“He Invested His Fortune in Producing the Film”
In a recent conversation, acting icon Kevin Costner reveals his motivations for risking his personal fortune on his latest Western project, Horizon.
– He invested his own wealth in the film.
In the first installment of his Western series Horizon, Kevin Costner (69) brings to life a long-held dream he’s nurtured since the late 1980s. With mainstream studios uninterested in his vision, Costner personally invested over $38 million to bring the project to fruition.
In Horizon, Costner wears multiple hats: he stars, directs, produces, and co-writes the screenplay. The film follows pioneering settlers heading west in 1861, encroaching on Apache lands and facing fierce resistance. Simultaneously, Costner’s character, a solitary cowboy, faces off against a rogue gang and must navigate the wilderness with a mysterious woman and a vulnerable child while avenging a brutal Apache massacre, setting off a relentless cycle of vengeance.
In an interview with Spot on News, Costner discusses why he risked his own resources on Horizon, addresses the mixed reception, and reflects on how he might have fared in that era.
The conventional advice in filmmaking is ‘Never invest your own money in a project.’ You clearly chose to ignore that. Why?
Costner: It’s true that the traditional advice is not to invest your own funds in films. But what if the conventional wisdom is wrong? To me, that’s a straightforward answer.
Modern films often rely on CGI for effects like animals and fire. You chose to forgo CGI in Horizon. Instead, your cast physically navigated real landscapes. Why?
Costner: Absolutely, they were there in person.
Why did you decide against using CGI for those scenes?
Costner: It felt right to use real locations because those landscapes are untouched and unchanged. We felt a deep connection to those places, which are not just thematic sets but real, historical landscapes. The land influenced our movements and determined the timing of scenes, becoming both an ally and a formidable challenge.
The reception of Horizon has been mixed, with both praise and criticism. Have you encountered any negative feedback, and do you pay attention to reviews?
Costner: I generally avoid reading reviews. I understand that some viewers might be confused, as this film is the first part of a four-part series, setting up the narrative for the subsequent installments. My attempts to explain this might not fully clarify things.
I’m not worried about the film’s success determining its completion. I’m committed to seeing the entire project through to the fourth installment, and each film will build upon the previous one, with the full story making more sense as a complete set. I believe in the overarching narrative and dedicate significant effort to each chapter.
In addition to directing Horizon, you also play a key role. Who is Hayes?
Costner: Hayes is a quintessential Old West cowboy, living off his horse with just a saddle, blankets, saddlebags, and his clothes. Some might view him as romanticized, but he was just a hardworking individual, earning his keep by managing horses, herding cattle, and taking on various tasks.
However, Hayes also has a dark past. The harshness of Western life could bring out the worst in people.
What Western skills do you possess? How do you rate your cowboy abilities?
Costner: I could hold my own as a professional cowboy, but I’m not a rodeo expert. I’m flattered if people see me as a skilled rider, but I wouldn’t consider myself exceptional compared to true horsemen.
Costner addresses the criticism of his financial investment in Horizon by saying, “What if everyone’s wrong? To me, that’s a simple answer.”
Regarding the decision to avoid CGI, Costner explains, “It felt right because those landscapes are genuine. We know in our hearts that those places remain unchanged.”
