Credit: MTV Entertainment Studios

Kevin Costner begins production on ‘Horizon’ with future of ‘Yellowstone’ season five unclear

Mon 1 May 2023 10:39, UK

Behind-the-scenes photos shared on social media have revealed that Kevin Costner is returning to the western genre, but not for the second half of Yellowstone season five.

The photos shared on Instagram show that work is underway in Utah on the second part of the epic western movie, Horizon, a “passion project” of Costner’s. The project is co-written, produced, directed by and starring him. Scheduled to comprise four films total, work on the first part started in August last year. Spanning 15 years, it will cover America’s expansion Westwards expansion before and after the Civil war.

“America’s expansion into the west was one that was fraught with peril and intrigue from the natural elements to the interactions with the indigenous peoples who lived on the land, and the determination and at many times ruthlessness of those who sought to settle it,” Costner said in a statement at the time of announcement. “Horizon tells the story of that journey in an honest and forthcoming way, highlighting the points of view and consequences of the characters’ life and death decisions.”

Details are presently scarce about Horizon, but the images of production emerge with questions surrounding the future of Yellowstone season five. The Paramount neo-western broadcast the midseason finale on January 1st, with it announced that the series would return for the rest of the season in the summer.

Production was expected to commence in spring, but rumours of a spat between creator Taylor Sheridan and Costner have surfaced. It was reported that friction between Sheridan and Costner was over the show’s shooting schedule. However, Costner has denied the rumours.

Elsewhere, during Deadline‘s Contenders Television panel in April, Yellowstone executive producer Stephen Kay said he hopes shooting will resume soon. “Taylor is in Texas spinning hay into gold and we’re hoping, we’re hoping we’ll do it soon,” he said. “Everybody’s excited.”