Kevin Costner’s New Western Documentary: What It Means for Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2
Kevin Costner Teams with History Channel on Western Docuseries — What About Horizon: Chapter 2?
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From Dances with Wolves to Open Range to Yellowstone, Kevin Costner has always had a deep connection to the American West. This Memorial Day, he’s continuing to explore that legacy — but not through Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2. Instead, audiences will get Kevin Costner’s The West, a brand-new documentary series airing on the History Channel.
The eight-part docuseries promises “a fresh look at the epic history of the American West,” focusing on the intense battles over land and how those conflicts continue to shape America today. Blending historical analysis with cinematic reenactments, the series offers multiple perspectives on the past. It’s part of the History Channel’s “History Honors 250” lineup, created in anticipation of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
Costner serves as executive producer and may also appear as host or narrator, based on the trailer (which you can watch below). While this is a standalone project, its thematic similarity to Horizon is hard to ignore — especially as fans continue to wonder what’s happening with the long-promised sequel.
Horizon: An American Saga is a major passion project for Costner — a four-part film series chronicling the lives of settlers journeying to a town called Horizon in search of a better life, battling hardship and tragedy along the way. Costner co-wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the saga, even stepping away from Yellowstone Season 5 to make it happen.
Chapter 1 debuted in theaters on June 28, 2024, with Chapter 2 originally slated for release on August 16, 2024. However, disappointing box office returns and lukewarm reviews (see WTW’s Horizon: Chapter 1 review) prompted Warner Bros. to shift course. Instead of releasing Chapter 2 in theaters, the studio pivoted to streaming, hoping to grow a larger audience first.
That strategy had some success — Chapter 1 found new life when it landed on Netflix. Yet there’s still no confirmed release date for Horizon: Chapter 2. The sequel did screen at the 2024 Venice Film Festival and the Santa Barbara Film Festival in February 2025, but according to the latest report from Vulture, there’s been no update on when — or if — it will be released to the public. And as for the planned third and fourth installments? It’s unclear whether production on those chapters will ever be completed.
Many critics felt Horizon: Chapter 1 was too fragmented and unfinished — a film that felt like setup without payoff. Now, there’s a real possibility that audiences may never get to see Costner’s full vision unfold. Whether Kevin Costner’s The West is meant to serve as an alternate way of telling that story remains to be seen — but for now, it may be the closest thing we get to Costner’s sweeping take on the American West.
