Summary
This document follows news of Horizon: An American Saga, a four-part film being produced by Kevin Costner. [Wikipedia] The first chapter of the saga will be in theaters on 28 June 2024. The featured photo for this page is from the Rocky Mountain region that is the backdrop to the movie.
The movie screenplay has been a project in development by Costner for more than 30 years.
In his May 2024 Cannes interview, Costner shared that he named his son Hayes after a character in the screenplay that he first began writing in 1988, about 20 years before his sone was born. [Source]
In an interview with CBS on 16 Jun 2024, Costner shared that one day he was looking at his son, who was thirteen at the time, and he could imagine him playing the role of Hayes in the film. That inspired him to finally make it happen now. [Source: CBS Interview, at 5m 33s]
The movie has cost about $100 million so far, with Costner investing $34 million of his own money into the production.
Two Emotional Journeys
Costner began working on the screenplay for Horizon about 36 years ago. The creation of Horizon is a long journey with twists, turns, and surprises. Each project and success that Costner had along the way helped build up to this moment where Horizon becomes a reality.
The rollout of Horizon the movie is happening to the backdrop of the real-life story of Costner as a producer, actor, and investor who mortgaged his home to help fund the project. The drama of Horizon and the drama of producing Horizon are two stories evolving in tandem.
Many are eagerly following both stories with anticipation, being inspired and strengthened for the obstacles and victories they encounter in their own lives.
Trailers
Trailer #1
Trailer #2
Horizon Coffee
Along with the release of the Horizon saga film, in a partnership with Keurig, a Horizon Blend coffee is available — inspired by Costner and the Bold Spirit of the American West. [Learn More]
News
Below are news reports and interviews relating to Horizon, as well as some broader news about Kevin Costner for context.
CBS (27 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner on bringing ‘Horizon’ to life and what’s next after ‘Yellowstone’ departure” — Kevin Costner returned to the director’s chair with his most ambitious project yet. The Oscar-winning actor-director writes, directs, produces and stars in “Horizon: An American Saga,” a four-part movie series about the American West. Costner talks to “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King about the years-long effort to make “Horizon” and his future plans after leaving “Yellowstone.” [Source]
Access Atlanta (24 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner talks passion project ‘Horizon: An American Saga’, his passion for storytelling + more” — The legendary Kevin Costner sat down for a one-on-one to share details about his latest movie and passion project ‘Horizon: An American Saga’. He details his process making the movie, why he wanted to tell the story in this way and how his passion has continued to drive him all these years! [Source]
Kelly Clarkson (24 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner Puts Women In The Forefront In ‘Horizon: An American Saga'” — Kevin Costner reflects on the 35-year journey to make his passion project, “Horizon: An American Saga,” come to life, and shares how he finally decided to go all-in and bet on himself by self-financing the films. Kevin shares how his new western epic differs from traditional studio westerns by putting female stories at the forefront, and interrogating the idea of the “American promise.” [Source]
Whole Tusout (24 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner & Cast Discuss ‘Horizon: An American Saga'” — During a press conference, Kevin Costner and the talented cast of Horizon: An American Saga dove into the importance of this story and staying true to native voices and making a modern-day Western. [Source]
Jake’s Takes (19 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner Talks HORIZON and Looks Back Over His Most Iconic Movies” — Emmy-Winner Jake Hamilton talks with Oscar-winning legend Kevin Costner about his entire career, including his new western HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA. [Source]
ABC 7 Chicago (18 Jun 2024)
“‘Horizon: An American Saga’ is Kevin Costner’s passion project” — Oscar winner Kevin Costner recently talked about his four-part movie series: The first chapter opens next week. [Source]
Jimmy Fallon (18 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner on His 11-Minute Cannes Standing Ovation for Horizon: An American Saga” — Kevin Costner talks about working to bring Horizon: An American Saga to life since 1988, getting emotional during his standing ovation for the film at the Cannes Film Festival and the inspiration behind the four-chapter film. [Source]
SiriusXM (18 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner is Emotional About ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Ovation at Cannes Film Festival” — Kevin Costner, Luke Wilson, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Ella Hunt from the cast of ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ discuss the 11-minute standing ovation at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. [Source]
Today (18 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner Reflects on His Life in Pictures” — Prolific actor Kevin Costner is reflecting on what he calls an “unusual” but “beautiful life.” From a newspaper ad in college that led him to his first audition and then skyrocketing to fame with films like ‘Field of Dreams,’ ‘The BodyGuard’ with Whitney Houston and 1990’s ‘Dances with Wolves,’ to a never-before-heard story about a private meeting with Prince William and why he’s not ruling out a return to the ‘Yellowstone’ universe, watch as Costner looks back at photos and moments throughout his 40-year career. [Source]
Today (17 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner talks ‘Horizon’ standing ovation, family, ‘Yellowstone’” — Hollywood legend Kevin Costner joins TODAY to talk about his new Western movie called “Horizon,” a passion project of his that is the first of the four-film franchise. Costner opens up about the seven-minute standing ovation he received at the Cannes Film Festival after a screening, the decision to finance the film himself and the future of “Yellowstone.” [Source]
“Kevin Costner shares how women ‘dominate’ new ‘Horizon’ movie” — Hollywood star Kevin Costner joins TODAY to discuss his new Western movie “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1,” including how women “dominate” the film. “There was no West without women,” he says. He also opens up about inviting family members to join productions on set and his joy of fatherhood. [Source]
