Kevin Costner on the Future of His Ambitious ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Film Series: “I Will Find a Way”
At Contenders Los Angeles, Kevin Costner made it clear he’s not ready to abandon his ambitious four-part Western film series, Horizon: An American Saga. Despite Chapter 2 being pulled from its planned August theatrical release after Chapter 1 underperformed at the box office in July, Costner remains determined to see the project through.
“I’m hoping, I’m dreaming, I’m meeting all the billionaires we hear about — though they seem to be hiding in the shadows,” the Horizon director, star, and co-writer joked, drawing laughter from the audience during a panel discussion with key collaborators: cinematographer J. Michael Muro, costume designer Lisa Lovaas, and composer John Debney.
Produced by Costner’s Territory Pictures, Horizon marks the actor-director’s return to the Western genre, recalling his work on Open Range (2003) and the Oscar-winning Dances With Wolves (1991), which he starred in, wrote, and directed. The first chapter, co-written by Costner and Jon Baird, premiered to an emotional standing ovation of nearly 12 minutes at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, moving Costner to tears.
Chapter 2 debuted in September at the Venice Film Festival after its theatrical release was delayed from the summer. Although Costner recently left the hit TV series Yellowstone after four seasons, he confirmed production on Chapter 3 is underway. While he didn’t specify the exact progress during the panel, he confidently stated, “I’m going to make 3.”
“I don’t know exactly how I’m going to pull it off,” he admitted, “but I will make it. Then I’ll make the fourth one. And if you want to say ‘the end’ after that, well, that’s the end.”
Costner compared the saga to pushing a rock up a mountain like Sisyphus, as well as searching for evidence of extraterrestrial life.
“It’s my own private UFO,” he explained. “I’ve seen it, I’ll never forget it, and I’ll keep chasing it as long as I can. … I will figure out a way to bring you chapters 3 and 4, because you’ve committed to chapters 1 and 2, and we’re all going west together.”
