Kevin Costner’s new movie Horizon: An American Saga is exciting, but the film sadly hints at the undoing of his 34-year-old Western epic’s most influential genre change. Throughout the decades, the Western genre has undergone all kinds of changes, with the various stories of cowboys and outlaws pivoting in some pretty different directions in recent years. However, Horizon: An American Saga seems to be ignoring one of Kevin Costner’s biggest influences on the genre, with this change potentially being problematic.
Horizon: An American Saga is an upcoming Western from Kevin Costner, with the all-new franchise following Kevin Costner after his departure from the Yellowstone franchise. While details are still slim regarding the story of Horizon: An American Saga, it is known that the film will initially be released in two parts, with Chapter 1 releasing in June 2024 and Chapter 2 releasing in August 2024. The first trailer for Horizon: An American Saga is out now, hinting that a problematic genre trope may be returning.
Kevin Costner’s Horizon Trailer Is Disappointing After Dances With Wolves’ Revolutionary Portrayal Of Native Americans
Although the story of Horizon: An American Saga is still being kept under wraps, the first Horizon: An American Saga trailer hints at what the film could be about. The trailer suggests that the film will follow settlers as they head west, with the film seemingly falling into the trope of framing settlers in a positive light while framing the Native Americans who are having their land stolen in a villainous way. This is especially disappointing for Kevin Costner, as he is the one who directed Dances with Wolves.
1990’s Dances with Wolves was a revolutionary film, as it was one of the first Westerns to portray Native Americans in a positive light. The film paints the Native Americans as sympathetic characters while avoiding the white savior trope, with it being praised among Westerns for its handling of the subject. Kevin Costner directed this film, meaning that he had to have understood its message, which is why the story and setting of Horizon: An American Saga are so disappointing.
Kevin Costner’s Horizon Sequels Can Still Fix The Saga’s Worrying Themes
Although it seems like the upcoming film is headed down the wrong path, Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga sequels can still fix the first film’s worrying themes. Kevin Costner has plans for four Horizon: An American Saga movies, meaning that there is still all kinds of development for the characters and story to go through.
It is possible that the settlers could be framed positively in the first Horizon: An American Saga movie only for the sequels to change perspectives, pulling the rug out from under the audience. This is potentially an interesting way for the upcoming film to subvert these harmful stereotypes and genre clichés. However, it will still be a long time until all four Horizon: An American Saga movies are released, meaning that only the first one can be judged.