Its been quite a ride for Kevin Costner’s Western epic Horizon: An American Saga.
The long-gestating project (Costner started working on the story in 1988) first became a source of speculation when it was rumored to be part of the reason the star dropped out of his role as a series lead on the mega-hit TV show Yellowstone. The first film of what Costner had announced to be a four-part franchise debuted in June 2024, but despite a splashy premiere at Cannes, it failed to find success at the box office. Subsequently, the already-completed second film was removed from its planned theatrical release date in August of that year—per the studio, they wanted to give fans more time to discover the first film—and there has yet to be any announcement as to when (or even if) the film will arrive in theaters.
That uncertainty hasn’t dimmed Costner’s enthusiasm for the project, though—he still plans to push ahead with a third outing of the saga, though exactly when and how are a bit murky at the moment.
Speaking at the Venice Film Festival in 2024, where Chapter 2 made its world premiere, Costner made it clear that he has no plans to cut the Horizon story short. “I don’t know how I’m going to make ‘Three’ right now,” he told reporters, “But I’m going to make it.” He added, “I have to hurry and not let the rock fall back downhill. I’ve gotta go put my hands on it again and start to push it up. It’s a rope that I cannot let go of.”
According to Deadline, the scripts for both the third and fourth movies—penned by Costner and co-writer Jon Baird—are ready to go. In May 2024, Costner revealed that filming had already begun on Chapter 3, though he had to shut down the shoot in order to participate in the first film’s debut at Cannes. Exactly how far into the filming process the next movie may currently be is something of a mystery, however he did call plans for the project “devastating,” at the Venice fest.
“If there’s anything that you expect from Part 2, you realize that 2 gets harder than 1. It’s hard to go west. Three is the same thing. It gets harder. But I will tell you this, Chapter 3 is devastating. It’s devastating because you begin to know all these people and life keeps coming at them, and you will see that.”
Since then, there has been little information—seemingly both for the public as well as those inside the production. Actress Isabelle Fuhrman, who reportedly appears in both of the first two films, told Screen Rant in May 2025 that she still has “no clue” about the second film’s release or the third film’s future.
“I have no clue what Kevin’s planning, but he’s probably planning something. And, yeah, no, I’m a really big fan of the second film…. I really hope that people will see the second one when it comes out, and it gives us the opportunity to make the third one. But, right now, I’m starting another project, and I’m just hoping that I get that call from Kevin sometime soon.
Costner, who personally financed most of the project, even mortgaging his Santa Barbara in the effort, had previously revealed that he expected to pay $98 million himself for the first three films.
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