Kevin Costner, director, is set to get back behind the camera for the first time since 2003’s “Open Range”.
Costner has already completed the first part of his passion project Western “Horizon: An American Saga.” The second movie has already started production in Utah. Costner will star in the film, produce it and finance it. Warner Bros and New Line will distribute these films.
In a must-read interview with Deadline, both Costner and Francis Ford Coppola talk about self-financing their own passion projects.
I’ll be tackling more of this interview in the hours to come, but, firstly, here’s Costner confirming that the first instalment of “Horizon” might be ready to go for this year’s Venice Film Festival:
I hope it comes out in the fall. I’d like to take it to the Venice Film Festival. That’s what I want if I get the chance. I love going to Europe, and I’d like to put that out there and let people know that’s what my hope is.
Whether Venice accepts it is a whole other story, but, really, why wouldn’t they? This is a massive undertaking that has definitely intrigued movie fans.
In a June 2022 interview, Costner stated he planned to make four movies out of “Horizon”, and was looking to cast over 170 speaking roles. All four films are planned to be shot back to back.
Costner is done with the show “Yellowstone”, he quit that series a few months ago, now he’s zeroing in on his long-gestating passion project. ‘Horizon’ has obsessed him for years and is finally headed to the big screen.
‘Horizon’ is said to have the sweep of his 1990 Best Picture winner “Dances With Wolves”, which also won Costner the Best Director Oscar. It stars Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Will Patton, Luke Wilson, Thomas Haden Church, Jena Malone and Giovanni Ribisi.
The four films will chronicle a multi-faceted, 15-year span of pre-and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American west:
In the great tradition of classic Westerns, the second film will continue to explore the lure of the old West and will take audiences on a treacherous journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.
Costner’s had a tumultuous career as filmmaker, he triumphed with “Dances With Wolves,” got great reviews for “Open Range,” but then there was 1997’s ill-received “The Postman.”
He’s back in familiar territory with ‘Horizon,’ which still doesn’t have a release date. This is as ambitious an American project as I’ve seen in quite a while.
Paul Greengrass’ "The Uprising," starring Andrew Garfield, opened to $3.2M from 2,068 theaters this weekend. Yikes. The budget hasn’t been disclosed, but is said to be in the $20-$30M range.