After Yellowstone exit, Kevin Costner hit with major legal setback that could cost him millions over Horizon film deal

Kevin Costner's dream project, Horizon: An American Saga, is now embroiled in a major legal battle that could cost him millions.

After leaving Yellowstone, the actor-director's ambitious Western series is facing financial difficulties, with New Line Cinema and a bank dragging his production company into arbitration.

Costner put millions of dollars of his own into the film, which flopped, and its sequel is now postponed indefinitely.

Why is New Line Cinema taking legal action?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Horizon Series, the film's producer, is the target of an arbitration claim brought by New Line Cinema for allegedly breaking their co-financing agreement.

The allegation was made following City National Bank's arbitration action against Horizon Series and New Line. New Line then pursued a defence against the bank by filing a cross-complaint against Horizon Series for repayment, as per a report by the Daily Mail.

According to the disputed agreement, both New Line and Horizon agreed to reimburse a portion of the film's funding.

According to THR, New Line essentially paid what Horizon Series failed to pay, but City National Bank feels it is owed more.

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How much has Kevin Costner risked personally?

Although it's unclear how much money is at stake, Costner has acknowledged in the past that he contributed $38 million of his own money to the two-part epic, which took more than $100 million to produce, as per a report by the Daily Mail.

It was apparently his passion project. Costner directed and starred in the two-part Western film series, which is meant to be told over four chapters.

Released in June of last year, Horizon: Chapter 1 was a box office failure and received harsh criticism from critics.

What’s next for Horizon: Chapter 2?

The second installment, Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2, was supposed to hit theatres in July 2024 but was withdrawn, and its release has been postponed indefinitely.

According to a September Deadline report, the scripts for parts three and four are complete and ready for the big screen.

After decades of searching for a studio to produce the movie, Costner acknowledged that he had invested $38 million of his own money in the Horizon films. He even took out a loan secured by his Santa Barbara house after over 30 years of fruitless attempts to make it.

Costner has stated that he will own the film for the rest of his life and that people will discover it, demonstrating his faith in the power of a film and the big screen.

Kevin Costner conveyed that he views films as greater than their opening weekend success, feeling they have worth throughout their whole life.

He wants to avoid having to do this again, but he hopes to receive the money back. Costner also acknowledged that he wouldn't break down if that didn't occur.

Although he admitted he could lose some treasured belongings, he insisted they were merely material possessions.

FAQs

What is Kevin Costner being sued for?
New Line Cinema claims his company violated a co-financing agreement related to the Horizon films.

How much has Kevin Costner invested in Horizon?
He personally invested $38 million in the project and even took out a loan against his home.