If there is one actor who knows how to star in Western films, it’s Kevin Costner. The genre is known for being quite restrictive. Despite this, he has perfectly understood how to make such projects captivating. The perfect example is the critically acclaimed masterpiece, Yellowstone. The series is known for its relatability while simultaneously creating a deeply captivating story. Unfortunately, since the star left the cast, many have wondered about the future of both the show and Costner.
It would seem that the actor is not walking away from his roots, not only starring in the upcoming Horizon: An American Saga, but also directing it. Unfortunately, the trailer for the film has inspired some reservations among fans. During a recent interview, the actor talked about the project, and he may have just addressed the doubts directly.
Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga’s Trailer Has Mixed Reviews
The trailer for Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga was recently released, and fans are having quite interesting reactions to it. Spanning a 15-year period, the film follows the story of pre-and post-Civil War expansion. When the trailer was released, a majority of the fans absolutely loved the premise. Additionally, knowing that the film was directed by Costner made fans even more excited.
While the trailer was mainly very well received, there were a few audience members who were not so convinced. Many were focused on how the actor left Yellowstone and did not wish to watch the movie because of it. Some mentioned that the film looked just like every other Western film out there, calling its premise and style unoriginal.
Now that this is over filming how, about going back to Yellowstone?
— Misty Harlow (@luvinlingerie) February 27, 2024
Gee another western saga. Too bad the Yellowstone saga was destroyed in the process.
— NotaParody (@parrotdawg) February 26, 2024
How original
— SUITUP (@WalkOn700) February 26, 2024
looks like another costner dud
— Pistolero🇺🇸💙L.E.🇮🇱 (@spyguy5150m) February 27, 2024
This looks like it’s going to be some farce/fantasy of the West…. I hope not, but this is probably a vanity project for dude
— Greg (@greg_i_yam) February 26, 2024
Others had a similar critique, stating that the film did not look any different compared to the actor’s other projects. One fan specifically hoped that the film actually had weight to it and was not a money-making scheme.
Kevin Costner’s Thoughts on the Western Genre
Despite starring in many projects that are set in a Western setting, Kevin Costner’s feelings about the genre may surprise many of his diehard fans. The actor recently gave an interview with CBS, in which he talked about the genre. Indirectly voicing the concerns of his fans, the actor mentioned that films like this can often be quite repetitive and dull.
“Westerns specifically, they can look really dull,” he said. “They can look obvious. They’re hard to make, and that’s the problem. It’s like, it’s hard to make a Western that you can relate to.”
He believes that they can be very predictable and additionally, they can be very costly to make. He added that since Western films are so far away from modern-day society, they can be very hard to relate to. This can make audiences feel detached from them.
The fact that Costner understands these issues proves that he can do better than others in the genre. The criticism that the actor listed is famously absent from the many projects he has starred in, proving that he knows how to do the Western genre right.
Chapter 1 of Horizon: An American Saga is set to release in theaters on June 28, 2024.
