The Big Picture

Kevin Costner’s passion project,
Horizon: An American Saga
, explores the Wild West in all its contradictions and the myths upon which America was founded.
Set in the backdrop of the American Civil War period, the film follows Costner’s character Hayes across 12 years of hardship and survival.
With a gritty tone and an extended cast including Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington, audiences can expect a mind-blowing Western experience.

Kevin Costner is a busy man, not only he’s gearing up for the release of his passion project, Horizon: An American Saga, but is also preparing to film the third chapter. A new report by Puck reveals that the production of the third chapter will start before Chapter 1’s debut, which is set for this June. Horizon spans over a decade chronicling the Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West and is deemed “a story of America too big for one film.”

With the upcoming film, Costner aims to examine the Wild West in all its contradictions and to interrogate the myths upon which America was founded. Set in the backdrop of the American Civil War period, the movie depicts the expansion of the American West whilst following a plethora of characters across 12 years.

What to Expect From ‘Horizon: An American Saga’

While the story spans decades Costner’s character Hayes stays the focus of the story. He recently described his character, “He’s illiterate and works his way across the country. I’d say college wasn’t for him.” The director aims to elaborate on the hardships faced by the people back in the day, extending to life and death situations, “He’s just a man on a landscape, with all the possessions that he owns existing, on a horse. It’s a romantic view of things, but I respond to that notion of having responsibility only to yourself. I don’t have that, but I can look at it and go, ‘Wow, wouldn’t that be nice?'”

Fans have also seen a glimpse of the film in new images that give us an idea of the dark, gritty, tone of this film and the extended cast. The previously released trailer that saw Costner shooting at some people also foreshadowed the harsh realities of the time it’s set in. Overall, audiences can expect a gritty Western with humane themes to blow their mind.

The movie also boasts an extended cast including Sienna Miller as Frances Kittredge, Sam Worthington as First Lt. Trent Gephardt, Giovanni Ribisi as Roland Bailey, Danny Huston as Colonel Houghton, Michael Rooker as Sgt. Major Riordan and Jena Malone as Ellen/Lucy. Further rounding off the cast are Michael Angarano, Abbey Lee, Jamie Campbell Bower, Jon Beavers, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Wasé Chief and many more.

Horizon is scheduled to premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Described as a two-part event, Chapters 1 and 2 are scheduled for June 28 and August 16, respectively. You can learn more about the film with our guide here.

Horizon: An American Saga Chronicles a multi-faceted, 15-year span of pre-and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American west.Release Date June 28, 2024 Main Genre Western Writers Jon Baird