already extraordinary filmography. Spielberg is bringing along a creative partnership that has helped define some of his most visually striking work.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in a profile published November 8, Janusz Kamiński confirmed that the untitled Western is his next collaboration with Steven Spielberg. The cinematographer, who received THR's 2026 Visionary Award at the Camerimage festival, said the director hopes to begin shooting the project next year. 

His inspiration comes from the Sudeten Mountains in Poland, where he remembers visiting a region filled with rolling hills that reminded him of Montana. 

"The lay of the land, the snow on the ground, the fog," he told the publication while describing the scenery. Kamiński acknowledged 

"That's why there's room in this profession for men and women from different countries who bring different aesthetics to American movies," he added.

Although the film's plot and cast remain under wraps, Kamiński is already thinking about its landscapes and the atmosphere he wants to capture, as per THR. The cinematographer's perspective is particularly fascinating given his decades-long partnership with Spielberg. Their collaboration began with Schindler's List in 1993, earning Kamiński his first Academy Award for cinematography. 

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But Spielberg's creative instincts have not always meant leaving his films untouched. In fact, one of his most famous cinematic experiments became a lesson in why even an acclaimed filmmaker should sometimes resist the urge to rewrite his own history. 

Interestingly, Steven Spielberg's upcoming Western also arrives at a time when the director has reflected on the importance of preserving his cinematic legacy. One particularly memorable example involves his 1982 science fiction classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. For its 20th-anniversary re-release in 2002, Spielberg digitally replaced the firearms carried by federal agents pursuing Elliott and his friends with walkie-talkies. He also made other minor adjustments, including changes to E.T.'s appearance.

However, the filmmaker eventually reconsidered the decision. Speaking at the 2023 TIME100 Summit, he explained that films preserve the circumstances and cultural attitudes of the periods in which they are made, adding that he should never have tampered with his own film archives. 

“That was a mistake. I never should have done that. 'E.T.' is a product of its era,” he admitted.

The original theatrical version was subsequently restored for the film's 30th-anniversary home release.

With a Western now taking shape, Spielberg is once again preparing to explore unfamiliar cinematic territory without abandoning the creative instincts that have defined his career. 

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Are you excited to see his first full-fledged Western? Share your thoughts in the comments.