Kevin Costner is sharing the first glimpse of the passion project he walked away from Yellowstone for.
The three-minute trailer for Horizon: An American Saga is out now. Costner co-wrote, directs, stars in and produces the Civil War-era western epic. The first two parts will be released in theaters this summer and will be followed by two more films.
What is ‘Horizon’ about?
The project, co-written by Jon Baird, takes place during the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865. It “explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won — and lost — through the blood, sweat and tears of many,” according to the film’s official description. It’s “a country at war with itself” and the film is “experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.”
It also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt and Jamie Campbell Bower.
When will the four parts be released?
Moviegoers will begin the journey on June 28, when the first chapter hits theaters. Chapter 2 follows soon after, on Aug. 16. The third and fourth chapters haven’t been filmed yet.
What has Costner said about ‘Horizon’?
This has been a 30-year passion project for the filmmaker. Costner struggled to get financing for it, but instead of that deterring him, his idea grew into what is now four parts.
“It’s hard to fall out of love,” the newly divorced actor said during a Zoom press event debuting the trailer this week. “I don’t do that.” His vision was to “step away from what [audiences] usually see in westerns where there’s a town that’s already there,” with the heroes and villains and everything is simplified. “No one knows how [the town] came to be. … I’m always gonna get to my gunfight, but I’m drawn to the little things that people had to endure.”
Of the clashes between the white settlers and the Indigenous people, Costner said, “I want to project what really happened” in the film. “There was a great injustice [that] occurred in the West, but it doesn’t minimize the courage it took for my ancestors to cut loose and go there. And I recognized the resourcefulness it took and the bravery it took to leave and make this march across this country.”
What did Costner spend to make the movie?
The Dances With Wolves director had to use his own money to finance the film, “which is not the smartest thing. But I count on the movie speaking louder than anything I can say,” he said during the press event. That involved taking out a mortgage on one of his Santa Barbara, Calif., properties.
He previously told Deadline he did it “without a thought” and it led to his accountant having “a f***ing conniption fit.” He added he’d never spend his own money on a film again. Costner said at the press event that the first two parts added $100 million to the economy in Utah, where they shot over 52 days, employing more than 500 people.
Costner’s focus on Horizon also proved costly to his marriage to second wife Christine. She filed for divorce in 2023, saying he was often away from home. The divorce was finalized earlier this month.
What does this have to do with ‘Yellowstone’?
Costner walked away from playing John Dutton III on his other western — Paramount Network’s megahit TV series Yellowstone — ahead of the second half of its final season. Both sides have been spinning their version of events.
Costner wanted to focus on Horizon and became frustrated by Yellowstone script and shooting delays. From the Taylor Sheridan-helmed show’s viewpoint, Costner was making himself available to work less, due to his focus on Horizon, which made it hard to write a hit show around him. It’s still unclear whether Costner will return to try to wrap up his character’s storyline when the show, which has spawned multiple spin-offs, returns in November.
If anything, seeing the Horizon trailer drop has just made Yellowstone fans want Dutton back even more.