“Kevin Costner Reveals Whether He Is Considering Retirement Amid ‘Horizon: An American Saga’s’ Major Problems”
Kevin Costner Opens Up About Retirement and Future of Horizon: An American Saga
Kevin Costner, star of Horizon: An American Saga, has addressed the possibility of retirement following his 70th birthday earlier this year. Despite the milestone, the Oscar-winning actor and director remains actively involved in the industry more than four decades after launching his career.
Costner made his film debut in 1981’s Sizzle Beach, U.S.A., but his breakthrough role came in 1987 when he portrayed real-life lawman Eliot Ness in The Untouchables. Over the years, he’s built an acclaimed career as both actor and filmmaker, earning two Academy Awards and three Golden Globes.
No Plans to Retire
Speaking about his future, Costner revealed he has no serious thoughts of stepping away from the spotlight.
“I don’t even think about retiring, because I’ll just move to the next thing that captures my imagination,” he explained.
Costner said he’s now in a place where his creative impulses—not studio executives—guide his decisions.
“Imagination is what determines what I do, not a boss,” he said.
He added, “I think we’re all different and we have different things happening for us. I’ve felt really lucky in my life. I’d like to think that I worked for all of it, but not everybody can live by the same blueprint.”
While he doesn’t keep a formal “bucket list,” Costner admitted he still has plenty he wants to achieve.
“I have that list, [but] I don’t refer to it that way. But certainly, my eyes and my enthusiasms are wide open and very big,” he said. “I’ve so enjoyed life and imagining what I can do, what I can be about, and what makes a difference—not only to me, but to other people. What just satisfies me?”
He reflected further: “You realize it’s about time. It’s a rush to get to all of them.”
Challenges with Horizon: An American Saga
Costner is currently focused on completing Horizon: An American Saga, a planned four-part film series set during the pre- and post-Civil War era. In addition to starring as horse trader Hayes Ellison, Costner is directing and co-writing the series.
However, the project has faced significant hurdles. Chapter 1 underperformed at the box office, earning just $38.7 million against a $50 million budget. Costner reportedly invested 75% of the funding himself. The film also received a mixed critical reception, scoring 51% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Production issues escalated when New Line Cinema filed a lawsuit against Costner in May, accusing him of breaching a co-financing agreement. The situation grew more complicated after City National Bank initiated arbitration against both parties over alleged unpaid fees.
Despite these setbacks, Chapter 2 was completed alongside the first film and premiered at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival. A wider release date, however, has yet to be announced, largely due to the underwhelming performance of the first installment.
Costner began filming Chapter 3 last year but had to pause production. His co-star Glynn Turman provided a grim update in June, stating he hadn’t heard “a thing” about filming resuming.
“They started filming Part 3. I don’t know if they’ve continued it,” Turman admitted. “I think there was a temporary shutdown, and I don’t know if they went back. But Part 2, I can’t wait to see.”
A Glimmer of Hope
While the franchise has struggled in theaters, Costner recently celebrated a streaming milestone: Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 became the 10th most streamed movie across all platforms shortly after its digital release.
“It’s interesting that the movie came out six months ago and people are still finding it with little push from anywhere,” Costner told. “It’s standing among the biggest movies of the year and was streamed more than them. It tells me that people want to go places in their heart and their mind.”
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is now streaming on Netflix. A release date for Chapter 2 has not yet been confirmed.
