Kevin Costner Calls Studio Help of Horizon ‘Fairly Gratifying’ (Unique)

Kevin Costner is expressing gratitude for the assist he is obtained over his newest film.

The Academy Award winner, 69, stepped out for the premiere of his new epic movie Horizon: An American Saga in Los Angeles on Monday, June 24.

Whereas there, he solely tells PEOPLE how a lot this night time means to him.

“You suppose an evening like this has the potential for taking place, however for a studio to line up behind it to create this atmosphere for us, to have fun this film that we labored so exhausting for and that we dreamed about for thus lengthy, is fairly gratifying,” he says, referring to distributor Warner Bros.

The director additionally tells PEOPLE that his youngsters “are watching over” him on the occasion, noting “they at all times do.”

Costner shares three grownup youngsters — Annie, 40, Lily, 37, and Joe, 36 — along with his ex-wife Cindy Silva, in addition to son Liam, 26, with former associate Bridget Rooney. He additionally shares Cayden Wyatt, 17, Hayes Logan, 15, and Grace Avery, 14, with now-ex-wife Christine Baumgartner.

He explains to PEOPLE that his youngsters have solely seen one reduce of the movie. “I introduced them with me to France, however they’re anxious to see it with no subtitles,” he provides by way of a little bit of laughter.

Horizon premiered on the 2024 Cannes Movie Competition on Might 19, with 5 of his seven youngsters in attendance. He was joined by daughters Annie, Lily and Grace, and sons Hayes and Cayden.

Horizon “explores the lure of the Previous West and the way it was received — and misplaced — by way of the blood, sweat and tears of many,” reads the movie’s synopsis.

“Spanning the 4 years of the Civil Struggle, from 1861 to 1865, Kevin Costner’s bold cinematic journey will take audiences on an emotional journey throughout a rustic at battle with itself, skilled by way of the lens of households, pals and foes all trying to find what it really means to be the United States of America.”

Along with starring within the movie, Costner additionally served as a author, director and producer of the Western epic, with a sequel titled Chapter 2 releasing Aug. 16. Costner beforehand instructed Leisure Weekly he began engaged on this movie in 1988 and even named his son after the primary character he performs — Hayes Ellison. 

“Horizon is extremely significant to me. It is actually been the toughest factor I’ve ever carried out, but it surely’s precisely what I wish to do,” Costner instructed PEOPLE in 2022. “I wrapped this primary one, and it took all the things I had, however I am holding on to the rope and never letting go. In my profession, I’ve tried to decide on not based mostly on what was well-liked. I made the movies I wished to make.”

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The movie contains a star-studded forged together with Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson, Ella Hunt, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jamie Campbell Bower, Jena Malone, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Wasé Chief and Michael Rooker.

Costner instructed PEOPLE in November 2022 that his 15-year-old son Hayes additionally makes an look within the film. 

“I type of did it on goal, so he might be hanging out with me,” the Yellowstone star instructed PEOPLE. “And the identical factor for Cayden, similar factor for Grace. I am like some other guardian, I am making an attempt to determine, like, ‘That is actually neat. You need to come be with me.'”

Costner is not any stranger to the Western style and stated he has at all times been fascinated by it. His directorial debut Dances with Wolves — a Western journey movie — received Greatest Image and Greatest Director on the Oscars in 1990. 

“Quite a lot of occasions we measure ourselves towards different generations,” he instructed PEOPLE. “I take into consideration what was at stake. How did folks survive? There is a rawness and an unpredictability about it. I am haunted by that.”

Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 is in theaters June 28, adopted by Chapter 2 on Aug. 16.