Kevin Costner Creates ‘Movies for Men’ With Powerful Female Characters

Kevin Costner attends the U.S. premiere of "Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1" at Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 24, 2024. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Kevin Costner says that he creates “movies for men” while underscoring the vital role of strong female characters in his work.

In a recent episode of the “Happy Sad Confused“ podcast, Mr. Costner and some members of the cast for his latest project, ”Horizon: An American Saga,” shed light on the distinctive approach he took with the first installment of a planned four-part series.

Mr. Costner, who co-wrote the series with Jon Baird, highlighted that unlike many Western films of the past, “Horizon” places female characters at the heart of every storyline.

He stressed that he couldn’t envision a scene without a woman’s presence.

“I make movies for men. That’s what I do,” Mr. Costner said. “But I won’t make a movie unless I have strong women characters, and that’s how I’ve conducted my career. ... I think that’s why I have a good following. I thank you, women, for dragging your men here. It was a Western, after all. But I just can’t conceive of a movie without having that.”

The filmmaker has shared that in his storytelling process, he always considers where the women fit, as they are essential to driving the narrative.

Set against the backdrop of the American West during and after the Civil War, “Horizon” follows the lives of various settlers. Mr. Costner stars alongside an ensemble cast including Sienna Miller, Jena Malone, Isabelle Fuhrman, Abbey Lee, and Ella Hunt.

Horizon’s Reception

In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Mr. Costner revealed that he put up $38 million of his own money and property to finance the film.

The film received a 10-minute standing ovation after its screening at the Grand Theatre Lumiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, ScreenRant reported.

During the festival, Mr. Costner was also honored with France’s Order of Arts and Letters by French Culture Minister Rachida Dati.

However, “Horizon” had a challenging start at the box office. The film opened to just $11 million, which is considered low for a movie with a production cost of $100 million.

The first film in the “Horizon” saga premiered in theaters on June 28, with the second set to premiere Aug. 16. The series has been planned as a four-part saga, with the third and fourth installments currently in production.

Mr. Costner’s directorial portfolio also boasts the acclaimed “Dances With Wolves” (1990), for which he won the Academy Award for best picture and best director, as well as “The Postman” (1997) and “Open Range” (2003).