“Kevin Costner Opens Up: How Disney’s Decisions Changed His Career—Twice”

Kevin Costner’s Greatest Career Obstacle Might Be Himself

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the biggest challenge in Kevin Costner’s career hasn’t been Hollywood studios, critics, or box office flops — it’s Kevin Costner.

To his credit, he’s never played by Hollywood’s rules. His refusal to compromise or bend to industry politics deserves admiration. But it hasn’t always worked in his favor.

Costner’s confidence paid off in a big way early in his career. Betting on Dances with Wolves, he invested millions of his own money into the production — a gamble that paid off spectacularly. The film became the highest-grossing Western of all time and earned him two Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director.

But that early success may have planted the seeds for future missteps.

Riding high on his self-belief, Costner doubled down with Waterworld, another expensive endeavor partly funded from his own pocket. The film’s production was famously troubled, but it performed decently at the box office. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for The Postman. That apocalyptic epic was a critical and commercial disaster, sweeping the Razzies and leaving Costner largely sidelined in Hollywood for nearly two decades.

Still, he continued to fund passion projects, including Swing Vote (2008) and Black or White (2014), using his own resources. Neither made much of a dent critically or commercially.

It wasn’t until Yellowstone that Costner found his way back into the spotlight. His portrayal of John Dutton in the hit series earned him a Golden Globe and re-established him as a major presence. But once again, he chose passion over pragmatism, leaving the successful series to focus on his long-gestating Western epic: Horizon.

The first installment of Horizon flopped. The second remains in limbo without a release date. Meanwhile, Costner hasn’t secured the funds to complete the third or even begin the fourth.

And here’s where Disney enters the story — again.

Costner revealed that after the success of Open Range, he was in talks with Disney to produce Horizon. The deal ultimately fell apart over a relatively small $5 million budget disagreement.

“Right after I made Open Range and it performed pretty well, I had a chance with Disney,” he recalled. “We had a $5 million difference… but that kept them from making the movie.”

Rather than compromise, he walked away. “I’m stubborn,” he admitted.

Had Disney agreed to that $5 million difference, Horizon might have been a single, self-contained film — instead of a four-part epic requiring $100 million of Costner’s own money to complete. He’s already spent $38 million on the first two chapters alone.

It’s a staggering amount for any individual to invest — especially when the alternative was a major studio footing the bill.

Disney may have pulled out, but it was Costner’s unwavering determination that sealed the deal. Once again, his biggest obstacle wasn’t a studio’s decision — it was his own refusal to bend.