Star of Oliver Stone’s JFK Kevin Costner could be heading back to the world of political dramas, as he’s reportedly in talks to join the TV series United as Bill Clinton. The series is set to be produced in part by the United Nations and comes from Night Hunter director David Raymond. With the series being based on true-life tales of humanitarianism, the project is expected to feature other real-world figures, but more details about the series have yet to be released.
The reports of this casting were revealed by Variety, with Costner also expected to produce with Leonardo DiCaprio alongside the United Nations. While an official logline hasn’t been released, the outlet noted that United would “tell true stories of heroism and perseverance by humanitarians in pursuit of making the world a better place for all.” No other details about the project have been revealed, such as where the series could be available or when production is expected to move forward.
How Will ‘United’ Impact Costner’s Other Projects?
In addition to JFK, Costner has starred in a variety of other politically inspired movies, such as Thirteen Days, Swing Vote, and Hidden Figures, in addition to having starred in Westerns like Dances with Wolves, Wyatt Earp, and The Postman. In recent years, Costner starred as John Dutton in Paramount’s Yellowstone. That series, from Taylor Sheridan, has become a global phenomenon, scoring impressive ratings and awards nominations, while also inspiring spinoffs like 1883 and 1923, both of which follow other members of the Dutton family lineage.
With Costner exiting Yellowstone during Season 5, he was able to pursue the development of his sprawling Western epic Horizon: An American Saga. The project went through a number of iterations since Costner first conceived of it in the ’80s, with Horizon expanding into a planned four-movie narrative. The first two films were developed with the intent to release them on HBO Max, though the movies then pivoted to a planned theatrical release.
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 would ultimately get released in theaters in the summer of 2024, with a plan initially in place to release Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 just a month later. Chapter 2 has been screened at film festivals, yet has not secured a definitive release date. With Costner previously having planned to also make Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 of the franchise, his connection both as a star and producer of United would likely complicate whatever future might have been planned for Horizon.
It’s also possible, however, that whatever attention Costner earns from United could generate enough excitement to result in the release of Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 and the production of subsequent installments. This planned four-part epic feels akin to James Cameron’s gamble with the Avatar series, as that sci-fi saga similarly saw multiple delays and announced expansions, and with the third Avatar hitting theaters next month, Cameron’s cinematic gamble seems to be paying off. With Horizon not having the same global appeal as Avatar, though, Costner might be putting the cart before the horse.
- Birthname
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Kevin Michael Costner
- Birthdate
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January 18, 1955
- Birthplace
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Lynwood, California, USA