“After ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Flopped, Kevin Costner Implies He’s Staying Away From Westerns Despite Passion Project”
Kevin Costner Hints at Moving Away from Westerns After Horizon: An American Saga Flops
After a long and successful relationship with the Western genre, Kevin Costner is hinting that his next chapter might lead him elsewhere.
The actor and director experienced a career resurgence with Yellowstone, the Taylor Sheridan-led drama that became a cultural phenomenon. Many would say the series breathed new life into Costner’s career — that is, until his iconic character, John Dutton, was written out with only a few episodes left in the show’s final season. His departure reportedly stemmed from scheduling conflicts tied to his personal passion project: Horizon: An American Saga.
Unfortunately, that project didn’t go as planned.
Horizon: An American Saga was envisioned as a four-part theatrical Western epic — a bold endeavor in today’s cinematic landscape. But after the first film’s release, the outlook quickly turned grim. The movie grossed just $11 million during its opening weekend, falling far short of expectations. Especially considering Costner personally invested $38 million into the project, with the film’s total budget estimated around $100 million.
As a result, “Chapter Two” — originally set for release in August 2024 — was pulled from the schedule. Costner, along with Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema, made the decision to delay the sequel. Now, more than a year later, there’s been no substantial update, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that the full saga will ever be completed.
The poor box office performance appears to have had a significant impact on Costner’s outlook. In a recent interview, the 70-year-old Hollywood veteran suggested he’s open to moving beyond the Western genre — at least for now:
“I’m willing to do anything where I feel like what I’m doing is for myself. It doesn’t have to be a Western — it could be something else. But when something is no longer interesting to me, or there’s some other reason that I need to move on, I’m willing to do that.”
It’s clear that Costner’s focus isn’t on box office numbers or chasing hits. His creative drive is rooted in legacy and meaningful storytelling:
“I think you can write a short story and it can live forever. You can write a novel and it can live forever. You can make a short movie and it can live forever. It’s about how you’re telling it… I can’t create work that I think is going to find [people]. I can only create work that, when they do find it, reflects what I was feeling and my sensibility.”
While Horizon may have missed the mark commercially, it’s evident that Costner isn’t slowing down — he’s simply shifting gears.
Next up, the two-time Oscar winner will star alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in Honeymoon with Harry, an upcoming dramedy. The film centers on a grieving man (Gyllenhaal) who loses his fiancée just days before their wedding, but decides to go on their honeymoon trip anyway — accompanied by his would-be father-in-law, played by Costner.
Here’s hoping that Costner’s next move brings him the creative fulfillment he’s after — and reminds audiences why his presence in film and TV still matters.