Star 94.1 Atlanta (17 Jun 2024)
“Jenn Hobby was shocked by THIS answer Kevin Costner shared about Horizon: An American Saga” — Kevin Costner shares a deep wealth of knowledge about American History and passion for preserving American lands as he chats with Jenn Hobby. [Source]
The View (17 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner Talks 11-Minute Standing Ovation For ‘Horizon'” — Costner discusses producing, directing and co-writing his new western epic, “Horizon: An American Saga,” reflects on being a father to seven children and looks back on his role in “Field of Dreams.” [Source]
CBS (16 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner on “Horizon: An American Saga”” — Actor-director Kevin Costner won two Academy Awards for “Dances with Wolves,” and now he’s back with another western: “Horizon: An American Saga,” a four-part epic about pioneers settling the West, which Costner himself helped bankroll. He talks with correspondent Tracy Smith about his decades-in-the-planning story (the first two chapters debut in theaters this summer), and about his future on the modern-day western series “Yellowstone.” [Source]
Fandango (12 Jun 2024)
“‘Horizon: An American Saga’s’ Kevin Costner on The Birth of Horizon and Falling in Love with Movies” — ‘Horizon: An American Saga’s’ Kevin Costner sat down with FD correspondent Nikki Novak to talk about his upcoming movie. Costner details how he created ‘Horizon’, when he fell in love with movies, what fans can expect, and so much more. See ‘Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1’ in theaters June 28. [Source]
Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth (11 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner on new movie ‘Horizon: An American Saga'” — Kevin Costner’s Western epic “Horizon: An American Saga” explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won – and lost- through blood, sweat, and tears. He joined Good Day to talk about the film which hits theaters on June 28. [Source]
WFAA (11 Jun 2024)
“Actor Kevin Costner stops by Good Morning Texas to talk his latest movie: ‘Horizon: An American Saga” — Horizon: An American Saga is set to hit theaters on June 28, 2024. [Source]
WGN (10 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner talks new movie ‘Horizon: An American Saga'” — Legendary actor Kevin Costner joined WGN Morning News Monday for an interview. [Source]
Atlanta News First (7 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner Talks Horizon: An American Saga” — Kevin Costner Talks Horizon: An American Saga [Source]
Sami Cone (5 Jun 2024)
“Kevin Costner Horizon Saga Chapter 1 Interview: “It’s a Better Film BECAUSE of the Women’s Stories”” — I sat down to interview Academy Award winner Kevin Costner, who has created another iconic cinematic adventure with HORIZON: An American Saga. These films span the four years of the Civil War (from 1861-1865) and will be released in four separate “chapters”. “We all have a passion. I felt like it was a story worth telling, and it couldn’t fit in a single movie.” One moment from our interview stood out to me above the rest.
When I asked Kevin why it was important to tell a story with such strong female characters, his answer blew me away: “I didn’t know how to tell the story without telling the women’s story…and the more we told their story, the more dominant they became. It’s a better film because of it. It’s more interesting.” [Source]
Hollywood Reporter (22 May 2024)
“‘Awards Chatter’ Live: Kevin Costner on His Storied Career, His Biggest Roles and ‘Yellowstone'” — Oscar-winning director and actor Kevin Costner sat down with THR’s Scott Feinberg in Cannes for a live recording of our ‘Awards Chatter’ podcast in front of an audience in Cannes, presented by Campari. [Source]
Jimmy Kimmel (22 May 2024)
“Kevin Costner on Making Horizon: An American Saga, Ovation at Cannes & Meeting a Young Matt Damon” — Kevin talks about his mustache and soul patch, investing a lot of his own money in his new film Horizon: An American Saga, getting an eleven minute standing ovation at Cannes and being overwhelmed with the response, bringing his kids to the festival with him, directing Dances with Wolves, his parents watching him direct the entire time they were shooting, hanging with a young Matt Damon and Ben Affleck at Fenway Park when they were extras in Field of Dreams, and casting his son in his new movie. [Source]
AP (20 May 2024)
“‘Horizon: An American Saga’ director/star Kevin Costner” — A month before Kevin Costner puts the first installment of his multi-chapter Western “Horizon: An American Saga” into theaters, the actor-director came to the Cannes Film Festival to unveil his self-financed passion project. The first film in the planned four-part series hits theaters June 28. It’s only the fourth time the 69-year-old Costner has directed — and it’s his biggest gamble ever. To raise the money for the $100 million-plus production, he mortgaged his seaside Santa Barbara, California, estate. He sat down with AP film writer Jake Coyle to talk about the three-decade journey of creating “Horizon,” why he risked his own money, and what being at Cannes means to him. [Source]
GQ (20 May 2024)
“Kevin Costner Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters” — Kevin Costner breaks down his most iconic roles from films and television, including ‘Field of Dreams,’ ‘Dances with Wolves,’ ‘The Bodyguard,’ ‘Yellowstone,’ ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,’ ‘Bull Durham,’ ‘Silverado,’ ‘For Love of the Game,’ ‘The Untouchables,’ ‘JFK,’ ‘Wyatt Earp’ and ‘Horizon: An American Saga.’ [Source]
OnePress TV (20 May 2024)
“Horizon: An American Saga” — The first in Costner’s planned four-part Western epic called Horizon: An American Saga premiered in Cannes 2024. Here’s what kevin Costner told about this movie during press conference. [Source]
People (23 Nov 2022)
“Horizon is incredibly meaningful to me. It’s really been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s exactly what I want to do,” he says. “I wrapped this first one, and it took everything I had, but I’m holding on to the rope and not letting go. In my career I’ve tried to choose not based on what was popular. I made the films I wanted to make.” For Costner, who won a pair of Oscars for 1990’s Dances with Wolves, the actor has long been drawn to stories about the Wild West. [Source]
BBC (13 Apr 2016)
“Kevin Costner’s Kindness Was Repaid” — Kevin Costner tells the sofa why it’s always good to help a friend. [Source]