Kevin Costner To Debut ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ At Cannes Film Festival

Kevin Costner will debut the first part of Horizon: An American Saga as a world premiere Out of Competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The series will screen Sunday, May 19, on the Croisette, with Costner and the show’s cast scheduled to be in attendance. The Warner Bros/New Line Civil War epic hits theaters in two parts this summer, on June 28 and August 16.

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“I’d like to thank the Festival de Cannes for including my film Horizon: An American Saga in this year’s selection,” said Costner. “It’s been 20 years since I’ve had the pleasure of being on the Croisette. I’ve been waiting for the right time to return and I’m proud to say that this time has come. Horizon: An American Saga is a story that began 35 years ago, and I can’t think of a better place than Cannes to reveal to the world the result of such a wonderful adventure. The French have always supported films and believed deeply in filmmaking. Just as I believe deeply in my film.”

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Written by Costner and Jon Baird (The Explorers Guild), the multi-episode project explores the lure of the Old West and how it was won — and lost — through the blood, sweat and tears of many. Synopsis reads: Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, it takes audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends, and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America.

RELATED: ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Trailer: Kevin Costner’s Two-Part Civil War Epic Examines Fight Over Future Of A Nation

Deadline was the first to report on the project, which marks Costner’s first behind the camera since 2003’s Open Range. The project sees him re-engage with the setting of Dances with Wolves, his 1990 directorial debut, which grossed over $424 million worldwide and won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Director.

In addition to Costner, Horizon: An American Saga stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jena Malone, Owen Crow Shoe, Tatanka Means, Ella Hunt, Tim Guinee, Danny Huston, Colin Cunningham, Scott Haze, Tom Payne, Abbey Lee, Michael Rooker, Will Patton, Georgia MacPhail, Douglas Smith, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jamie Campbell Bower, Alejandro Edda, Wasé Winyan Chief, Michael Anganaro, Angus Macfadyen, Jon Beavers, Alex Nibley, Kathleen Quinlan, Etienne Kellici, Amos Jason Charging Cloud, Bodhi Okuma Linton, Gregory Cruz, James Russo, Jeff Fahey, David O’Hara, Chris Conner, Leroy M. Silva, Bernardo Velasco, Tom Everett, Glynn Turman and Giovanni Ribisi. German-based sales firm K5 International is handling international sales on the pic.

This year’s Cannes Film Festival runs May 14-25. Festival director Thierry Frémaux will announce this year’s full official selection Thursday morning in Paris after the festival previously confirmed George Miller’s Furiosa and Quentin Dupieux’s The Second Act for slots.

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