Horizon: An American Saga has yet to release Chapter 1 or Chapter 2 yet, but Kevin Costner is reportedly going to start filming Chapter 3 before either of the other two movies get released. The Costner-led film – for which he is directing, writing, and starring in – follows an ensemble cast of characters during America’s expansion westward. The movie is expected to be released in four parts, with the first two arriving this summer.
Now, a new report from Puck has seemingly confirmed that, ahead of Horizon: An American Saga: Chapter 1’s release, Costner will begin filming for Chapter 3. The report claims production on the next movie will start before the first one’s on-screen debut, likening the process for making the movie to The Lord of the Rings trilogy in this regard. Such an unprecedented decision indicates all the movies involved in forming the creative’s Western epic are expected to be made and released.
Horizon: An American Saga Is Kevin Conster’s Most Ambitious Project Yet
Costner first envisioned his Western epic as a single movie in 1988, with Horizon: An American Saga later expanding into four parts by the time he began making it in 2022. The movie is a decades-long passion project for the actor, who has contributed some of his own money to the budget of the Western epic. If Chapter 3 does start filming before the release of the first film, then it guarantees he will be able to make the movie he’s always wanted to, ensuring the story set up in the first two movies gets completed.
What makes this process of filming the four-part saga even more ambitious is that there’s no guarantee the movie ends up being a box office or critical success. The first screening of the movie won’t be until May 19 at Cannes Film Festival, meaning reviews for the first movie won’t even arrive until then. It’s also unclear how many moviegoers will see the Western, especially given Chapter 1’s 181-minute runtime. However, Costner’s decades-long acting career coupled with this being his magnum opus means there’s a strong chance the first two movies justify making the last two.
Since the next installment might be underway soon, it seems the movies are also going to be crafted with Costner’s original vision. This means responses to Horizon: An American Saga’s first two movies won’t inform how the rest of the Western epic plays out. Even so, Costner has had a clear vision of what he wants the story to be for decades, showing an uncompromising dedication to make the film he’s always wanted to. This only serves to make the Western more exciting, as it will be entirely his vision for the movie come to life.