Kevin Costner Set to Star, Co-Write, and Produce New Tropical Surf Thriller Following Horizon’s Box Office Struggles
Kevin Costner is set to star in the upcoming tropical surf thriller Headhunters, following the disappointing release of Horizon: An American Saga. A Hollywood icon, Costner is renowned for his roles in classics like Dances with Wolves (1990), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), and The Bodyguard (1991). After gaining renewed fame as John Dutton in Yellowstone, he shifted focus to Horizon, a Western epic intended as a four-part series.
According to Deadline, Costner will not only star in but also produce and co-write Headhunters. The film will be directed by Steven Holleran, marking his directorial debut, with Daniel Zovatto, known for Station Eleven and The Pope’s Exorcist (2023), also starring alongside Costner.
Plot details reveal that Costner will portray a “washed-up American expat with a mysterious past” living in Bali, Indonesia. He forms a group of surfers, led by a local photographer, in search of the perfect wave at an uncharted island, only to discover it’s home to an ancient tribe of headhunters fiercely defending their territory.
Costner is producing through his company, Territory Pictures, in partnership with Howard Kaplan. The film is also produced by Scott Steindorff, Dylan Russell, Lindsay Davis, and Stacey Woods for Stone Village.
Implications for the Horizon Franchise
Horizon: An American Saga received mixed reviews, currently holding a 51% critic score and a 70% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite a better audience response, it fell short at the box office, grossing only $38 million against a budget that some sources estimate between $50 million and $100 million.
The underwhelming performance has led to the cancellation of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2, with no new release date announced. Although Costner began filming Horizon 3, production has stalled due to financing issues. In August, he mentioned the possibility of shooting the remaining films back-to-back next spring.
Given that Costner won’t start Headhunters until after Horizon, the surf thriller may not be in production for several years. Even if filming for the Horizon series wraps by next summer, post-production delays could push the start of Headhunters to 2026.
