Kevin Costner’sWaterworldremains one of the actor’s most infamous movies, and it connects in some notable ways to his more recent project. In the mid-1990s, Costner was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, establishing himself with hisOscar-winningDances with Wolvesand his beloved baseball movies,Field of DreamsandBull Durham.
Costner was also establishing himself as one of the action stars of the decade, includingplaying Robin Hoodin the blockbuster adventureRobin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Waterworldwas meant to be the next step in that direction, a massive blockbuster that was touted as the most expensive movie ever made at the time.
Waterworldended up grossing $264.2 million on a $175 million budget, and has since carried the reputation of being a massive financial disappointment(viaBox Office Mojo). As the film now celebrates its 30th anniversary, there isanother movie from Costner’s careerthat has earned a similar reputation.
How Kevin Costner’s Horizon Is Reminiscent Of Waterworld Almost 30 Years Earlier
Horizon’s Financial Failures Are Reflective Of Waterworld’s Controversy
The perception ofWaterworldas a massive flop was certainly damaging to Kevin Costner’s movie star status at the time, but it did nothing to kill his ambition. Decades afterWaterworld, Costner took on another risky project with his epic Western saga,Horizon: An American Saga. The project was a proposed franchise with at least four movies planned.
Horizon: Part 1was released to disappointing numbers, and the release plan for the other movies was scrapped.
Costner’s Western projectshad been a big part of his career, so news of his return to the genre was exciting. However,like the publicity aroundWaterworld’s massive budget, the conversation aroundHorizonquickly became focused on whether it was a Hollywood folly before anyone had even seen it.
With Costner planning on filming the movies back-to-back and releasing them in theaters only months apart, many began to predict that the actor and filmmaker was being too ambitious with the undertaking and was destined to fail. Eventually,Horizon: Part 1was released to disappointing numbers, and the release plan for the other movies was scrapped.
There is still no confirmation on how and when the rest oftheHorizonfranchise, most of which has already been filmed, will come out. However,the sequels have an uphill battle as the reputation surrounding the movie is all to do with the financial failure, mirroring the public perception that has followedWaterworldall these years.
Horizon: An American Saga Was A Far Bigger Gamble For Kevin Costner Personally
Kevin Costner Spent $38 Million Of His Own Money On Horizon
The perception aroundHorizonandWaterworldis that they were both disappointingfailures in Kevin Costner’s career, but the sad reality is thatHorizonwas much worse for the actor. While Costner’s position as a Hollywood superstar was certainly on the line withWaterworld, he gambled his own money to makeHorizonhappen.
Costner himself estimates that he personally invested $38 million into hisHorizonproject, even putting a loan on his house in order to get the money (viaVariety). Unfortunately,Horizon’s entire box office total was just over $38 million, all but guaranteeing Costner will lose a substantial amount on the project (viaBox Office Mojo).
Costner’s personal investment in seeing this ambitious passion project through was seen as endearing for many movie lovers.
Despite the perception,Waterworldwas not the disastersome have labeled it as. It didn’t recoup its budget in theaters, but it was eventually profitable thanks to home video and other sales. Unfortunately, the conversations aroundHorizon’s financial failures are not overblown, and the prospect of any profit seems impossible.
While the reviews forHorizonwere mixed, with 51% onRotten Tomatoes, it isCostner’s personal stakes in the movie that have presented it in a different light compared toWaterworld. With its massive budget and silly premise,Waterworldwas criticized long before it hit theaters for being an overblown blockbuster.
Many predicted thatHorizonwould fail financially, but Costner’s personal investment in seeing this ambitious passion project through was seen as endearing for many movie lovers. Even those who didn’t care for the movie seem to be rooting forKevin Costnerto complete his franchise, however unlikely that seems now.
