What We Know About Kevin Costner’s Next Western, Horizon: An American Saga

With four decades of acting and a number of iconic film roles under his belt, Kevin Costner has achieved a newer, unexpected surge of popularity and critical acclaim in the last couple of years since he started playing John Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s Western drama series Yellowstone.

For five seasons now, viewers have watched Costner’s hardbitten patriarch commit all kinds of gnarly, morally dubious acts in the name of protecting his family and their land—and fans would gladly watch many seasons more. But Costner announced in September 2023 that he is leaving the series in order to focus on a passion project of his that has been in the works, in some form or other, since 1988.

An Oscar-winning director as well as an actor, Costner quit the show due to scheduling conflicts with filming on his own Western epic, Horizon: An American Saga.

What is Horizon about?

Horizon: An American Saga will chronicle a 15-year period in the settlement of the American West, both in the lead-up to and aftermath of the Civil War, and follow a sprawling ensemble cast of characters.

While no official synopsis for the movie’s plot has yet been released, Costner is reported as describing it thusly: “America’s expansion into the west was one that was fraught with peril and intrigue, from the natural elements to the interactions with the Indigenous peoples who lived on the land, and the determination and at many times ruthlessness of those who sought to settle it. Horizon tells the story of that journey in an honest and forthcoming way, highlighting the points of view and consequences of the characters’ life and death decisions.”

Who is in Horizon?

Costner himself will appear in the movie, as will his son Hayes Costner, playing “namesakes” of each other, per People.

The giant cast also includes Sam Worthington, Jamie Campbell Bower, Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Sienna Miller, Jena Malone, Thomas Haden Church, Michael Rooker, Ella Hunt, Tanka Means, Jeff Fahey, Alejandra Eddo, Tom Payne, Michael Angarano, Colin Cunningham, Danny Huston, Douglas Smith, Owen Crow Shoe, Larry Bagby, Dale Dickey, Georgia MacPhail, Naomi Winders, Dalton Baker, Austin Archer and Will Patton.

Is there a trailer?

A short teaser trailer for Horizon: An American Saga has been released, building anticipation for the “two-part theatrical event” with sweeping shots of Western scenery and a brief clip of Costner firing a rifle while on horseback.

What is the release date?

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 will be released in theaters on June 28, 2024. Chapter 2 will follow just under two months later, on August 16, 2024.