Kevin Costner’s Unexpected Success: How ‘Dances with Wolves’ Became a Hit
Thirty-five years after quietly surprising audiences worldwide, Dances with Wolves has cemented its place as one of the greatest Westerns ever made—and the defining moment of Kevin Costner’s career. But back when it was first pitched, the film was little more than a cynical negotiation tactic, embodying every Hollywood stereotype about power plays behind the scenes.
Despite Kevin Costner’s track record of hits, his latest idea was met with skepticism. He wanted to star in, produce, and direct a sprawling Western that featured authentic Native American languages—a risky move, since Westerns were considered box-office poison throughout the 1980s. Yet, in a panic move, the studio agreed to greenlight the film—mainly to stay on the good side of Costner’s new talent agency.
Orion Pictures hated the project but couldn’t afford to offend anyone influential. It wasn’t so much a gamble as it was their only option: backing a historically accurate epic about a fading genre. Oddly enough, sometimes studios throw money at a star or their agency just to keep things running smoothly. In this case, the powerhouse Creative Artists Agency played a key role. Dances with Wolves is the perfect example of why actors often thank their agents during awards speeches.
