"Two of my boys are out fishing right now," Costner said with a grin in an interview at the Carlton Hotel. "And the three girls found their way onto a boat. So dad's in here, stumping for his movie."
The movie is actually two, or if Costner has his way, four. "Horizon: Chapter One," which runs three hours, will be released by Warner Bros. in theaters June 28. "Chapter Two" follows August 16. Costner has scripts ready for parts three and four.
It's only the fourth time Costner, 69, has directed, following 1990's "Dances With Wolves," 1997's "The Postman" and 2003's "Open Range". But when he has, Costner has usually done it with a clear-eyed passion for storytelling and character. That's on display in the wide-ranging epic "Horizon," with a cast including Sienna Miller, Abbey Lee, Sam Worthington and Costner.
It's also Costner's biggest gamble, ever. To raise the money for the $100 million-plus production, he mortgaged his seaside Santa Barbara, California, estate. He's been trying to make "Horizon" for more than 30 years.
"I thank God for Cannes. I'm an independent filmmaker, essentially, and I'm here by myself," said Costner, whose film was to premiere Sunday. "So this is a high moment for me because it's helping me create awareness for a movie. I don't have all the money in the world to expose this movie. But I have my time and a platform here."