‘Horizon’ Lawsuit Settled: Kevin Costner’s Western Copes with Legal and Financial Setbacks
Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Settles Costume Rental Lawsuit Amid Financial and Legal Turmoil
Kevin Costner’s production company behind Horizon: An American Saga has settled a lawsuit over unpaid costume rental fees.
On Thursday, United Costume Corporation informed the court it had reached a settlement with Horizon Series, Costner’s loan-out firm. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The lawsuit, filed in May, accused Horizon Series of breaching a contract by failing to pay roughly $350,000 in rental fees for costumes used in Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 and its sequel. United Costume claimed it first invoiced the company in 2022 for approximately $58,000 in rentals for Chapter 1, and later entered into a second agreement worth around $285,000 for Chapter 2.
The lawsuit added to a growing list of legal and financial issues facing the Horizon project. Earlier, New Line Cinema filed an arbitration claim alleging violations of a co-financing agreement. Additionally, a stunt performer sued over alleged sexual discrimination, harassment, and retaliation related to an unscripted rape scene.
Costner not only stars in but also directed, co-wrote, and helped finance Chapter 1, envisioned as the first of four films in an ambitious Western saga. The sequel was initially set to release just seven weeks after the first installment, but that plan was abandoned after Chapter 1, which had a reported $100 million budget, grossed only $38 million globally. The release of Chapter 2 has since been postponed to give the franchise more time to build an audience.
As of last year, Chapter 3 remains unfinished and lacks full financing. Costner is reportedly seeking additional funding to continue production.
