Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ to Premiere at Cannes

Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga” is officially premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, out of competition. No word yet if both parts 1 and 2 will be screened on the Croisette.

Last month, a trailer for ‘Horizon’ was released and it looked as ambitious, in both scope and story, than had been previously advertised. The cinematographer here is J. Michael Muro, whose previous credits include “Crash,” and “Open Range.”

To say that this film, alongside Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” are the risks of the year would be an understatement. Costner helped fund not one, but two, of these $100 million-plus Westerns, financed by mysterious parties and Costner himself. Warner Bros. is set to release both films, six weeks apart, this summer.

Set in the pre– and post–American Civil War, the film tackles the expansion of the American West. “Horizon: An American Saga” lands in theaters this summer, Chapter 1 on June 28 and Chapter 2 on August 16. We also have an official synopsis:

In the great tradition of Warner Bros. Pictures’ iconic Westerns, “Horizon: An American Saga” explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won—and lost—through the blood, sweat and tears of many.  Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner’s ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional 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.

The massive cast includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe, Ella Hunt, and Jamie Campbell Bower.

Last month, I had reported that Costner would soon return to St. George, Utah to continue filming the third and fourth installments. It seems to be a done deal. Where is he getting all of this money? In addition to mortgaging 10 acres of a $50 million, oceanfront Santa Barbara property to ensure proper funding for the project, Costner also dished out $24 million of his own money to co-fund these epics.

I don’t think it all would have been possible without “Yellowstone” giving Costner a late-career renaissance. These last few years, he’s been (or was) the biggest star on TV. There is the chance that the same audience that made “Yellowstone” a hit might purchase tickets for ‘Horizon’ — that’s the best case scenario.