Kevin Costner Looks to Netflix to Rescue Him from ‘Horizon’ Losses — $200M Property Portfolio at Risk
Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Gamble Backfires — Now He’s Hoping Netflix Can Save Him From Selling Off $200M in Real Estate
No one can accuse Kevin Costner of lacking conviction. But as the veteran Hollywood star is learning, even the deepest passion projects come with steep risks.
Costner went all-in on Horizon: An American Saga, a self-funded four-part Western epic he believed in so deeply that he walked away from the hit series Yellowstone to make it happen. Unfortunately, the project has yet to pay off. The first installment underperformed at the box office, and the second never made it to theaters—despite better reviews on the festival circuit.
But there may be a lifeline. After Horizon quietly climbed into Netflix’s Top 10, Costner is reportedly hoping the streaming giant will acquire the entire series, allowing him to recoup some of the roughly $60 million of his own money he sank into the project. If not, the Dances with Wolves star may have to start liquidating parts of his massive $200 million property portfolio.
“I fit [Horizon] into the gaps,” Costner said of juggling production with Yellowstone. “They just kept moving their gaps.”
A High-Stakes Bet on the American West
“He’s good at projecting calm and experience,” said a source who worked on the project, “but behind the scenes, the whole Horizon saga has been incredibly stressful for him—financially, physically, and even intellectually.”
While critics praised the scale and ambition of Horizon, audiences didn’t show up at the box office. The underwhelming performance left Costner, who has a reported net worth of $400 million, facing serious losses. Still, insiders believe Netflix could step in with a much-needed financial rescue.
“Netflix is really the only player with deep enough pockets to bail him out,” the source added. “It’s a big check, but if the first film keeps performing, there’s a strong expectation—within the industry and Kevin’s circle—that Netflix will step in and acquire the rest.”
Risking It All — Including the Beach House
Costner largely financed Horizon through his extensive real estate holdings. Chief among them is a bluffside compound in Carpinteria, California, estimated to be worth $145 million. He bought the property in 1988 during his marriage to Cindy Silva, and took sole ownership after their 1994 divorce. It includes a main home and two guest houses, all with sweeping ocean views.
To help fund Horizon, Costner reportedly mortgaged this prized estate, despite strong pushback from financial advisors.
“I’ve mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house,” he told reporters. “It’s thrown my accountant into a f—ing conniption, but I believe in the story.”
The property was back in the headlines recently during his contentious divorce from designer Christine Baumgartner. She initially refused to vacate one of the guest houses after filing for divorce, but ultimately left. Since the estate was purchased prior to the marriage, she had no legal claim under California’s standard divorce laws.
A Real Estate Empire Built for the Long Haul
Beyond California, Costner owns a sprawling ranch in Aspen, Colorado. Purchased in 2000 for just $300,000, the luxury compound features a private lake, baseball field, sledding hill, and three hot tubs. It’s also a high-end rental property, commanding $36,000 a night—or up to $250,000 per week.
Though his film career and personal life have seen their ups and downs, Costner’s real estate decisions have proven wise—until now. Whether Horizon ultimately finds new life at Netflix or not, one thing is clear: he bet big on this story, and now he may have to sell big to stay in the game.
