It's no secret that the Yellowstone universe has imploded in recent weeks, with franchise creator Taylor Sheridan dishing on his frayed relationship with series star Kevin Costner (who may not even appear in the final few episodes of the hit show). In a new interview for his upcoming Horizon film series, Costner seems to have thrown some subtle shade at the Dutton-verse drama: "Sometimes you just have to let some things go," he said, adding: "It's a good lesson for everybody."
Costner is writing, directing, self-funding and starring in Horizon (big Dances with Wolves vibes), an epic Western movie cycle that's been a passion project of his for the past 35 years. The four-film franchise is widely cited as a reason for Costner's shocking Yellowstone departure, with Taylor Sheridan telling The Hollywood Reporter last week, "I sure hope [Horizon is] worth it."
Horizon will also star Sam Worthington, Sienna Miller and the always-excellent Glynn Turman. Filming is currently underway in Southern Utah for the second film in the 4-movie series, and Kevin Costner opened up about the compromises he's had to make on set in a June 26 interview with St. George News.
The Oscar winner admitted that he turned into a "baby" when his first-choice filming location flooded due to record snowfall in the mountains near the Santa Clara River: "It broke my heart because losing my location turns me into a baby a little bit because I have my mind set on what it's going to look like and how people will enjoy it," he told the outlet.
The Horizon production scouted a second location that didn't pan out, either. The landscape was too beautiful for the scene, Costner said. Horizon chronicles westward expansion in the years surrounding the Civil War, and the writer-director needed a desolate-looking landscape for his characters' last-ditch effort to lay down roots in the unforgiving frontier.
"It's what the ancestors faced, 'If we go this way, we might not make it,'" Costner explained. "So this is a really desolate place. So this is their last stop."
After sending a helicopter crew to scout a third location for the scene and "throwing prayers up," Costner found the perfect spot on the Shivwits Native American Reservation.
"It's a good lesson for everybody," Costner mused. "Sometimes you just have to let some things go." Like, a certain dynastic ranch drama, perchance?
The Horizon production has worked closely with the Shivwits Band, going to tribal leaders for scouting missions and guidance on filming at important cultural sites. Costner's production company even paid for the Shivwits to re-seed their land when filming wraps.
"The best thing was working with Kevin's crew. We're all working together and they were more active in asking what they should be careful of," said Travis Duran, Shivwits Reservation Land Resources Manager. "Kevin's people are great."
