It seems Kevin Costner is trying to replicate the success he enjoyed in Yellowstone with his upcoming movie, Horizon: An American Saga, and he might be replicating one of the show’s characters as well. New updates about Horizon: An American Saga confirmed that Horizon will consist of multiple movies, with the first two films releasing just months away, in June and August 2024. Horizon has become a huge financial investment for Costner, and he has a lot riding on its success. Luckily, he can take a page from Yellowstone’s book to help the movies succeed, and he seemingly already has.

There are a number of reasons why Costner is leaving Yellowstone, but the biggest seems to be creative differences and alleged behind the scenes drama he had with the show’s creator and writer, Taylor Sheridan. His hasty departure from the show, along with some of Horizon’s riskier aspects, make it far from a guaranteed success. Costner will need every advantage he can get for Horizon to succeed, and he may need to replicate some of the things that worked for Yellowstone. While Horizon is offering Costner a fresh start on his own Western franchise, he’s still taking inspiration from his previous work, especially with this character from Yellowstone.

Danny Huston’s Horizon Character Is Very Similar To His Yellowstone Character

In Yellowstone, Danny Huston played Dan Jenkins, a real estate developer who was trying to buy land from the ranch. In the trailer for Horizon, Huston’s character seems to have a similar motivation. He was heard saying, “There’s no army of this Earth that’s going to stop those wagons coming, little as they’re wanted.” Huston’s character in Horizon seems to be focused on Westward expansion, just like his character in Yellowstone was. The only difference so far seems to be the details, as Horizon will follow the original Westward Expansion, while Jenkins showed the Westward creep of corporations and modernization in Yellowstone.

Danny Huston’s Casting Proves Horizon Really Is Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Replacement

Costner is clearly taking inspiration from Yellowstone, and Huston’s casting is just one sign of what Horizon means to him. Horizon is Costner’s passion project, and his decision to leave a show as successful as Yellowstone shows he clearly has enormous faith in it. That decision also means that Costner needs Horizon to be just as successful as Yellowstone, and he’s using every advantage he can to replace his former show, including actors and characters. Huston’s involvement in the show proves that Costner considers Horizon to be his Yellowstone replacement, and that he’s using what worked for the show in his movies.

Kevin Costner’s Horizon Character Is Pretty Close To Yellowstone’s John Dutton Too

Huston’s role as a driving force behind Westward expansion seems to come from his Yellowstone character, and Costner seems to be using the same strategy with his own character. In Yellowstone, Costner played John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family dynasty with power over the titular ranch. Dutton was a natural leader, and he was willing to be completely ruthless in order to protect his land and his family. Costner’s character in Horizon seems to be similar to Dutton, even though little is known about the character.

Based on the trailer, Costner’s character seems to be a leader in much the same capacity as Dutton. Horizon will also presumably have Costner acting as a protector to those less able to fight. Where the characters diverge, though, is in their willingness to take overt action. John Dutton preferred more subtle methods and delegating responsibilities to the younger members of the family and his ranch hands. Costner’s Horizon character doesn’t seem to be afraid to get his hands dirty, as the trailer showed him firing a revolver at several people.

While Horizon: An American Saga will be hugely important for Kevin Costner’s career, and there are already some worrying aspects to it, the movies are also a cause for excitement. Costner is clearly passionate about the project, which he has been waiting to make for years, and his enthusiasm could help him deliver one of his best performances to date. Horizon will also be one of the biggest Western movies in years, and the epic scale should be tremendously entertaining. Horizon: An American Saga could turn out to be Costner’s new Yellowstone, and for good reason.