“Kevin Costner Faces Uncertain Future After ‘Yellowstone’ Exit and ‘Horizon’ Setback”
Kevin Costner’s Surprising Career Shift Draws Backlash from Surfing Community
With Yellowstone preparing to debut its first episodes without Kevin Costner, the former face of the hit Western series is steering his career into completely new territory. Following the underwhelming reception of his passion project Horizon: An American Saga, Costner is reportedly setting his sights on an entirely different genre — surf culture.
Costner is now developing a new film titled Headhunters, which he will star in, co-write, and produce. Cinematographer Steven Holleran, who came up with the concept, will make his directorial debut with the project. Described as a mix of surf culture energy and suspenseful horror, the story follows Costner’s character, Lazer — an American expat who assembles a group of surfers for a journey to a mysterious, uncharted island.
The project, currently in pre-production in Hawaii, has already drawn attention for all the wrong reasons. According to insider sources, members of the surfing community are not welcoming Costner’s sudden immersion into their world. Despite hiring a surf coach and reportedly trying to “channel his inner Baywatch,” Costner is said to be rubbing some surfers the wrong way.
“Kevin’s been buying the wrong kind of surfboards, and people think he’s trying too hard,” the source claimed. “They see him as out of place and caught up in this idea of reinvention that just doesn’t resonate with the core of surf culture. This is a very tight-knit, often insular community, and his approach is coming off as arrogant.”
Despite the criticism, production for Headhunters is set to begin in November, with actor Daniel Zovatto (Station Eleven) also joining the cast. Studios and streaming platforms are reportedly already showing interest in acquiring distribution rights.
Fallout from Horizon: Costner’s Risky Career Moves Under Scrutiny
After a much-publicized departure from Yellowstone, reportedly due to creative conflicts with series creator Taylor Sheridan, Costner went all in on his ambitious four-part Western epic, Horizon. Personally investing $38 million into the project, Costner hoped to revive the genre he helped popularize with Dances with Wolves. However, Horizon: Chapter 1 fell flat both critically and commercially upon its June release.
The second chapter premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 7, but a wide theatrical release is still pending. Insiders claim Costner was deeply frustrated by the harsh reception at Cannes earlier this year. “Kevin was warned about how the film might be received, but it still hit him hard,” one source shared. “He feels abandoned by the industry — like no one is backing him despite everything he’s contributed.”
Even so, Costner is determined to push forward. His newly launched production company, Territory Film Studios, is continuing with the third and fourth installments of the Horizon series. However, many in the film world are skeptical, with some calling the continued investment a major financial misstep.
