It’s been nearly six months since Rockstar Games offered fans their first look at Red Dead Redemption 2, and since then the studio has gone radio silent. Its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has added a few details here and there, mostly regarding the game’s ambitions, but most gamers are looking for something a little more tangible.

To that point, fans have been poring over the Red Dead Redemption 2 trailer in the hopes of finding some clue or detail that may have slipped by. Obviously, most of them are speculative, but even rumors are worth discussing when it comes to Rockstar’s titles. And the latest suggests Rockstar drew from numerous sources for inspiration when making the RDR 2 trailer, even Western films.

The eagle eyed folks at Red Dead Network looked very closely at every shot from the teaser trailer and found that one seems directly inspired by the film Open Range. For those who might not be familiar, Open Range is a 2003 Western directed and starring Kevin Costner. It’s more of a slow burn compared to some of the flashier Westerns out there, but it received decent reviews upon release.

The scene in the trailer and the shot in the film use a dimly lit barn as a foreground and let the bright Western atmosphere pour in. In Red Dead Redemption 2’s case, however, the shot also features some passing cattle and a cowboy (or rancher) mounting a horse. Some have speculated this could be the (or one of the) main character in the game, but Rockstar is tight lipped about story details right now.

While Rockstar is unlikely to confirm its inspirations when it comes to Red Dead Redemption 2, there’s little doubt that the studio paid close attention to Westerns in TV and film. As evidenced by past work, especially Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar loves to draw from pop culture when it comes to creating living breathing worlds, and Red Dead Redemption 2 should be no different.

Of course, everything is speculation when it comes to Red Dead Redemption 2, even when gamers might see more of it. Earlier this month there were rumors that the title would be used as a showpiece for the Scorpio reveal, but those turned out to be false. And Rockstar is not known for making E3 appearances, so even a sure thing like a convention debut is no guarantee. Nevertheless, the fans will keep speculating and looking even closer at the trailer, until Rockstar gives them a new one to scrutinize.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is scheduled to release later this year.

Source: Red Dead Network