Executive Producer Stacey Thunder Champions Indigenous Futures in 'The 7th'

Stacey Thunder (Red Lake and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe) embodies a truly multifaceted career, seamlessly integrating her roles as a mother, respected attorney, actress, and producer. Her unique journey from serving as legal counsel for various Ojibwe tribal governments to becoming a prominent figure in media is defined by a deep commitment to cultural connection, a passion for authentic storytelling, and an unwavering focus on amplifying Indigenous voices.

For over twenty-five years, Thunder provided dedicated in-house counsel to Ojibwe tribal governments, a crucial role in safeguarding tribal sovereignty and establishing strong legal foundations. However, alongside this vital legal work, she felt a powerful calling to explore another path—one that would allow her to harness the transformative power of storytelling to inspire broader societal change.

This calling led her directly into the entertainment and media sphere. Thunder spent eleven years co-hosting and co-producing Native Report, a respected PBS news magazine show, alongside her colleague, attorney Tadd Johnson. Together, they brought one hundred fifty-four episodes of vital Native stories to a national audience. Building upon this platform, she then launched her own digital series, Indigenous with Stacey Thunder, where she further explored issues affecting Native communities through insightful interviews and cultural narratives.

In more recent years, Thunder has shone on screen as an actress, landing roles in popular television and film projects such as Yellowstone, Crash, Tallulah, and The Jingle Dress. For Thunder, engaging with storytelling is not merely a professional choice but a continuation of Indigenous tradition. She shared in a recent interview that "It’s traditional because we’ve always been storytellers—since time immemorial," adding that she is driven not only to continue acting, writing, and being creative for her own fulfillment but also to "help and inspire other Native people to do the same thing," believing it is "imperative we have that voice."

One of Thunder's most significant current endeavors is serving as an executive producer on the upcoming film, The 7th, a coming-of-age science fiction drama. The film is set in a near-future world dramatically impacted by climate change, adding a layer of timely relevance to the speculative fiction genre. The story centers on fourteen-year-old Piper, the daughter of a climate scientist, who must escape a dystopian version of Duluth, Minnesota. As she undertakes her journey, Piper uncovers coded messages left by her late Lakota mother that guide her toward her grandparents in the Black Hills of South Dakota. These grandparents serve as the critical stewards of preserved DNA—a resource that could potentially restore Earth’s lost biodiversity. Meanwhile, Piper is intensely pursued by a rogue federal agent, escalating the suspense throughout her transformative quest.

Crucially, The 7th is not merely speculative fiction; it is firmly grounded in Indigenous ecological knowledge. The film addresses the global climate crisis from a unique perspective, skillfully blending advanced technology with traditional Native wisdom and ceremony. It aims to tell an authentic story rooted in Indigenous ecological history while actively encouraging understanding and cooperation between Native and non-Native communities in facing shared global challenges.

The film is being developed by SIFT Media and is led by the experienced producer Anne Marie Gillen (Fried Green Tomatoes, Under Suspicion, Into Temptation). In an early accolade highlighting its timely nature, The 7th was selected as an Official Selection at the Redford Center/NBCUniversal Hollywood Climate Summit Pitchfest 2024.

Thunder's involvement with the project began through her network in the film and legal worlds. She explained that after many years as an in-house attorney, she took a "leap of faith" to transition primarily into filmmaking and storytelling. Her friend, an entertainment lawyer, introduced her to Anne Marie Gillen to discuss the project, and she initially joined as co-counsel. However, her involvement deepened, leading her to realize she wanted to do more. Thunder stated that her overall goal is to "learn as much as I can about the multiple aspects of filmmaking," recognizing this as an "incredible opportunity to grow in that space."

The narrative resonated profoundly with Thunder's core values. She highlighted the significance of the representation, noting, "This is a story where Native people are not just in the background. It’s about a Native youth—a Lakota teen—stepping up to lead, to spark change. That kind of representation is powerful."

Production for The 7th is tentatively scheduled to begin in the spring or summer of 2026, with a projected release date in late 2026 or early 2027. The team is currently focused on the fundraising stage. In keeping with its themes, the film aims to be environmentally responsible in its production practices and has committed to donating a portion of its profits to environmental preservation efforts.

One of the most exciting aspects for Thunder is the film’s comprehensive commitment to Native representation. She noted that beyond Piper, the lead character, the film includes numerous other Native roles. This commitment extends not only in front of the camera but behind it as well, citing the involvement of Jhane Myers (Comanche/Blackfeet), known for her work on Prey and Free Leonard Peltier, as a Producer, and Leonard Prescott (Shakopee Mdewakanton), former Chairman of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, as an Executive Producer. As The 7th continues development, Thunder is not merely helping to shape a compelling story; she is actively advancing a movement that centers Native voices in the critical global conversations of our era.