Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga is poised to become the biggest Western movie of 2024. For decades, Costner has been known for his immense love for Westerns. This is on the heels of the highly successful neo-Western drama series Yellowstone, where Costner led the cast as John Dutton.
Although the genre had suffered popularity at the end of the 20th century, a recent wave of these neo-Westerns is helping to raise a new generation of audiences. From the casting, runtime, and production budget, Horizon: An American Saga is being positioned to be one of the greatest Western movies of all time. What’s more? Kevin Costner is reportedly backing up the project with his own money. Here’s everything to know about the Western movie Horizon: An American Saga.
What Horizon: An American Saga Is About
For the most part, intricate details about the movie have been kept under wraps. However, thanks to its first officially released trailer, more details about its plot have emerged. Horizon: An American Saga is set during the Civil War. The movie will particularly focus on America’s westward expansion. The Horizon movies will reportedly span a 15-year period, including the four years of the Civil War.
Following the expansion of the American West, Horizon: An American Saga will focus on the battles between American settlers and Native Americans. Told through the eyes of its protagonist, Hayes Ellison, the movie depicts how the Old West was won (and also lost) through the blood and sweat of these American settlers and Native Americans. The movie revolves around themes of love, family, trust, betrayal, and revenge.
Who Stars In Horizon: An American Saga?
Horizon: An American Saga is packed full with a star-studded cast. Kevin Costner leads the cast, playing the movie’s protagonist, Hayes Ellison. It also includes Sam Worthington (Avatar) playing First Lt. Trent Gephardt, Sienna Miller (American Sniper) as Frances Kittredge, Danny Huston (Wonder Woman) as Colonel Houghton, and Jena Malone (Sucker Punch) as Ellen/Lucy.
Others include Giovanni Ribisi as Roland Bailey, Michael Rooker as Sgt. Major Riordan, Will Patton as Owen Kittredge, and Luke Wilson as Matthew Van Weyden. Several others in supporting roles include Michael Angarano as Walter Childs, Tatanka Means as Taklishim, Owen Crow Shoe as Pionsenay, Abbey Lee as Marigold, and Dale Dickey as Mrs. Sykes. A few other actors with known character names include Kathleen Quinlan as Annie Pine, Isabelle Fuhrman as Diamond Kittredge, Tom Payne as Hugh Proctor, Ella Hunt as Juliette Chesney, Wasé Chief as Liluye, and Jon Beavers as Junior Sykes.
Horizon: An American Saga Production & Crew
Kevin Costner helms Horizon: An American Saga as its director. This will be Costner’s fourth directorial project, having made his directorial debut in 1990 with the epic Western Dances with Wolves. Costner also directed The Postman (1997) and Open Range (2003). Costner also co-wrote the screenplay with Scottish director Jon Baird. Kevin Costner had wanted to produce the movie 36 years ago, having commissioned it in 1988.
However, no major studio was looking to finance the project. Not only did Kevin Costner reportedly put down at least $20 million of his own money, putting his 10-acre Santa Barbara home at risk, but he chose to make Horizon into a four-part movie. Horizon: An American Saga will release its first two chapters in 2024. Although production for the third chapter has commenced, the fourth part will only be greenlit if these first two chapters are successful.
Horizon: An American Saga Chapters 1 & 2 reportedly cost over $100 million to produce. Arguably, this could be the most expensive Western movie ever produced. The genre is famous for its low-budget productions, especially since Westerns aren’t generally big Box Office earners. The Western genre is one of (if not the only) the genres that haven’t had a billion-dollar movie at the Box Office. Horizon: An American Saga is co-produced by Costner, Howard Kaplan, and Mark Gillard. Horizon: An American Saga was filmed in Utah.
When Will Horizon: An American Saga Be Released?
Horizon: An American Saga Chapters 1 & 2 will be released in 2024 as scheduled. Chapter 1 will premiere out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2024. Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 is scheduled for a theatrical release on June 28, 2024. Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 2 is scheduled for a theatrical release on August 16, 2024. With Warner Bros. Pictures with the distributing rights in North America, the Horizon movies will exclusively be released in theaters. If you’ll watch Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga, check out these 7 Kevin Costner movies & TV shows.
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