Can Costner Finally Gain Worldwide Recognition as an Elite Director?
By Jo Phillips
Kevin Costner is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time, but he’s thus far failed to make a major mark as a director. Although Dances With Wolves was highly esteemed, The Postman and Open Range were less successful.
Now, Costner is set to return to the director’s chair for the fourth time on the big screen with Horizon: An American Saga. It will be released in two parts and is Costner’s most ambitious offering to date.
New Western Film Will Appeal to Casino Crowd
Undoubtedly, it’s the perfect time for Costner to release a brand-new Western. The genre is booming in popular culture, and this is highlighted by the abundance of games in the bustling online casino market. Westerns are among the most popular themes in online slots, with titles like Wanted Dead or a Wild listed among the top titles.
The casino market is often a great indicator of what’s trending in the mainstream, and slots players may search for related content on other media. This could be why Westerns are enjoying a renaissance on film and television and may mean that there’s a huge audience ready and waiting for Costner’s new offering in the genre.
Horizon: An American Saga Could be Epic
Costner’s upcoming return to the director’s chair has the potential to be an epic event, as his film will be released in two parts. Horizon: An American Saga’s first chapter is set to drop in June, and that will be followed by the second chapter in August. This could be a clever marketing strategy, as interest will still be high. It may make more sense than waiting a year to release a sequel, as tends to be the tradition in Hollywood.
There are a lot of factors that could make this new offering Costner’s best film to date. In addition to Costner starring in the lead role, the cast includes a variety of huge names including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, and Will Patton. The two part offering has been in the making for decades as well, with Costner first commissioning the premise in 1988. It’s a passion project for the actor and director, meaning that he will have put everything possible into it to make it as great as possible.
Costner May Focus More on Directing Now
Costner has had a long and exceptional acting career, but he is reaching the point where he may want to focus more on his directing. At the age of 69, it could be a wise decision to take a step back from the screen and make his mark in the chair instead.
If Costner decided to do this, he’d be following in the footsteps of plenty other screen legends such as Clint Eastwood, Ben Affleck, and Mel Gibson. Currently, Costner is behind these other stars in terms of output, but there’s a chance he could catch them up.
Horizon: An American Saga stands a strong chance of being Costner’s best directorial offering to date and could attract a huge audience. If this comes to fruition, it may encourage the American to focus more on his directorial career.