Horizon Footage Reaction: Director Kevin Costner's Western Epic Looks Utterly Massive [CinemaCon 2024]
Time to put on your spurs and don that 10-gallon hat that's been gathering dust in your closet. With his "Yellowstone" days potentially behind him, Kevin Costner is taking moviegoers back to the Old West with his multi-part directorial effort "Horizon: An American Saga," and he's bringing all his friends with him. That's not even a joke. The "Dances With Wolves" filmmaker appears to be competing with "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" when it comes to assembling a massive cast filled with big names and respected character actors. Having gone more than 20 years since his last sojourn in the saddle with the 2003 Western "Open Range," Costner is clearly embracing a "go big or go home" philosophy here. Personally, I just hope the Academy allows John Mulaney to summarize the plot for this particular Costner concoction when next year's Oscars ceremony rolls around.
With Warner Bros. preparing to unleash the first two parts of "Horizon" as part of its summer lineup this year, the studio brought some shiny new footage to show off at the ongoing 2024 CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Mercifully, /FIlm's Ryan Scott was there to witness it all with his own two eyes.
On stage in Las Vegas, Costner acknowledged that for those early (mostly white) settlers, the promise of this country came at a huge cost: The slaughter and relocation of Native Americans. While the filmmaker/star didn't want to downplay the resourcefulness of the folks who packed up their lives and moved West, he at least understands and makes clear that the situation is more complicated than many classic Westerns might have you believe.
An American tale: Costner goes west
And make no mistake, this is personal for Costner. "I started this in 1988. I tried to make it in 2003, and couldn't," he said, before revealing that he named his actual son Hayes, the character he plays in this movie. "I decided that nothing was going to stop me from making these four movies," he said. "There's something in me that wanted to make this movie. And I never make one that I don't think can blow up."
As for the new footage (which included snippets from both films), it begins with a sweeping shot of Costner on horseback before he comes face to face with the film's villain, who's played by Jamie Campbell Bower. "I will tell you this: In these territories, men will try you," the villain says. There are a series of classic Western shots, all of which look picturesque. Native Americans are warring with settlers, and there are clearly a distinct set of factions that are fighting for their own interests. The central story seems to involve a rescue mission of some kind, but Costner is still keeping much of the meat of the story close to the vest. Delightfully, this seems like a playground for lots of character actors getting to chew the scenery, none moreso than the great Michael Rooker ("Guardians of the Galaxy"), who stands out playing a soldier. The biggest takeaways are that this movie looks gigantic, practical, gritty, and downright stunning, and it seems as if Costner's passion project was finally brought to life in the biggest way possible. His passion is oozing off the screen here, and we can't wait to see what he has in store for us.
"Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1" is slated to gallop into theaters on June 28, 2024, with "Chapter 2" due to follow suit a few months later on August 16. Its official synopsis reads as follows:
In the great tradition of Warner Bros. Pictures' iconic Westerns, "Horizon: An American Saga" explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won — and lost — through the blood, sweat, and tears of many. Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner's ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends, and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.