When it comes to the best westerns in modern moviemaking, actor/director Kevin Costner is one of the titans that casts a pretty large genre shadow. The 2024 movie schedule is only going to build that image up even greater, thanks to his new epic film series Horizon: An American Saga. That task is now apparently more of a family business, as Costner revealed in a sweet post on social media that his own son is a part of Horizon's stacked cast.
Taking to his personal Instagram, Kevin Costner showed off a section of footage from Horizon's first trailer that showcases the first on-screen role held by his son Hayes. Included below is that clip, as well as a message from Kevin that oozes pride for his child amidst thanking his fans.
Reviewing this footage from Horizon, it is very easy to see Hayes Costner taking after his father. As an actor, he seems to already show an aptitude for that stoic heroism we’ve seen in some of the best Kevin Costner movies. But even on a character level, Hayes’ young stalwart seems to exude the same protective energy Costner’s Jonathan Kent did in Man of Steel; which has me worried his son’s on-screen persona is going to meet the same fate.
Meanwhile, Yellowstone fans commenting on Horizon's first look seem to indicate this movie is primed for success with Kevin Costner’s loyal fanbase. As the actor is exiting the Paramount Network hit series in the remaining Season 5 episodes, it’s clear that the Dances with Wolves actor/director hasn’t given up on frontier life just yet.
Keeping that promise in mind, Horizon's first preview might just play a bit larger in revisiting its charms. You can catch the whole clip, included below, recontextualized in the knowledge that this is supposed to be the first half of Costner's vision with co-writer Jon Baird:
Horizon: An American Saga was initially planned as a four-part epic that's planned to play out across theatrical installments, with the first two hitting this summer with a six-week gap in between. Which leaves us all looking at the bright side that if Hayes happens to enjoy the acting life, he might just find himself playing other characters in the remaining two chapters to come.
Even if that doesn't come to pass, it'd be crazy not to keep your eye on Hayes Costner. Should this debut performance turn enough heads, we could see his career in the family business continue to grow. Something that's make dear old dad Kevin all the prouder, western or not.
That'll more than likely depend on how Horizon fares at the box office, with Chapter 1 slated for release on June 28 and Chapter 2 continuing the story on August 16. If Kevin Costner's original plan holds up, the projected release windows for Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 should hit in November 2024 and February 2025. So be sure to keep your riding gear in proper shape, and mind those cowboy hats when showing up to your local theater.
