The Yellowstone era of Kevin Costner’s career has come to an end, and the box office disappointment of his film Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 has left some wondering how he’s going to be able to complete his four-part Western epic (Chapter 2 has already been filmed, but Chapters 3 and 4 are left to go)… but Costner isn’t just sitting around, waiting to get back to the world of Horizon. The Hollywood Reporter has broken the news that Costner is set to star in a horror thriller called Headhunters – and not only will he have a lead role, but he’s also producing the film and co-writing the screenplay!
Cinematographer Steven Holleran will be making his feature directorial debut with this film, which is based on an idea he originated. Holleran took the idea to Costner, and they’ve crafted the script together. Costner will be playing a character called Lazer, a washed-up American ex-pat with a mysterious past who finds himself living in Bali, Indonesia. Lazer recruits a group of surfers led by Bima, a local photographer, on a journey to an uncharted island to pioneer a perfect wave. To their surprise, the island is home to an ancient tribe of headhunters guarding the land at all costs. What ensues is an adventure turned survival story of epic and bloody proportions on a tropical island which once seemed to be paradise… but is actually closer to hell. Sounds to me like this has the potential to be an awesome movie. Kevin Costner vs. headhunters!
Costner is joined in the cast by Daniel Zovatto, whose credits include It Follows, Don’t Breathe, Beneath, The Pope’s Exorcist, Fear the Walking Dead, and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels
Headhunters is currently in pre-production and is expected to start filming in Hawaii next month. Studios and streaming services are competing to secure the distribution rights. Costner and his producing partner Howard Kaplan are producing for Territory Pictures, while Scott Steindorff does the same for Stone Village Films, alongside the company’s Dylan Russell, Lindsay Davis, and Stacey Woods. Eric Hays is on board as physical producer. Steindorff provided the following statement: “For decades, my friend Kevin and I have been searching for the right project to collaborate on. This is one of the best scripts I have seen in my career. Kevin is a legendary actor who brings so much depth and charisma to his roles, and has written an iconic horror script with Steve.“
Steindorff added that Zovatto is “one of the finest young actors in Hollywood” and that Holleran “has a keen eye. He pitched me this idea which was so unique and original. Working with him in the past has been nothing short of amazing, so I’m really looking forward to shooting Headhunters this fall.“
Holleran, whose cinematography credits include Sympathy for the Devil, Missing, and Chick Fight, had this to say: “My filmmaking journey got its start in the ocean shooting surf videos in California as a teenager. Twenty years later, Headhunters brings things full circle and connects three life-long passions of mine — surfing, filmmaking, and adventure.“
Does Headhunters sound interesting to you? Share your thoughts on this Kevin Costner project by leaving a comment below.