Kevin Costner debuted his film “Horizon: An American Saga” at the Cannes Film Festival, hoping to transform it into a four-part series despite facing financial uncertainties. The actor revealed he took out a mortgage on his waterfront property in California to help fund the ambitious project, which chronicles the struggles of American settlers expanding westward in the late 1800s.
“This has been so hard. And it’s not over yet,” Costner told Reuters in an interview at the festival. “I have to find the money.” The actor, who stars in, directed, produced, and co-wrote the first film, began filming the third chapter before heading to Cannes.
Costner expressed his personal connection to the project, likening himself to the characters in the film. “I’m just like the people going West,” he said. “I have to figure this out because there’s no one really going to help me,” he added, referring to the challenges of financing the series.
The 181-minute first part of “Horizon: An American Saga” premiered out of competition at Cannes and is set to release in North America, the UK, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands on June 28, with part two following on August 16.
Kevin Costner’s previous work in Westerns includes his Oscar-winning “Dances With Wolves” in 1990 and his role in the successful TV series “Yellowstone,” which ran for five seasons.
Costner’s latest project aims to delve into the historical and human challenges faced by settlers during the period surrounding the American Civil War, portraying the complex interaction between white settlers and Native American tribes in the West.
