Kevin Costner will do just about anything for his art, and that reportedly includes putting up $50 million of his own money to finance the upcoming Western franchise Horizon, his four-film passion project more than 30 years in the making. In a new interview, the outgoing Yellowstone lead admitted that he mortgaged one of his beachfront properties to finance the franchise. It's a risk he says he won't take again: "I'm never putting my f***ing money in another movie after these four."
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"I've mortgaged 10 acres on the water in Santa Barbara where I was going to build my last house," Costner told Deadline this spring. "But I did it without a thought. It has thrown my accountant into a f**king conniption fit. But it's my life, and I believe in the idea and the story."
Costner's admission comes amidst rampant speculation about the actor's personal and professional life. On May 2, Costner's wife Christine Baumgartner filed for divorce after 18 years of marriage. The couple share three children together. Then, on May 5, it was reported that Yellowstone would end after its fifth season. Costner's departure from the series he's led since 2018 is widely considered to have been a factor in the decision.
By mortgaging the undeveloped Santa Barbara property, Costner is believed to have contributed $50 million of his own money to the Horizon production. In the same interview with Deadline, he said he fronted the cash for the sake of the Horizon films: "At the end of the day, I'm a storyteller and I went ahead and put my own money into it. I'm not a very good businessman so scratch your head if you will."
Getting whiffs of regret? Who's to say whether Horizon, which Costner will co-write, direct and star in, is worth the gamble. But the actor was adamant that he would never again gamble his savings on a film:
"I'll tell you what, I'm never gonna do this again. I'm never putting my f***ing money in another movie after these four."
Horizon is an epic chronicle of the settlement of the American West set during a 15-year time frame which spans the entire course of the Civil War. The star-studded cast includes Avatar's Sam Worthington, American Sniper's Sienna Miller, Stranger Things breakout Jamie Campbell Bower, Yellowstone villain Danny Huston and Oscar nominee Thomas Haden Church.
In addition to mortgaging his own property to finance the franchise, Costner has also foregone any acting, writing, directing or producing fees. While he'll likely receive some sort of contract payout in the event of a big box office take, that's a whole lot of work up-front for nothing — especially compared to his eye-watering Yellowstone salary. Kevin Costner reportedly makes $1.3 million per episode on the Paramount drama, making him one of TV's highest-paid stars.
Even so, Costner is evidently aiming higher than turning a profit on Horizon. He dreamed up the operatic film cycle way back in 1988, and he's been sitting on it ever since. Besides, Costner has come out on top with an acclaimed passion project once before. His 1990 directorial debut Dances with Wolves won a whopping seven Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture for Costner.
"I don't know why but I have not let go of this one," he told Deadline of his unwavering commitment to Horizon. "I've pushed it into the middle of the table three times in my career and didn't blink. This is my fourth."
The first movie in the Horizon franchise is slated for release later this year.
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