“Costner is just trying to keep the American Western alive”: Kevin Costner Did Not Get the Expected Outcome With Horizon: An American Saga

Many would say the Western genre is waning, but Kevin Costner would beg to differ. The actor has brought his latest tribute to the genre with his most ambitious project of recent times, Horizon: An American Saga. Directed, produced, and starring Costner, the two-part (of four planned movies) epic Western was screened for critics. The response his movie got, however, was not what the actor previously expected.

Kevin Costner in Horizon: An American Saga. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Horizon: An American Saga has an ensemble cast including Sam Worthington, Sienna Miller, and co. The movie has been in the buzz among the fans of Costner, and particularly the devout fans of Western. However, the response from critics to the movie may not be healthy as the movie is aiming for a big box office haul.

Horizon: An American Saga Has  A Disastrous Rotten Tomatoes Debut

Kevin Costner in Horizon: An American Saga . Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Horizon: An American Saga has certainly been the dream project of Kevin Costner. The director, who also starred in the film, attempted to bring the stylistic essence of the Western genre into his two-part saga, but the first part of the movie was bashed by critics after its Cannes premiere. 

The movie made a disastrous debut on Rotten Tomatoes with just a 20% score, a very poor score for any project. Deadline, critic Pete Hammond reflected on his mixed feelings about the three-hour-long movie that was soaked in astounding hype. He said:

For Costner, this is an impressive beginning, with the promise of more to come. It even ends with a montage of scenes from the second film coming in August, much like you might see if this were a television production, something it is defiantly not. With Horizon: An American Saga, Costner is just trying to keep the American Western alive, but he may, with this innovative roll of the dice, also be trying to keep theaters alive at the same time, that is if there is still an appetite for Westerns. Hopefully, there is.

However, the Cannes audience poured instant applause for the actor/director. According to Deadline, Horizon: An American Saga received an 11-minute standing ovation, but perhaps, for his effort to keep Western alive in the cinematic landscape rather than what the narrative has to offer.

Kevin Costner Reflected On His Ambitious Horizon: An American Saga 

Kevin Costner in Horizon: An American Saga . Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is one of the four planned movies in the potential franchise. In a chat with Deadline, the actor has reflected on his bold movie self-financing the movie. “We don’t know how much time we have on this Earth,” the Yellowstone star said of the movie, which appeared to be on his bucket list for long.

You’re going to drive home. You don’t know if somebody gets on the on-ramp going the wrong way. This happened to a guy I liked, who loves movies and who I’d just talked to, and in an instant, he was gone. I’ve lived my life the way I’ve lived it, and if I would be taken tomorrow, and didn’t make the third and fourth, it wouldn’t be as important as the fact that I got to make the first two.

The actor/director went on to add,

There was a window in to where my heart was. And when people speak of you later, they should speak of your heart. Well, who was this person? I have done what I’ve intended to do, and I’m not Ahab, but I have my own vision of what I want to give people.

Costner is not the only director to attempt to defy all the odds while going for their passion projects. Francis Ford Coppola self-financed his ambitious Megalopolis with a whopping $120 million from his $400 million net worth (per Celebrity Net Worth). Coppola’s movie also failed to meet the desired critical response as it was hyped after the Cannes premiere.

Horizon: An American Saga is scheduled for 28 June 2024 release.