Kevin Costner's Latest Gamble Might Not Have Paid Off

Kevin Costner's latest gamble 

Hollywood legend Kevin Costner boasts an estimated $250 million fortune, a testament to his decade-spanning career as an actor, producer, and director. However, there's a very real possibility that his net worth could take a significant hit.

The star's latest venture is a four-part western film series titled Horizon: An American Saga. Costner, who both stars in and directs the movies, has invested millions of dollars into his passion project.

With the first installment underperforming at the box office, the future of the franchise now appears uncertain. Click or scroll through the gallery to learn how much the project has cost him so far and why this isn't the first time Costner has risked his own fortune, with mixed results.

All dollar amounts in US dollars

Costner's first epic triumph

Costner made his acting debut in 1981, appearing in the rom-com Malibu Hot Summer. He worked steadily throughout the 80s, with his most notable role coming in the 1989 drama Field of Dreams.

His career reached new heights when he produced, directed, and starred in the 1990 Western epic Dances with Wolves. The film received critical acclaim, winning seven Oscars and earning 12 nominations. Costner took home the prestigious awards for Best Director and Best Picture.

A tidy return on investment

Dances with Wolves marked the first time Costner invested his own money into a film – and the risk paid off. Thanks to a lucrative backend profit deal that gave him a slice of the box office revenues, he earned $50 million, equivalent to a staggering $121 million when adjusted for inflation.

The film grossed $424 million worldwide, or around $1 billion in today's money.

Costner strikes gold again

The following year, Costner scored another box office hit with Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (pictured). He both starred in and produced the adventure epic.

The movie earned $390 million globally, equivalent to around $895 million today. Another backend profit deal reportedly saw Costner bank $40 million for the project, or a juicy $92 million in 2024 money. However, he went on to sue the film's production team in 2012 for reportedly cutting him out of the profit share since 2010. The case was settled in 2014.

That Bryan Adams song

Robin Hood also earned critical acclaim, with its theme song (Everything I Do) I Do It for You by Bryan Adams receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

Alas, the power ballad missed out on the prestigious prize, defeated by Beauty and the Beast from the Disney movie of the same name.

Costner's Midas touch

It seemed that Costner had the Midas touch and he struck box office gold yet again in 1992. That year, he produced and starred in the romantic drama The Bodyguard alongside Whitney Houston.

The movie grossed $411 million worldwide, equivalent to a sensational $918 million in today's money.

But the songs miss out again

The Bodyguard received two Oscar nominations for Best Original Song for the ballads I Have Nothing and Run To You, but unfortunately missed out on the award, defeated by A Whole New World from Disney's Aladdin.

Costner's first major flop

By the mid-90s, Costner had become an unstoppable force in Hollywood, solidifying his status as one of the highest-paid stars. His production and starring role in the 1995 blockbuster Waterworld earned him a juicy salary of $14 million, or $29 million today. 

However, Waterworld is infamous for its disastrous production. Filming on water presented several challenges, including unpredictable weather conditions, technical difficulties, and safety concerns. This pushed the film's total budget, including production and marketing costs, to $235 million, or $482 million in today's money.

Costner's first major flop

Waterworld then opened to mixed reviews, earning a modest $264 million at the box office, roughly $542 million today, barely recouping its staggering costs.

This made it a massive flop by Hollywood standards. And that was only the beginning of Costner’s bad luck...

Box office disaster

In 1997, Costner directed and starred in the sci-fi movie The Postman, a project which he partially funded with his own cash.

The movie was a disaster, with critics brutally slamming both Costner's directing and acting abilities. The film grossed a mere $20.8 million worldwide ($40m today), falling short of its hefty $80 million ($155m today) production budget.

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From Oscar winner to Razzie recipient

To make matters worse, The Postman received five Golden Raspberry Awards, including the dishonors of Worst Picture, Worst Actor, and Worst Director.

In just seven years, Costner had transitioned from an Oscar winner to a multiple Razzie recipient. 

A fading star

In Hollywood, they say you're only as good as your last hit, and by the turn of the new century, Costner’s star power had firmly faded.

Undeterred, he continued his creative pursuits, directing and starring in the 2003 Western Open Range. The film was a modest success, grossing $68.3 million against a production budget of $22 million; that's a gross of $108 million against a budget of $37 million in today's money.

A foray into superhero films

Costner continued appearing in movies over the next decade, perhaps most notably landing a role as Jonathan Kent in the DC Cinematic Universe.

He appeared in the superhero flicks Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which were released in 2013 and 2016 respectively.

Yet another box office flop

In 2014, Costner once again used his personal fortune to finance a movie, the family drama Black or White.

He starred in the film alongside the critically acclaimed actress Octavia Spencer. However, it received mixed reviews and failed to cause a stir at the box office, grossing a mere $21.8 million against its $9 million production costs.

The highest-paid TV star in the world

Costner's dwindling career got a major resurgence in 2018 when he landed the role of rancher John Dutton in the neo-Western TV series Yellowstone. By 2022, he had become the highest-paid TV star in the world, earning a remarkable $1.3 million per episode.

And a sudden exit...

However, Costner recently shocked fans by announcing that the fifth season of Yellowstone would be his last.

He claimed he was leaving the show to focus on his new film series Horizon: An American Saga, with rumors hinting at a possible feud between Costner and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan (pictured together).

A $50 million gamble?

Costner's Yellowstone success and pay cheque may have spurred him on to his biggest gamble yet: directing and starring in the Western film series Horizon: An American Saga. 

Costner recently revealed that he mortgaged a $50 million plot of land, initially earmarked as the site of a new home, to fund the project.

In an interview with Deadline, he confessed: "I’ve mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara, where I was going to build my last house. But I did it without a thought. It has thrown my accountant into a f***ing conniption fit. But it’s my life, and I believe in the idea and the story."

More like a $100m gamble

While promoting the first installment of the saga at Cannes, Costner floated an even larger figure, telling Deadline he's on schedule to spend $98 million on the first three movies, with the fourth likely to tip him over the $100 million mark.  

Again, it's Costner's significant property portfolio that appears to be taking the hit, and his children may also be in for some bad news if his press conference comments are anything to go by: "I’ll risk those homes to make my movies. I want to leave them to my children, but my children will have to live their own lives."

What the critics said

So how has the film gone down? According to reports, Costner received a 10-minute standing ovation after Horizon's premiere and was moved to tears by the reaction. However, there were also reports of people walking out during the three-hour epic.

It's also fair to say the initial critical reception has been a little mixed. At the time of writing Horizon has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 51%, and while it's been praised for its cinematography, the movie has been criticized for its sprawling runtime and myriad plotlines.

The box office test

The first installment of Horizon: An American Saga was released in June, grossing a disappointing $38.2 million at the global box office.

The second installment was originally set to premiere in August but has been delayed indefinitely due to the poor performance of the first entry. As for the third chapter in the franchise, it is currently in the early stages of production, though it's unclear if the movie will ever be completed. 

While it's still early days for the Horizon franchise, it appears to be a gamble too far for Costner, with the potential for significant financial consequences.

Read on: The art of the deal: how Hollywood's richest directors have made millions

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