Inside Kevin Costner's nearly 30-year journey to bring "Horizon" to life: "I couldn't forget it"

Kevin Costner, the Hollywood powerhouse known for his roles in "Yellowstone," "Dances with Wolves" and "The Bodyguard" is back with his most ambitious and personal project yet. 

Costner is the writer, director, producer and star of "Horizon: An American Saga," a series of four movies about the expansion and settlement of the American West.

In "Horizon," Costner's character, Haze Ellison, and his love interest, Marigold, played by actor Abbey Lee, are on the run from gunslingers seeking revenge. The series explores themes of violence, love, and betrayal.

The idea of "Horizon" has been decades in the making for Costner. 

He first commissioned the story in 1988, even before his success in "Dances with Wolves." Despite initial rejections, Costner never gave up on the passion project and knew he would bring it to life in some way.

"I thought, 'Well, I'll write four more, see how they like those.' No one liked that. You know the knot head that I am but you know I did. I couldn't forget it, I couldn't fall out of love with it. And I just kept pushing it forward," he said.

Authenticity in Westerns

Costner said ever since he was a child he loved Western films but he often found them inauthentic. This changed when he saw a Western where the characters were dressed authentically, the language and music were accurate, and the scenery played a significant role.

"They're hard to make, these big old Westerns. They're hard. Things move slow, but you have to invest in detail. Not just the gunfight; you have to invest in the humanity of what was taking place as people made their way across this country, displacing another whole culture that had been here for thousands of years," said Costner.

In "Horizon," he said he aims to portray the terrible clash of cultures that occurred during the westward expansion.

"Yet amidst all of it there were still people trying to live a noble life, raise their children, there were still the kind of people who were taking advantage of those situations, of no law. And the people who got caught in the middle are the people that were here first," said Costner.

One unexpected aspect of "Horizon" is the significant role that women play in the story. Costner explained that while he didn't initially plan for women to dominate the narrative, it became evident that their perspectives were crucial.

"As you're writing, you can't start scenes without recognizing that women were part of all these decisions and how they had to make their way," he said. "I can't imagine a world without women."

Family affair

Costner and his wife Christine Baumgartner divorced after 19 years of marriage in 2023.

In an interview with "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King, the former "Yellowstone" star discussed how he is doing one year later.

"That's a crushing moment. It's powerful and it hurt," Costner said.

Costner said his main concern was for his children.

"So, I can't wilt like a daisy. I have to go forward. I have to continue to be who I am and keep a special eye on who they are. Because that's a moment I was hoping they wouldn't experience, but now they have. So what we do is we just deal with it. "

Costner and Baumgartner have two sons and a daughter together. He called it a "dream" to work alongside his son Hayes in his new movie, "Horizon." Despite not pushing his children into acting, Costner felt Hayes was perfect for a role in the film.

"He's a very quiet boy, and he's a namesake of my character," Costner said. "At first, I didn't know that he'd be in it because this started a long time ago. But then I was looking and I was like, I have to make this movie. I have to do it, and I wanted him to be in it. I wanted to see if he'd come with me."

Despite Hayes having no prior experience, Costner was confident in his son's abilities. Recognizing that many children aspire to act, he doesn't give out roles easily. However, he felt that the role in this instance was manageable for Hayes, allowing them to work together closely on the film.

"I thought Hayes could do it. I thought we could be together, and that we're locked together in this," he said. "I was so proud of him, and every day we'd go to work together. It was a dream."

While he is wearing multiple hats in the project, Costner said he refuses to be deterred by challenges that often face those in Hollywood. He said he believes in the importance of not being swayed by trends or others' opinions, saying if he did so, he would be "totally lost." Instead, he focuses on his most important connection.

"I have a relationship with an audience. There is going to be people just like you who go in and don't know anything about it. And when the lights go out and they come up, you're going to take a ride," he said.

"Horizon: An American Saga" will be in theaters on Friday. The film is distributed by Paramount Pictures, a division of Paramount Global.