Throughout his long career as a movie star, few people have bet bigger on themselves than Kevin Costner.Dances With Wolvesseemed like the kind of bloated vanity project that many Hollywood stars engage in, but it was widely acclaimed and ultimately won Best Picture. Now, Costner is betting big on himself again with a new multipart western calledHorizon. The project also stars Costner, and it seems designed to revive the big-budget Western. Costner is doing this instead of an apparentsixth season ofYellowstone, which he’s been starring in for several years.
“It’s really been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s exactly what I want to do,” Costner explained in 2022 during an interview withPeople. Costner is gambling on this return to the big screen, but what do we actually know about the massive, multipart endeavor?
Is Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 streaming?
HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA – CHAPTER 1 (2024)Streaming: August 23, 2024Max#HorizonAnAmericanSagaAdded to our streaming calendar:https://t.co/D2Qz2IILfR
— WhenToStream.com (@WhenToStream)August 16, 2025
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1is heading to streaming before the summer ends. The first part of Costner’s ambitious Western begins streaming exclusively onMaxstartingFriday, August 23.
What is the plot of Horizon?
While we know that theseHorizonmovies are Westerns, the actual details of their plots remain mostly a mystery. According to the movie’s official plot description, it “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 theUnitedStates of America.”
Costner is, of course, no stranger to Westerns as a genre.Dances With Wolves, his most successful prior directorial effort, fit squarely in that genre. “A lot of times, we measure ourselves against other generations,” he told People in 2022. “I think about what was at stake. How did people survive? There’s a rawness and an unpredictability about it. I’m haunted by that.”
Costner and Jon Baird co-wrote the movie’s script.
Who is in the cast for Horizon?
Horizonhas a massive ensemble cast that includes Costner, Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, Ella Hunt, Will Patton, Thomas Haden Church, Isabelle Fuhrman, Michael Rooker, Glynn Turman, Kathleen Quinlan, and Giovanni Ribisi. Individual roles have not been described in much detail, however, so it’s unclear how big any of these actors’ parts will be.
The movie will also co-star Costner’s son, Hayes. “He’s very good,” Costner toldPeople. “Hayes plays the namesake character that I actually play in the movie. He’s 13 years old, and the screenplay’s been around longer than that.”
Is there a trailer for Horizon?
A full trailer forHorizon: An American Sagawas released on February 26 by Warner Bros. Pictures. The trailer is over three minutes long, but it doesn’t offer much in the way of concrete plot details. Instead, we get a sense of the story’s epic scope and of the broad ensemble that Costner has assembled to pull it off.
The general impression, though, is thatHorizonwill be an old-fashioned Western that leans into the idea of heroes and villains. It’s also unclear exactly how much of the footage in the film is lifted from the first part.
Warner Bros. Pictures released a second trailer forHorizon: An American Sagaon May 17. The footage features Costner’s Hayes Ellison getting into several shootouts and fistfights as he travels to the town of Horizon. The explosive trailer includes visuals of the sweeping landscapes across the Old West as the fight for expansion intensifies.
How long is Horizon: An American Saga?
Horizon: An American Sagais believed to be around 11 hours spread across four films.Chapter 1’sruntime is hovering around three hours. However, Costner toldDeadline in May 2024that the final runtime ofChapter 1has not been finalized.
“I screened this movie [Chapter 1]at 3:15[thre hours and 15 minutes],” Costner said aboutChapter 1’sruntime. “First one was 3:52 and at first I didn’t know how to get five minutes out of that. Then I took it to 3:29, then 3:24, then I got it to 3:15. I screened that in Vegas, and then got down to 3:06. I didn’t think it had an inch more to go. Then I dropped beneath three hours. Got to 2:50, now I’m at 2:45, but I’m going to put some back.”
This has long been a passion project for Costner
As he hinted at when explaining that his son was actually younger than the script for this movie,Horizonhas been in the works for a long time. On top of that, Costner has also made it clear that he is willing to put his own money up to finance the project.
“I’ve mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house,” the star toldDeadlinein 2023, “But I did it without a thought. It has thrown my accountant into a fucking conniption fit. But it’s my life, and I believe in the idea and the story.”
Costner said that the beginnings of this came all the way back in the 1980s.
“I commissioned this story in 1988. Single movie, two-hander. A conventional Western with a beginning, middle, and end. I couldn’t get anybody to make it,” he told Deadline. “Eight years later, I started thinking about the story, started writing with a partner, and it endedupbeing four screenplays. So, I reverse-engineered everything from 1988. I thought it was really good. But I still couldn’t get anybody to make it. … I don’t know why, but I have not let go of this one. I’ve pushed it into the middle of the table three times in my career and didn’t blink. This is my fourth.”
Costner also made it clear that he won’t be taking this approach again and that he’s deferred all his payments from this part of the film — he basically did it for free.
“I gamble on the love of story. I’m gambling on people, in a sense. I can’t make them go to the theater, but if they get there, I’m going to try to take care of them the best I possibly can,” he explained.
Costner invested $38M of his own money to co-finance Horizon
Kevin Costner is 69 and still chasing one last dream: a four part movie epic that no studio wanted called Horizon. It’s cost him more than $38 million of his own money, and maybe his sanity. A profile more than two years in the making:https://t.co/Vh8Eb5cSIG
— Zach Baron (@zachbaron)August 17, 2025
It’s no secret that Costner invested his own money to co-financeHorizon: An American Saga. The rumored number was $20 million. However, Costner toldGQthat the $20 million was well below the actual number.
