Despite being an A-list actor, achieving international success with his smash hit Yellowstone, and receiving numerous awards for his acting, Kevin Costner has also had some serious film flops – experiencing a career nose-dive in the mid ’90s.
Costner was on his way to cementing himself as a Hollywood leading man after a successful run, starring in Field of Dreams (1989), Dances with Wolves, (1990), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), and The Bodyguard (1992) – even producing many of the big-time hits himself.
The now 69-year-old also won numerous awards over the years, including three Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award – as well as securing a January 2023 win for Best Actor in a Drama Golden Globe Award for his role as John Dutton in the hit-series Yellowstone.
But his newest movie, Horizon: An American Saga, has been slammed by critics, despite earning a 10-minute standing ovation from the audience following its premiere screening at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on Sunday.
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter One is set to premiere in theaters on June 28, and then Chapter Two will follow and debut on August 16
Sienna Miller is among thee star-studded ensemble cast that also includes Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone among others
Horizon: An American Saga, has a star-studded ensemble cast in addition to Costner with Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Giovanni Ribisi, Ella Hunt, Danny Huston and Luke Wilson also sharing the screen.
However, the film has received some scathing reviews and a very low score on Rotten Tomatoes, with just a 27 per cent score on the Tomatometer – the rating system used on the film critique website.
Costner financed the film himself, admitting to putting $38 million of his own funds into the project after spending decades trying to find a studio to make the film.
He even took out a loan against his Santa Barbara home after trying unsuccessfully to make it for more than 30 years.
Despite being an A-list actor, achieving international success with his smash hit Yellowstone, and receiving numerous awards for his acting, Kevin Costner has also had some serious flops – experiencing a career flop in the mid ’90s
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter One is set to premiere in theaters on June 28, and then Chapter Two will follow and debut on August 16.
The two-part epic has cost more than $100 million to pull together.
Costner previously revealed in June 2022 that he planned on making four Horizon films in all, shot back-to-back.
It’s the fourth time Costner has directed a film in his long career, which also includes following Dances With Wolves (1990), The Postman (1990) and Open Range (2003).
Costner has achieved massive success with his work, including his directorial debut, Dances with Wolves (1990), which won an astounding seven Academy Awards from 12 nominations including Best Picture and Best Director.
If Horizon: An American Saga doesn’t perform, it’s not the first Costner-funded film to flop in the box office.
Below, FEMAIL look back at some of the box-office misses from Kevin Costner.
Waterworld (1995)
Only a few years after appearing in the mega hit The Bodyguard, Costner’s film Waterworld tanked at the box office.
The film received mixed reviews, with some critics acknowledging it was impressive feat to make, but deemed it ‘dreary,’ ‘totally humorless,’ and ‘without a soul.’
According to Esquire, tabloids kept a constant track of the film’s ever-expanding budget.
The film, which had a three-hour running time, cost about $175 million to make and amassed $253 million worldwide.
Unfortunately for Costner, it was the beginning of a rough few years for his films, making The Postman just two years later.
Only a few years after appearing in the mega hit The Bodyguard, Costner’s film Waterworld tanked at the box office
The Postman (1997)
The Postman was directed, produced and starred Costner, and was made with an $80 million budget.
However, the dystopian film only made $20.8 million at the box office worldwide, and currently only has a 14 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Costner has since said in interviews that while The Postman didn’t fare well at the box office, Waterworld didn’t do too badly in theaters and made back its budget and VHS sales.
The Postman was directed, produced and starred Costner, and was made with an $80 million budget
While promoting the 2013 film Man of Steel, Costner defended The Postman.
‘Well, I always thought it was a really good movie! I always thought I probably started it wrong. I should have said something like “once upon a time.”
‘Because it was just like a modern-day fairy tale – it wraps itself up with a storybook ending with the statue,’ he said, as per Cinema Blend.
He continued: ‘You know, I thought it was a pretty funny movie set against the idea of a Superman – somebody stepping up.
‘But in this case, it’s a very humble guy whose nothing but a liar – delivers mail and burns half of it just to stay alive. So, I like the movie.’