Costner's upcoming Western Horizon: An American Saga has already made waves though most of it has nothing to do with the film's story about taking place over a 15 year period before and after the Civil War in the American frontier. Moreso, Costner leaving his hit show Yellowstone over scheduling conflicts with this passion project that he has envisioned since 1988 and has since evolved into a four-film saga along with the estimated $100 million budget that each film is expected to cost to make. (Costner is partly self-financing some of it himself)
The first two films in the saga are already filmed with the third film set to return to production after being halted during the actors and writers strike that took up the second half of 2023. And yet, despite all these setbacks, Costner seems convinced his expansive story will speak for itself, as indicated at a reveal event for the film yesterday where the trailer for the first film was released. In the midst of discussing what he admits is "not the smartest thing" (and seemingly referencing that he has mortgaged his 10-acre Santa Barbara property to help finance the films), Costner went into his hope for the saga:
“I’m shocked at what we were able to get. I shot [Dances With Wolves] for 106 days, I shot the movie you’re just seeing right now in 52. … I did learn a lot and I was able to use every trick in the book to try to bring this movie to ground and to bring it to an audience. And there’s four of them!”
Not the smartest thing, but I count on people. I count on the movie speaking louder than anything I can say. And so with that in mind, I just shoved West myself and I just left, and I went out to make this movie in Utah.
The oldest profession is telling stories around a fire. We all want to hear a good one and we don’t want somebody to waste our time. And I take my time, I hope I don’t waste your time. I made four of these.
I’d like for us to all take those journeys and try to have a high understanding of this first one. The second one’s already shot. I’m out there, heading west again, pushing a rock uphill trying to make the third one. I know I’m a little bit kind of a joke, or it’s maybe humorous to even watch me, because it’s like, ‘Whoa, I wonder when he’s going to ever stop digging.’ I don’t know.”
Currently, Chapter 1 is scheduled to be released on June 28th while Chapter 2 is scheduled to be released on August 16th. Costner directing and producing along with co-writing the script with Jon Baird. He leads a massive ensemble cast that includes 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. Stay tuned!
If this first one bombs Kevin will lose his ass.