“I know they say I’ve got $20 million of my own money in this movie,” Costner said. “It’s not true. I’ve got now about $38 million in the film. That’s the truth. That’s the real number.”
Horizon: An American Saga to premiere at Cannes 2024
Costner is bringingHorizon: An American Sagato France for its world premiere at the2024 Cannes Film Festival.Chapter 1will be screened out of competition on Sunday, May 19. “Horizon, An American Sagais a story that began 35 years ago, and I can’t think of a better place than Cannes to reveal to the world the result of such a wonderful adventure,” Costner said about having his Western at Cannes.
Kevin Costner plans to start filming Chapter 3 in May 2024
BeforeChapter 1arrives in theaters, Costner began filming forChapter 3in May 2024. Costner planned to start earlier, but the Oscar winner could not secure the necessary financing.
“I wanted to start April 25th, but I’ve got to find the money,” Costner toldDeadline in a May 13 interview. “I wanted to start May 6th, but I needed to find the money. I’ve moved myself to May 13th, and I’m going to start my movie. I don’t give a shit now. I’m just going to start it.”
Costner plans to continue filming onChapter 3in August 2024. There is no word on whenChapter 4will start filming. However, Costner plans to make a fourth film to wrap up the saga.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 has a mediocre critics score on Rotten Tomatoes
Kevin Costner’s ‘HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA’ debuts on Rotten Tomatoes at 30% with 20 reviews.
Read our review:https://t.co/o37nMK1g5tpic.twitter.com/fgaLrLbF6U
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm)June 20, 2025
After the Cannes premiere,Chapter 1opened to a 30% critic score on the Tomatometer viaRotten Tomatoes. That number has since risen to the mid-40s. Because of Costner’s strong following, the audience score is certified fresh at 71%.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 disappoints at the box office
Kevin Costner's "Horizon" flopped in its box office debut, but he always knew "we’re bound to be disappointed" if "we put so much pressure on" opening weekend.
“I’ve lived with movies and what happens to them on their opening weekend… I’m really happy that ‘Horizon’ looks like…pic.twitter.com/c1NNsuvIaI
— Variety (@Variety)July 17, 2025
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1hits theaters on June 28, and early box office predictions have not been promising. According toThe Hollywood Reporter,Chapter 1was expected to gross just over $10 million domestically during the opening weekend. Considering the first two films have a combined budget of around $100 million, a $10 million opening isn’t ideal.
Now that the dust has settled,Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1grossed $11 million in its opening weekend, a misfire for a film with a large budget. After a disappointing opening weekend, Costner’s spirits remain high despite the uncertain future for his four-part epic.
“I’ve lived with movies and what happens to them on their opening weekend,” Costnertold Entertainment Weekly.“If we put so much pressure on that, we’re bound to be disappointed. I’m really happy thatHorizonlooks like what it’s supposed to look like, and that’s the way it’ll look the rest of its life. And that’s really important to me in this process. Would I love that it would be highly, highly successful? Of course, I’d like that. My ego would like that; everyone would like that. But I am happiest that the movie that you and I are talking about looks the way I want it to look.”
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 digital release date
The western epic arrives on Digital 7/16#HorizonAmericanSagapic.twitter.com/v7UX7K5dbv
— Horizon: An American Saga (@Horizonsaga)August 06, 2025
Unfortunately for Costner,Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1is not making a noteworthy impact on the summer box office. How will the movie play at home? We will find out soon enough asChapter 1arrives on digital services startingJuly 16, 2024.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 pulled from release calendar
#KevinCostner's gamble on#HorizonAnAmericanSagahas suffered a major setback after Chapter 2 has been removed from its August release date.https://t.co/rMizkHusEw
— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends)August 02, 2025
Horizonhad a risky release schedule planned, withChapter 1bowing on June 28 andChapter 2coming on August 16. That will not be the case anymore as New Line Cinema and Costner havepulledChapter 2from its August 16 release date. It will now premiere at a later date. The box office failure and the need for more time for audiences to seeChapter 1affected the decision to pullChapter 2from the August date. Costner’s production company, Territory Pictures, released a statement about the date change.
“The audience response toHorizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue inHorizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying. Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey,” Territory Pictures said. “The support that we have received from film fans, and the theater owners, as they experience the first chapter of this saga only serves to reinforce our belief in them and the films that we have made, and we thank them for coming on board for the ride. We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeingHorizon 2.”
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 to premiere at Venice
My dream was always to show@HorizonsagaChapter 2 at the Venice Film Festival. The fact that now they have decided to show Chapter 1 earlier in the day and then the World Premiere of Chapter 2 that evening shows not only their belief in how the two films work together but their…pic.twitter.com/9Vo9i1GTWl
— Kevin Costner & MW (@modernwest)June 19, 2025
Even without a release date,Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2will still have its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival. The Western will screen out of competition on September 7. BeforeChapter 2’spremiere, there will be a special screening ofChapter 1earlier that day.
“My dream was always to show Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter Two at the Venice Film Festival,” Costner wrote onX (formerly Twitter). “The fact that now they have decided to show Chapter One earlier in the day and then the World Premiere of Chapter Two that evening shows not only their belief in how the two films work together but their support of a director’s vision. I’m indebted to Alberto Barbera for his courage and leadership in committing to this cinematic journey. It is with gratitude and excitement that I return to the Venice Film Festival. Long live the movies and those willing to stand for them.”
What was the theatrical release date for Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1?
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1arrived in theaters onJune 28,2024.
