After leaving his role as John Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s highly-successful neo-Western series “Yellowstone,” Kevin Costner is back with another Western. Only this time, he is in charge as director, producer and star. Here’s all you need to know about his ambitious four-part epic drama “Horizon: An American Saga.”
Costner, who won two Academy Awards for another epic Western “Dancing With Wolves,” has revealed the first trailer of the first chapter of “Horizon,” which will be distributed by Warner Bros. It has been a passion project for Costner, who has been reportedly working on it since 1988.
And the director and actor didn’t hesitate to do whatever he needed to bring it to life. In the presentation of the first trailer, the star verified the reports that the actor had mortgaged real estate in order to collect $100 million to shoot the first two films in the franchise.
What is ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ about?
The films will explore four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, following different characters (it reportedly has 150 speaking roles) as they navigate the conflict. According to Costner himself, and as we can see in the first trailer, the story will follow the known formula of “man-comes-to-town” but he will go deeper.
“This isn’t Disneyland. These were real lives. People just making their way, women just trying to keep their families clean, fed — [they] basically worked to death. Women’s lives were short, all they did was work. And so I’m drawn to that. I’m always gonna get to my gunfight — but I’m drawn to the little things of what people had to endure,” the filmmaker said in his presentation, per Polygon.
‘Horizon: An American Saga’ release date: When is it coming out?
The first film will be released in theaters June 28, followed by its second chapter just two months later, on Aug. 16. The second two films haven’t yet been filmed. Development of Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 will depend on the success of the first two.
Who is in the cast of ‘Horizon’?
Costner will lead an extensive ensemble cast that includes: Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Michael Rooker, Tatanka Means, Sienna Miller, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Jamie Campbell Bower, Isabelle Fuhrman, Ella Hunt, Jeff Fahey, Tom Payne, Will Patton, Owen Crow Shoe and Danny Huston.
Where was ‘Horizon’ filmed?
Per Costner, the movie was filmed in real locations in Utah in only 52 days. “I learned a lot and I was able to use every trick in the book to bring this movie to an audience — and there’s four of them,” Costner said, per The Hollywood Reporter.
