“Inside Kevin Costner’s $38 Million Bet on Horizon”
At times, Kevin Costner imagines watching himself on the big screen, in a movie about Kevin Costner. He envisions sitting in a dark theater, observing himself the way audiences have for decades, always rooting for him to come out on top. In moments of personal struggle or adversity, he reflects, “I’ve got to be my own movie.” In Westerns—the genre he loves—heroes often face overwhelming odds, only to emerge victorious. This narrative feels familiar to Costner, too.
His rise to fame wasn’t smooth. In 1983, Costner landed a role in The Big Chill, but all his scenes were cut. Despite this, friends urged him to take advantage of the film’s success. Costner, ever the risk-taker, declined, believing that his own story would be far more compelling once he carved his own path. “No,” he said, “It’ll be a more interesting story once I do what I know I’m going to do.”
Costner has always embraced the hard road. When Ron Shelton offered him the role in Bull Durham (1988), Costner insisted on auditioning anyway. Shelton recalls, “We went from lunch to a batting cage with quarters, hitting line drives both right and left-handed. He was just another guy in the parking lot. But three months later, everyone would know who he was.”
In the years that followed, Costner became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Yet, even at the height of his fame, he defied expectations by producing, directing, and starring in Dances with Wolves—a film many studios were hesitant to back. Despite offers for higher pay, Costner chose to stay committed to his vision. The result? The 1990 film became a groundbreaking success, earning 12 Academy Award nominations and taking home seven, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Now at 69, Costner has found new life in recent years, delivering nuanced performances in both film and TV, most notably in Yellowstone, the most-watched series on television. While many actors would relish this late-career resurgence, Costner remains driven by his obsessions—no matter the cost. “I’m grateful I’ve never seen a UFO,” Costner says, reflecting on his unique perspective. “But what if I did? I couldn’t let it go.”
One of his long-standing obsessions is Horizon, a Western he’s worked on in various forms since 1988. Initially envisioned as a simple story between two characters, the film has grown into an epic saga about the founding of a town—named Horizon—set during the violent days of America’s westward expansion. Over the years, Costner’s vision has shifted, and in 2003, he almost made it with Disney—but when budget differences arose, he walked away.
Undeterred, Costner revisited the project in 2012, expanding the script with writer Jon Baird into four distinct parts. “It’s typical of me,” he admits. “No one wanted the first one, but I wrote four more. Why? Because I believe in it. The story kept getting better.”
Despite the lack of Hollywood interest, Costner took matters into his own hands. A few years ago, he self-funded the production, with the help of two anonymous investors, and recently, Warner Bros. signed on for theatrical distribution. Press reports have marveled at the financial risk Costner has taken. “I know they say I’ve invested $20 million of my own money,” Costner says, “but the real number is closer to $38 million.”
Even before filming Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 in Utah in 2022, Costner faced immense personal challenges. In 2021, he lost both of his parents. Shortly after, contract disputes over Yellowstone led to a public falling-out with co-creator Taylor Sheridan and production companies Paramount and 101 Studios. Then, in 2023, his wife of 18 years, Christine Baumgartner, filed for divorce. Yet through it all, Costner persevered, completing not one, but two Horizon films.
This summer, Costner and Warner Bros. will release Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 in theaters in June, followed by Chapter 2 in August. “It’s been a lot,” Costner reflects at his home in Santa Barbara, where he’s been raising his three youngest children. In moments of solitude, he thinks back to the theater in his mind, pushing himself to finish what he started. “Am I going to get up and finish? I’m the audience now—get up, Kevin. Get up and deal with it. Find joy, even when it’s hard.”
