Kevin Costner Sued Over Added Scene in ‘Horizon 2’ Western Drama!

The first installment of a four-part film series, “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1,” directed by and starring Kevin Costner, was released on July 3, 2024. The sequel, initially set for a U.S. release in August 2024 and September in France, has been postponed indefinitely due to the poor box office performance of the first film.

A Disappointing Start for an Ambitious Western

Indeed, the first chapter turned out to be a box office flop, earning only $38.7 million globally against an estimated budget of $100 million. This underperformance led the producers to revise their strategy and delay the release of the next installment.

Regarding the continuation of his American saga, Kevin Costner began filming the third chapter in May 2024, but production was halted. Filming has not resumed since, mainly due to financial difficulties. Although the script for the fourth film is completed, it is not yet confirmed whether filming will proceed.

It is worth noting that Kevin Costner has personally invested over $50 million in this project, even mortgaging one of his properties to fund it. In May 2024, he told GQ: “I don’t know how I’m going to do [Chapter 3] now, but I’m going to make it happen.”

Kevin Costner Faces Legal Trouble

However, today, the actor and director finds himself at the center of a legal battle. According to People, stuntwoman Devyn LaBella filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, May 27, against Kevin Costner and the producers of “Horizon 2.” She claims she was coerced into filming a rape scene that was not in the original script.

According to the lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of California, the incident occurred on May 2, 2023. Devyn LaBella, the main stunt double for actress Ella Hunt (who plays Juliette in the films), claims she was asked to shoot an improvised rape scene after Ella Hunt refused to participate and left the set.

LaBella asserts she was not informed of the actress’s departure and was called to film an unscripted scene without prior notice or adequate briefing. She further claims that the scene was filmed without the mandatory presence of an intimacy coordinator, in violation of Screen Actors Guild protocols.

The lawsuit highlights several rules broken by the production that were meant to protect actors during sensitive scenes. The stuntwoman claims these violations created a hostile work environment and caused her emotional trauma that required therapeutic intervention.

On the other hand, Kevin Costner’s lawyer vehemently denies the allegations, branding Devyn LaBella as a “serial plaintiff,” and asserts that she had consented to the scene. LaBella, however, maintains that she felt compelled to perform the scene despite her discomfort, fearing professional repercussions.