Working with the Native Americans in Southern Utah to protect their land is a priority for the Kevin Costner production “Horizon: An American Saga 2.”
The four-part film series that covers 15 years around the American Civil War and the expansion of the West, is currently being shot in the Greater Zion area in St. George.
The soothing sound of the Santa Clara River and soft red dirt on the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Indian reservation was the background for some movie scenes.
The tribal land spans 28,000 acres in southwestern Washington County, 12 miles northwest of St. George, near Ivins, Utah.
Shivwits Reservation Land Resources Manager Travis Duran was quoted saying that the Oscar-winning director and crew treated the land and its people respectfully. “The best thing was working with Kevin’s crew. We’re all working together and they were more active in asking what they should be careful of,” Duran said.
Duran appreciated Costner and his crew for respecting the Native American land. The production team put up signs cautioning if a plant or specific area needed protection on the set.
This helped people from accidentally stepping on them. Costner’s production company also upgraded the area, which include improving & widening the roads, clearing overgrown brush and more. The improvements on the land will benefit the tribal members in the future and would allow Native American families more access to picnic in the area.
The first part of the movie was shot in and around Moab, Utah, in 2022 after the State Legislature passed Utah’s State Film Production Amendments bill, which excepted rural productions from the state’s annual tax incentive program limits. The program requires production companies to use local actors and vendors as much as possible.
“Horizon: An American Saga 2” will bring an estimated USD 90 million into the economy of Washington County, according to Sales Manager Joyce Kelly of the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office.
Costner is producing the film through his Territory Pictures. Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute a New Line Cinema presentation of a Territory Pictures production, the “Horizon: An American Saga 2” films in the United States of America.
This is the first of a three-part series on the production “Horizon: An American Saga 2” in Utah.
Delving Deeper into Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: An American Saga 2
The tides of film genres have ebbed and flowed throughout cinematic history. Arguably, no genre has experienced these shifts as dramatically as the Western. From being the backbone of cinema’s golden era to experiencing a dwindling fanbase at the dawn of the 21st century, Westerns have seen it all. Yet, as recent years have shown, particularly with the acclaimed television show ‘Yellowstone’, this genre is far from riding off into the sunset.
Featuring the legendary Kevin Costner, known for his iconic roles in ‘Dances with Wolves’ among other Western classics, ‘Yellowstone’ has heralded a resurgence in the Western genre’s popularity. Now, with ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ already launching its second instalment, it seems we are witnessing the dawn of the next monumental Western series.
‘Horizon: An American Saga Part 2’ showcases Costner’s multifaceted talents, as he co-writes, produces, and directs this American epic Western. Produced by New Line Cinema and Territory Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film sees Costner reprising his role from the first instalment, accompanied by a star-studded cast including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Ella Hunt, and more, along with newcomers Glynn Turman, Kathleen Quinlan, and Giovanni Ribis.
Costner’s longstanding love for the Western genre is well documented. His illustrious career, spanning over four decades, has seen unforgettable Westerns from ‘Silverado’ and ‘Wyatt Earp’ to ‘Dances With Wolves’ and, of course, ‘Yellowstone’. Now 68, the actor-turned-director continues to shape the frontier landscape both in front of and behind the camera.
Production for ‘Horizon: An American Saga Part 2’ kicked off on April 10, 2023, in Washington County, Utah. Costner and his team, including Territory Pictures, faced a unique set of challenges. Initially, their preferred location on the reservation wasn’t feasible, and they were forced to change plans abruptly when the Santa Clara River swelled an unexpected 12 feet due to record snowfall in the nearby mountains.
Nevertheless, Costner and his team persevered, scouting a new location on the Shivwits reservation. This picturesque tribal land, spanning 28,000 acres in southwestern Washington County, ended up providing an idyllic backdrop for several scenes in the film. It is noteworthy that throughout the production process, Costner and the team made a point of treating the land and its people with respect, as emphasized by the Shivwits Reservation Land Resources Manager.
With this next installment in the ‘Horizon’ series, Kevin Costner continues his passionate journey through the Western genre, bringing the grandeur of the American frontier to audiences once again.
Read more: Latest
