“Hollywood Whispering About Kevin Costner’s Finances After Costly ‘Horizon’ Misstep”
Kevin Costner may never live down the fallout from Horizon: An American Saga, a passion project that’s shaping up to be a financial disaster — especially for his own bank account. Once hailed for his Oscar-winning success with Dances With Wolves, the 70-year-old actor is now facing whispers around Hollywood about what some are calling a “financial fiasco.”
Insiders suggest that Costner “doesn’t always pay his bills on time,” and that Horizon could be the most damaging misstep of his career. Envisioned as a sweeping four-part Western saga set in the post-Civil War era, the project proved difficult to finance. When traditional funding fell short, Costner took a major gamble — investing $38 million of his own money, using a 10-acre plot of land in Carpinteria, California as collateral.
Unfortunately, the risk hasn’t paid off — at least not yet. The first installment of Horizon opened in June 2024 and brought in just $11 million against a reported $100 million budget. Plans to release the second part shortly after have since stalled, with no new release date in sight.
Costner has been vocal about his financial strain. “I need some more money — I do,” he candidly said. “I need some of these big billionaires, with f—king boats ‘from here to here’ who are fond of telling people they’re billionaires, to come with me and make a movie. I don’t have the money they have, and I’ve already made two of ’em. Where are you, rich guys?”
So far, no one appears to be answering that call.
Still, Costner remains deeply committed to the project. “I made a promise to myself, I’m trying desperately to keep it and to bring it to people — these kinds of giant stories,” he said. “I love this movie. I love the second one — and the third one’s even harder than the first two. The fourth one completes the story.”
Meanwhile, his ex-wife Christine Baumgartner reportedly had serious concerns about his financial decisions — particularly when he put their shared property on the line. A source claimed she was “terrified they’d wind up broke,” and that her divorce ensured she received what their prenup entitled her to, sparing her from watching Costner potentially lose it all.
Costner, however, stood firm. “That’s the message I want my kids to understand about who I am: that I do what I believe in,” he said in May 2024. “I have fear like everybody else. I don’t want to be humiliated.”
Right now, though, it’s a rough ride for Costner in Hollywood — a place where passion doesn’t always pay off.
