Kevin Costner, acclaimed for his distinctive creative drive, has faced major professional setbacks connected to his ambitious project Horizon: An American Saga. The Kevin Costner Horizon Flop has been closely tied to complications arising from his relationship with his business partner, Howard Kaplan, which impacted both the film’s production and Costner’s career trajectory.
Costner earned widespread fame in Hollywood through films like The Untouchables and Field of Dreams, and cemented his legacy by directing, producing, and starring in 1995’s Dances With Wolves, winning Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. However, following major box office failures such as Waterworld and The Postman, Costner’s career suffered significant decline.
Rising Tensions on Yellowstone and the Beginning of Horizon Troubles
After a lucrative resurgence with the hit TV series Yellowstone in 2018, Costner’s relationship with the cast and crew grew strained over time, culminating in an on-set physical confrontation with actor Wes Bentley, which ultimately resulted in Costner’s departure. According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, this incident marked a breaking point for Costner’s time on the show.
During this period, Costner’s fixation on developing Horizon, a sprawling four-part film series about the American Midwest after the Civil War, began to consume his attention. Despite an inability to secure studio backing for Horizon’s script, Costner left Yellowstone partly to pursue this passion project with Howard Kaplan, who was not only his business partner but also occasionally served as his lawyer.
Financial Mismanagement and Creative Conflict on Horizon
Howard Kaplan, a former Price Waterhouse accountant, took on the producer role for Horizon. Early in production, budget concerns surfaced almost immediately. Marc Weinstein, the film’s former unit production manager, expressed disbelief that Costner and Kaplan believed the first chapter could be produced for $70 million, estimating the actual costs to be near $130 million.
Howard made enemies out of everyone,
said Weinstein, highlighting Kaplan’s role in creating hostile working conditions. He added,
I love Kevin Costner. But it got to a point where Howard alienated anyone who tried to get close to Kevin for the good of the project, including myself. The problem is no one knew what was going on with the money, not even Kevin. Kevin let Howard do anything. He let him make decisions, but he wasn’t informed. [Costner] never realized what all of this was going to cost him. It breaks my heart.
Marc Weinstein, Former Unit Production Manager
Weinstein was hired in early 2022 but was dismissed by Kaplan later that year. Kaplan disputed Weinstein’s claims, stating:
Marc Weinstein was terminated based on his performance more than eight weeks before the start of photography on Horizon. Mr. Weinstein was not one of Kevin’s representatives and he would have absolutely no knowledge of what Kevin was or wasn’t aware of.
Reception and Impact of Horizon: An American Saga
The Horizon project, with an estimated budget of $200 million and $38 million funded directly by Costner, made its debut at the 77th Cannes Film Festival to lukewarm reactions. The first installment grossed below $40 million at the box office and earned a mixed critical reception, reflected in its 51% Rotten Tomatoes rating after an initial 27% score. While filming for the second chapter has wrapped, its release remains uncertain following Warner Bros.’ withdrawal from distribution.
A source involved with the project revealed:
But right now, there’s really nothing happening,
adding cautiously,
But could it still happen? Possibly.
Key Cast Members in Horizon: An American Saga
The lead roles in Horizon include Kevin Costner himself, alongside Hayes Ellison. The cast also features Sienna Miller playing Frances Kittredge, contributing to the ensemble portraying the complex stories of post-Civil War America. Despite its star power and ambitious scale, the project’s future remains uncertain amidst financial and managerial hurdles.
