While Kevin Costner may have left Yellowstone for good, this doesn’t mean he’s left the ranch forever. The actor/director has another western project coming down the road, titled Horizon: An American Saga which Costner is writing, directing, and starring in. It is being described as a “western epic,” which suggests it will be a sweeping, character driven portrait of the American west while also promising to document life in the pre and post Civil War Era. The genre isn’t the only thing that feels very Yellowstone about the project, as the rating also suggests other similarities.
According to FilmRatings.com, the MPAA has given Horizon an R rating, for violence, some nudity and sexuality. While most westerns promise thematic violence, the nudity and sexuality element definitely feels like a Yellowstone-esque take on the time period. The Kevin Costner-led show famously indulges in nudity and sexuality, which has separated the show from predecessors within the genre.
Yellowstone has never shied away from scandalous storylines that add more tension within the world of the melodrama, where westerns before have centered more around masculinity, dynamics with the natives, and stylized violence. Horizon’s plot suggests a blend of ideas, introducing and contextualizing Civil War politics within the historic American West. And the rating hints that the interpersonal dynamics and relationships will also be essential, just like Yellowstone. Costner may be keen on separating himself from the streaming series, but he definitely seems to have taken a lot from his experience.
Also like Yellowstone, Horizon has a lot of story to tell. The project already has two sequels greenlit prior to the Horizon's release, so the epic will extend well past the first movie’s runtime. In addition to Costner, the movie, or movies, will star an ensemble cast which includes Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, and Luke Wilson. The first movie has already been completed, and production on the first sequel began before the 2023 Writers Strike. The first film does not currently have a concrete release date, but Costner previously said he hoped to have the movie out this fall.
The SAG-AFTRA strike has already delayed a number of projects that hoped for a Fall 2023 release date, however we will have to wait and see when Horizon finally hits theaters. The MPA already having a consensus on a rating is promising, suggesting the movie has been screened, at least for those determining the rating. However the promise of a new western starring Costner in general is exciting for Yellowstone fans, who will likely miss the Dances with Wolves star in upcoming seasons.
We are still waiting to see if Horizon: An American Saga will find its way into the 2023 movie release schedule. In the meantime, you can check out Kevin Costner in another western epic, Yellowstone, which is currently streaming for Peacock subscribers or with a Paramount+ subscription.
